He held up a hand. “No thanks. I’m not in the mood for candy today.”
“Are you sick?”
“No, but I’ve had about four cups of coffee,” he said. “My sugar load is high enough. If you keep making me test your candy concoctions, I’m going to develop diabetes.”
“Drink water.”
He scowled. “Water doesn’t combat diabetes.”
“It can’t hurt.”
“I’ve arranged a couple of meetings for next week. I need you to be in them.”
I curled my lip. “If I have to.”
“You have to.”
“I want to make a Christmas candy,” I blurted out.
“There are hundreds of Christmas candies on the market,” he pointed out.
I nodded. “Yes, but what if I could create something special? Something unique. Our company would be the only one to have it. You said we had to do something to be better.”
“I said we need more exposure.”
I shrugged. “If I can create something special and we pump money into a big marketing campaign, it would be lots of exposure.”
He nodded, obviously not paying all that much attention to me. “It could work. We’ll add it to the monthly meeting.”
“Good. Everything okay?”
He blinked. “What?”
“You seem distracted,” I told him.
“I was just thinking about what I need to get done today.”
“Which is?”
“Right now, there’s a tour going on. I need to go and make an appearance. Then I have a meeting with a magazine that wants to feature the company in their next issue.”
“Talk about the new taffy coming,” I offered.
“I will. Will you be coming down?”
I shook my head. “No thanks.”
He sighed. “Not even for two seconds?”
“Nope. I’m busy.”
“Theo, we talked about this,” he started.
“You talked about this. I’m not good with kids. They don’t like me.”
He smiled. “They might like you if you smiled at them. You always look at kids like you’re afraid of them or like they are little aliens.”
I shrugged. “Because I don’t know what to say to them. They always look at me like I’m the weird one. It’s very awkward.”
He chuckled. “They are little kids. Stare back. You’re bigger than they are.”
“I don’t like it.”
“Pussy. Fine, I’ll go. I’ll see you later.”
I barely noticed he’d left, focusing on jotting down the information from the last batch of taffy. Something caught my eye. I turned to look out the glass and saw a kid looking at the framed posters on the wall outside my lab. I got up from my chair, watching the kid to see if he would go away. The kid looked like he was in no hurry to go anywhere.
“Fuck,” I mumbled, knowing I was going to have to do something.
I remembered Sawyer said there was a tour. The kid must have been a part of that. And lost. I pulled open the door and went out to check on the boy. I didn’t want a lost little boy wandering the halls. Not to mention the PR nightmare it would create should the kid get lost in the factory. Sawyer would kill me if I saw the kid and did nothing to get him back to his people.
The last thing I wanted to do was entertain a kid. I supposed it was the lesser of two evils. It was one kid or a whole busload of them. I watched as the kid studied some of the framed posters of advertising pieces from the first marketing campaign the company had ever run.
“Hello,” I greeted.
The boy looked up at me with crystal-clear blue eyes. I could see the intelligence in his eyes. “Hi,” he replied.
“Are you lost?” I asked him.
He got a quizzical look on his face before he looked back at the framed picture of me taken about ten years ago. “You’re him.”
I smiled and nodded. “That’s me. I’m Theo. What’s your name?”
“Jace.”
“Are you lost?”
“Do you work here? Why is your picture on the wall?”
“It’s my company,” I answered, wondering why the kid was avoiding my question.
“Wow. That’s really cool.”
“Are you lost?” I asked again.
He shrugged. “Not really. I know where everyone else is.”
I nodded. “Did you listen to the rules at the beginning of the tour?”
“Yes.”
“Did you hear the part about staying with your group?”
“Yes.”
I held my arms out. “I don’t see any of your group here.”
He sighed. “I know. Am I in trouble?”
“Why did you leave your group?”
He grimaced. “I don’t like being around the other kids.”
“Why not?” I asked.
He shrugged a shoulder. “I just don’t like it. They aren’t my friends.”
I nodded. I completely understood. I could see the shyness in him. I remembered my own childhood and how often I found ways to escape my own classmates. It was easier than trying to go unnoticed. Some people didn’t understand the comfort that came with being alone, away from the noise. I totally got it.
“How old are you?”
“Eight.”
I nodded. “I remember being eight.”
“Was it a long time ago?”
I chuckled. “Not so long ago.”
“My mom was eight a long time ago too.”
“Do they pick on you? The kids that you don’t want to be around.”
He shrugged. “Not really. Well, sometimes.”
I nodded in understanding. A kid that was being picked on wasn’t always aware he was being picked on. I didn’t really figure it out until I was much older. When I realized what was happening, it was when I really started to withdraw and pull away from people.
“Want to see something cool?” I asked him.
He looked up, clearly intrigued. “Yes.”
I smiled and used my head to gesture back to my lab. “In here.”
He followed me inside, his eyes roaming the area. “What’s this place?”
“This is my lab.”
“Your lab? Do you do science stuff in here?”
He was a smart kid. “No. I make candy in here.”
“I saw all the machines. That’s where the candy is made.”
I laughed. “You’re right. I wasn’t clear about what I do in here. This is where I create new candies. I experiment with flavors and ingredients, and once I have created something good, it goes to the production machines.”
“Really? You think up the candy?”
“I do. Sometimes, I have help, but usually, it’s just me here, alone in my lab.”
He walked around the table, his hand running over the smooth service. I could see the interest in his eyes. “What’s that?” he asked, pointing to the pumpkin pie taffy I was working on.
I grinned. “That is my newest creation. Would you like to try some?”
Jace wrinkled his nose. “What is it?”
“How about you take a bite and you try to guess?”
He grinned. “Okay.”
I watched and waited. He took a bite, chewed and then took another bite. “Pumpkin pie.”
“Yes! What do you think?”
He looked thoughtful for a second. “It’s kind of, I don’t know, plain. It doesn’t have a lot of flavor.”
I nodded. “I agree. I was just inputting the notes from my latest trial run. I’m going to add a little more sweetness.”
“Is it supposed to taste like pie and milk?” he asked.
I laughed. “It’s supposed to taste like pumpkin pie and whipped cream.”
He looked at the pile on the desk, scrunching up his nose. “I don’t think that’s what it tasted like.”
“Not yet, but I’m going to keep working on it until it does. Now, tell me. What’s up with your classmates? Are they mean to you?”
“No.”
“Then why did you walk away from them?”
“I don’t know,” he mumbled. “I just don’t really like to be around them.”
“You can hang out here for a few minutes, but then you have to go back. Your teacher is probably already looking for you.”
“She won’t know I’m gone. They never know when I wander away.”
“You wander away a lot?”
He nodded. “Sometimes.”
“I get it. Why don’t you help me mix up another batch?”
His eyes got big. “Really?”
“You went on the tour, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then you’re ready to work,” I said with a smile.
He grinned, his blue eyes sparkling. I wasn’t necessarily fond of kids, but this one was different. He had a quiet intelligence. He was quiet and respectful. It was like looking at myself twenty years ago. I felt an immediate kinship with him.
“Have you worked here a long time?” he asked, watching me as I grabbed the sugar and syrups I needed for the next batch of taffy.
“I have worked here since I was your age,” I told him.
“What? You can’t work when you’re a little kid.”
“My dad owned the company,” I explained. “I used to come to work with him all the time.”
“Does your dad still work here?”
I stopped myself from telling him my father was dead. I didn’t want to lay that kind of crap on the kid. “No, not anymore. It’s my company. I own it.”
“You own the whole candy factory?” he asked with amazement.
I nodded. “I do.”
“That’s cool.”
“Thanks.”
“Can I have another piece of taffy?” he asked politely.
“Absolutely. Do you want one of the pumpkin pieces or my secret stash of chocolate?”
“You have a secret stash?” he asked, wide-eyed.
“I do.”
I walked to my desk and pulled open the bottom drawer. I grabbed the bowl of wrapped chocolates and held it out to him.
“Thank you.”
“You’re very welcome.”
I snatched a piece for myself and was just popping it in my mouth when the door flung open. Apparently, I hadn’t shut it all the way after bringing in Jace. A woman burst through, her eyes wild as she looked at the boy then me, then back at the boy.
“Jace! Oh my god! There you are! I’ve been looking everywhere for you!”
“I was right here, Mom.”
She reached for him, running a hand through his hair. “You scared me.”
“The man asked me if I wanted some candy.”
She stood up and pulled him against her before narrowing her eyes at me. “You lured my son in here with candy?” she shrieked.
“No, I—oh shit. I mean, sorry, no.” I shook my head and stepped back from the two of them.
Chapter 8
Harper
I was ready to claw out the eyes of the tall man in front of me. The tall man that had lured my young, impressionable child away by offering him candy.
I wasn’t going to kick his ass in front of Jace, but I was going to make sure he knew I was reporting his ass to the head of the company. He would also be warned and threatened. I could feel my insides shaking as the what-ifs poured through my mind like a tap open full force. Horrible thoughts filled my head, damn near making me vomit before attacking him.
“Jace, honey, what else did you and the man do?” I asked, my gaze dropping to my son’s head.
“No, no, no,” the man said.
I ignored him, turning to squat down in front of Jace. “Honey, what happened? Why are you in here?”
“I wandered off. He asked if I wanted some candy.”
“No, not like that,” he stammered.
Out of nowhere, another man appeared. He was wearing an expensive suit and looked like a professional, unlike the creep behind me.
“Who are you?” I snapped, getting to my feet and putting my hands on my hips. “Are you the owner? Do you know what is going on here?”
“I didn’t lure him in here!” the man protested loudly. “He came in on his own!”
“Stop,” I hissed. “You don’t get to talk.”
“I’m sorry, tell me what happened,” the man in the suit said in a calm voice, closing the door behind him. Obviously to keep me from making a scene.
“My son got separated from the tour,” I started to explain.
“He left the tour,” the man behind me spat out.
I looked over my shoulder and glared at him. “Same difference!”
“I’m Sawyer Dobbs. I’m the spokesperson for the company. Is everything okay? Is your son okay?”
“No! I just caught that man with my son!”
“Him?” Sawyer asked, pointing to the man.
“Yes! Him!”
He cleared his throat. “Let me introduce you to the owner of the company, Theo Saunders. What’s your name?”
I spun around and looked at the man I had just accused of trying to lure my son. It was then I saw the different-colored eyes. All those reviews I had read became very clear. I understood why they called him a little weird.
“Owner?” I squeaked out the word.
“Pleased to meet you,” Theo mumbled.
“Oh,” I whispered. “I didn’t know.”
“It’s fine,” Sawyer assured me. “I was just headed down to the tour. I’m assuming that’s where the two of you are from?” He looked at his watch. I could tell he was in a hurry and not thrilled to be dealing with my hysterical ass.
“Yes. My son, he—well, I couldn’t find him. I went looking for him and found him here.”
“Go ahead,” Theo said. “I’ll get them back to the tour.”
I watched as the two men exchanged a look. “All right then, I’ll see you two in a few.”
With Sawyer gone, I turned back to face Theo. “I’m so sorry.”
“It’s fine. Jace was outside my lab when I saw him. I didn’t want him to wander too far.”
“Theo let me taste his new secret taffy,” Jace said enthusiastically.
“He did?” I said with surprise.
“Yep. He makes new candy in his lab.”
“Oh, wow,” I said, looking at Theo. “Is this really your candy lab?”
He nodded. “Yes.”
“We were going to make some new candy,” Jace explained.
I looked at him and smiled. It had been a long time since I had seen him look so happy. “That sounds exciting.”
“He made pumpkin pie taffy,” Jace announced.
“Really?” I said, looking at Theo who looked very uncomfortable.
“It’s something I’m working on. Jace was providing me with some feedback.”
“Oh, I bet he was,” I said with a laugh. “Is this where all the magic happens?”
He nodded. “I suppose. Not too many people have seen this place, and no one ever comes in, besides Sawyer. It’s off-limits.”
“Well, thank you for watching out for Jace for me. I guess I have failed at the chaperone thing.”
He offered a small smile. “It’s okay. I liked hanging out with him.”
“Can I show my mom the new taffy?” Jace asked.
“Sure,” Theo answered.
Jace reached for a piece and handed it to me.
“Thank you.” As I chewed the taffy, Jace talked all about the lab and how Theo created new candy ideas. He was having a blast—a lot more fun than he had been having on the actual tour.
“This is good,” I commented.
“It needs sweetness,” Jace said matter-of-factly.
“Jace,” I scolded. “That’s not polite.”
“No, no, it’s okay. I asked him for his opinion. He’s got a good palate.”
“Really? Maybe I have my own little candy connoisseur on my hands.” I smiled.
“Maybe. I was going to have some lunch. Would the two of you like to join me in the ca
feteria? I can show you stuff that isn’t on the tour.”
I looked at Jace, his eyes were shining bright with excitement. How could I not say yes? “We would both like that. I don’t want to bother you. I’m sure you’re very busy.”
“It’s fine. I don’t mind.”
I took a second to look at the man. He was tall, probably just over six feet. His eyes were intriguing. I didn’t find them freakish like some of the horrible reviews had stated. He had a strong jawline, and the shaggy brown hair gave him a youthful appearance. He was an attractive man, but he didn’t have that air of cockiness I usually sensed when I met handsome men.
“We’d love to.”
“Great, follow me please,” he said, taking a wide berth around us as he moved to the door.
Jace and I stepped into the hall while Theo locked the door to the lab. He didn’t say much as he led us down a hall, pointing out various people and their jobs at the company. He wasn’t overly talkative and seemed very uncomfortable with the situation. It was an endearing quality. I had already felt a certain connection to him after reading some of the harsher reviews.
“I didn’t realize this place was so big,” I commented as he led us down another hallway.
“We’ve expanded several times over the years.”
“I see. You inherited the business from your father?”
He nodded. “Yes.”
“Are you really the mastermind behind the new flavors?” I asked, wanting to pick the man’s brain.
It was a lot like talking to Jace with the one-word answers and a monotone voice. I was used to the lack of enthusiasm. I had enough enthusiasm for all of us.
“I am.”
“Do you work with a development team?”
“No.”
“You come up with those crazy ideas all on your own?” I pressed, knowing I was pushing him. He was either going to kick me out the front door or loosen up. I wasn’t going to give up trying to get him to relax.
He cleared his throat. “I do.”
“Do you taste everything you create?”
He was walking alongside me. I could see him staring at me. He was probably wondering if I was cracked out on chocolate. “I do.”
I nodded, trying not to laugh. I wondered what it would take to have an actual conversation with him. Then I wondered what a conversation would look like between him and my son. I was going to ask Jace what they talked about before I’d found them. They had seemed to get to know each other fairly well in the little time Jace had been gone.
All About The Treats Page 5