“I’m doing it for their own good!” I protested. “My festival is awesome. Everyone should be signing up. Every business should want to have their name on my roster. I shouldn’t have to beg people.”
“Probably, but a lot of places don’t like the idea of giving away their product.”
“They give away a smidgen of what they have, and in return, they earn customers. Honestly, it just makes sense.”
“Okay, what did you do? You’re glossing over the big part. I know you.”
“You’re right. That isn’t all. I kind of made an ass of myself.”
She slapped a hand over her eyes. “What did you do?”
“I accused the owner of being a pedophile and trying to lure Jace into his lair.”
Her hand slowly slid down her face. “We really need to work on your pitches.”
I laughed. “Believe it or not, it worked. Well, not the accusing part. That was all a misunderstanding, but at least I got to meet the man and arrange for the meeting today. And today, he said yes!”
She slowly nodded. “Because he’s terrified of you. We’re probably going to get a visit from the sheriff any minute. You’ll be ordered to stay a thousand feet away from him.”
I waved my hand. “No, it’s fine. He likes me.”
“How do you know he likes you?”
I shrugged. “I can tell. I like him too.”
She studied my face. “You like him? Like, like-like him?”
“Maybe. He’s hot. But not hot, hot. He’s handsome and quirky, and his eyes? Oh my god, you have to see his eyes. He has one blue and one green. How crazy is that? He’s tall and has this softness about him, but not all soft.”
“Hard and soft?” she questioned.
“Like soft personality, hard body.”
“Oh, well, that does sound nice.”
I nodded. “It is. He’s the artistic type. I wonder if he paints or sculpts. I should have asked him. He creates the candy.”
“He creates the candy?”
“Yes. We were in his lab. He showed us how he experiments to come up with the candy they sell. It’s all very cool, and I could see how passionate he was about what he did. It was very attractive.”
She sighed. “You have always been drawn to the quiet, intellectual type.”
“Isn’t that weird?” I asked. “I mean, I’m about the farthest thing from a quiet intellectual, but man, there is just something about a creative mind that I can’t resist.”
She was staring at me, her mouth hanging open. “Oh my god. You have a crush on him!”
I smiled. “There is something about him that just pulls me in. He is so shy and smart and has a quiet, yet strong presence. He doesn’t talk much.”
“Oh lord, I can only imagine how you two interact. I assume you do about ninety percent of the talking?”
I laughed. “I do ninety percent of the talking no matter who I’m talking to. I think I scared him at first, but he’s warming up to me. I can tell.”
“You sound like a teenage girl. You’re rambling on about the man.”
Kylie knew me well enough not to be too surprised by anything I did, but I had a feeling I was going to shock her when I told her about my forwardness with Theo. “I asked him out,” I blurted out.
“You did what?”
“Not out to dinner out, but the guy is crazy introverted. I’m hoping to take him out to a market or something to kind of ease him into the public eye. I don’t want him to have a meltdown at the festival. Not only would that be bad for my business, it would embarrass him. You know the media. They would make it a huge thing and humiliate him. I won’t let that happen. I’m going to do a little subtle sabotage.”
“Subtle sabotage? That sounds kinky.”
I rolled my eyes. “It’s a way to ease him into situations he usually finds uncomfortable. I do it with Jace all the time. His counselor at school last year told me about it. It’s just peeling back a layer at a time of the anxiety that keeps him locked in that shell of his. Instead of dropping him into a situation that is sure to freak him out, it’s just bits of exposure. Think of it like walking into a cold river.”
“I like to dive in headfirst,” she replied.
“Some people are like that, and some people need a little more finesse. Theo needs finesse.”
“You want to change him?” she asked.
“No! Hell no! I like him and Jace just the way they are. It’s about making their lives a little easier.”
“Harper, you don’t even know this guy. You can’t start shrinking his head. I’m sure he’s got the money to hire a real shrink that will sabotage him.”
I waved my hand at her. “I’m only trying to help.”
“Your version of helping reminds me a lot of a bulldozer.”
I giggled. “I know, I know.”
“When do you plan on ‘sabotaging’ him?” she asked, using her fingers to make air quotes. “Is sabotage code for sex? Are you going to attack the man?”
I winked. “Only if he’s lucky.”
“When?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t want to seem too pushy. I just proposed the idea before I left. He agreed to it, but I don’t want to push too hard and have him change his mind about the festival.”
“Harper, the only mode you have is too hard and too pushy. Again, I refer to the bulldozer analogy. You are the proverbial wrecking ball. When you see something you want, you go after it. Anything or anyone that gets in your way will get mowed over, in the nicest, softest possible way.”
“I suppose, but in this case, it’s for his own good,” I told her. “I mean well. Doesn’t that count for something?”
“If you say so. Just be gentle with the man.”
“Imagine Jace in twenty years. Jace as he is right now. That’s what Theo is like. I want him to have fun at the festival. You know people like to see that. They like to see business owners and managers acting just like them. It will get him lots of media attention, and the media is good for business. I should be a business coach.”
“Maybe, but you have a job right now. Slow your roll, woman. One thing at a time.”
“I only have a few weeks before Halloween,” I said, more to myself than her.
“Yes, and we still have a lot to get done before then and now.”
I nodded. “I’m hungry. Let’s grab lunch, and then we’ll come back and finalize the setup plan.”
“You don’t have to tell me twice,” she said, grabbing her purse and getting to her feet.
“I’m confident this is going to be our best festival yet,” I told her, locking the door to the office and following her down the street. “I’m so excited.”
“You’re always excited, but in this situation, I agree with you. It’s going to be amazing. Have you and Jace decided what you’re going to dress up as?”
I groaned. “Jace says he’s too old to dress up.”
“What? He’s eight!”
“I know. He is so worried about what the other kids will say. I’m going to keep working on him.”
“Good.”
We walked to our usual lunch spot, a small café that specialized in soups and sandwiches. We took a seat, both ordering our usual meals. “I’m going to see if he wants to do something this weekend,” I said out of the blue.
“What? Really?”
I nodded. “Yes. Halloween is not that far away. I want to make sure he’s really comfortable with me and the idea of talking to people.”
“Are you looking for a boyfriend or a business partner?” she asked. “This idea of taking him out sounds very much like a date.”
I grinned. “Why can’t I have both? And maybe it is a date. He didn’t seem bothered by the idea of going out with me.”
“I cannot believe you asked him out,” she said, shaking her head. “I wish I had half the courage you do. You are fearless.”
“Not fearless but determined. Plus, I hate the idea of waiting around to see if the man is go
ing to call me. If I like him and he likes me, why can’t I ask him out?”
“You can, but most women are too afraid to do that.”
“I’m not most women.”
“No, you definitely are not. You’re crazy.”
I grinned, sipping the Diet Coke that had been delivered. “You’re just now figuring that out?”
I pulled out my phone and quickly sent what I hoped was a very casual invitation to Theo. I didn’t want to freak him out, but I did want to see him. I wanted to get to know him a little better. He responded a few minutes later with a yes.
“What?” Kylie asked. “You have that shit-eating grin on your face.”
“He’s going to come up tomorrow.”
“Wow. You move fast.”
“Life is too short to move slow.”
“Do you want me to watch Jace tomorrow? He can hang out with me while you sabotage your man.”
I burst into laughter. “I don’t plan on sabotaging him on the first date, but it might be a good idea for Jace to hang out with you if you don’t mind. I’d like to get the chance to feel him out a bit more.”
“Feel him out or feel him up?” she said, waggling her eyebrows.
I giggled. “Who knows? I guess we’ll just have to see how the day goes.”
“I’m anxious to meet this man. It’s been a while since I’ve seen you this amped up.”
“What are you talking about? I’m always this amped.”
She shook her head. “No, this is different. You have that youthful glow about you. The kind of look a girl gets when the captain of the football team asks her out.”
I grinned. “Maybe this is my captain. We’ll just have to wait and see.”
Chapter 11
Theo
“You have arrived at your destination,” the polite voice echoed through the car.
I pulled into the parking lot and saw Harper sitting on a small bench in front of a small strip mall. She was staring at her phone, typing furiously, and didn’t appear to notice me. I parked the car in the small parking lot and got out, scanning the area.
“Hi,” I said, pulling a shriek of surprise from her.
“Oh goodness! I didn’t even see you pull in!”
“You looked pretty absorbed in your phone.”
She slid it into the giant purse beside her and got to her feet. “Sorry. It’s always something. One of our vendors is out of tents. How does that happen?”
I shook my head. “I don’t know.”
“Ready?”
“Yes.”
“Is that your car?”
“Yes.”
“Great! Let’s go.”
She walked to the car opened the passenger door and sat down. I was a little surprised by her forwardness but was quickly learning that was her personality. I got into the driver’s seat, started the engine, and looked at her.
“Where to?”
She smiled. Her smile was truly bright. Her blue eyes sparkled. It was like I could practically see the energy and electricity in them. She was a vibrant woman with a larger than life personality. I wondered if she had a calm mode. If she did, I had yet to see it.
“You’re going to go out here and take a right.”
I nodded, turning back to do the driving. “Where’s Jace?” I asked, pulling onto the street.
“He’s with my friend, Kylie. He tends to get bored fast. She offered to watch him, and I agreed.”
“Where are we going?” I asked again.
“It’s a surprise. Keep driving.”
I nodded, doing as she instructed. I felt a little awkward. I wasn’t used to being in such confined quarters with a stranger. A beautiful stranger. I could smell her. She smelled sweet, like vanilla and maybe coconut. I couldn’t be sure. I didn’t think she would appreciate me leaning over and taking a good whiff of her skin.
“Do you work on the weekends?” I asked her, hearing her phone beeping almost nonstop in her purse.
She groaned. “Not usually. With the festival so close, I do though. It’s not really work, but more about fielding phone calls and putting out fires.”
“Putting out fires?” I questioned.
“Yes, little emergencies that come up. Like running out of tents.”
“Oh, gotcha. Sawyer puts out the fires at my company. He is supposed to be the media spokesperson, but he kind of does everything.”
“Kylie is like that for me,” she said with a small laugh. “She’s my best friend, my right hand, and we work really well together. It’s a small operation. Just me and her, and sometimes, I will bring on an assistant.”
“I see. I think I would like that.”
“Take a left,” she instructed.
I realized we were headed toward the Golden Gate Bridge. “I haven’t been here since I was a child.”
“The bridge?” she questioned.
“Yes, that’s where we are going, right?”
She smiled. “Yep.”
“Why? I’ve seen the bridge.”
“Because it’s a Saturday afternoon and the place is going to be very busy.”
I cringed, dreading the thought of hundreds of people in my way. “And?”
“Think of this as training.”
“Training for what?”
“Training for your big debut at the festival. Being around large crowds and realizing it’s all very innocuous.”
I tightened my grip on the wheel at the very idea of mingling with crowds of strangers. “Great.”
“Think of it as taking a walk. We’ll go halfway and then turn back. Maybe we can grab a bite at a café.”
I nodded, focusing on the traffic. I parked the car and turned off the engine before looking over at her. “Why are you doing this?”
She shrugged. “Because I think it will be nice to hang out.”
“With me?”
“Yes, with you.”
“But why here?”
“Because I know I’m pushing you outside your comfort zone by asking you to come out to the festival. I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable. I want you to enjoy Halloweenfest. It really is a good time. But if you’re anxious about the crowds, you aren’t going to be able to have fun.”
I thought about what she was saying. “And you’re willing to spend time with me to help me?” I asked with genuine surprise.
She nodded. “I am. I like you. It’s not all for you. I’ll admit. I’m kind of looking forward to spending time with you.”
“Oh,” I said, not sure what to say to that.
“Let’s go. We’ll do this together.”
We got out of the car and headed toward the crowd of people. I had never actually walked the bridge. I had driven over it and looked at it from afar, but we had never gotten out and walked.
“It’s so big,” I commented.
“Almost two miles. One of these days, I would really like to ride a bike over and just do some exploring. It’s one of those things I always think about doing and then something else more important comes up. Do you know how that is?”
I shrugged. “I guess. I don’t have a lot of things to do or that I want to do.”
“What do you do for fun?” she asked.
“I don’t know. I like being home.”
She laughed. “I bet you do. Do you like going to the beach?”
“It’s all right, but it tends to be crowded.”
“Awesome places do tend to attract a lot of people, but you can’t let that stop you from enjoying all the world has to offer,” she said.
I nodded. “I suppose you’re right. I’ve often thought about buying an island. Then I could enjoy the beach without the people.”
She burst into laughter, touching my upper arm. “Oh my. I guess when you own a successful business, you can think like that.”
“Lots of people own beachfront property or islands or secluded retreats,” I pointed out.
She nodded. “You’re right, they do, and I think it’s a great investment. However, you
don’t want to miss out on things like this.”
I looked at the bridge and had to admit it was a majestic sight. A sight I would have to share with other people. I was okay with that. “Thank you.”
“For?” she said, looking up at me.
“For taking the time to do this with me. I know you have other things to do.”
“I want to do this.”
“Do you bring Jace here?” I asked.
“Not often. Honestly, we see it almost daily, so it isn’t very interesting to him.”
We began the walk on the east side. The view was amazing. I was enthralled and barely noticed the people meandering along, occasionally brushing my shoulder as they passed. I barely noticed.
“I like this,” I confessed.
She smiled. “Good. Why don’t we try making small talk with some other visitors?”
“I’m good.”
She laughed. “You don’t have to get their life story, just a little small talk. Watch.”
She walked right up to a woman standing at the railing and taking pictures of the view. She made it look easy, like she had known the woman all her life. I was not that good. I did not have good conversation skills, and I sure as hell didn’t like talking to total strangers.
“I’d rather not,” I said, continuing on the path to the other side.
She fell in step beside me. “You know, I’m not trying to change you or suggesting the person you are is wrong or bad. I’m only trying to help you feel more comfortable in this world we all live in.”
“Why? I don’t understand why you care?”
She smiled and got a strange look on her face. “Because I see a lot of my son in you. He really struggles, and I would do anything to ease his journey in life. He’s come a long way. That day at the factory when I found him with you was amazing. Obviously, not the first few minutes, but after I learned what was going on, I was so happy for him. He talked with you and seemed comfortable with you. That’s a big deal. I want you to know what that feels like.”
“I talk to people,” I told her. “I’m not a kid, and I’m not so shy. It’s just I prefer to limit the social encounters. As it turns out, most people don’t like me.”
All About The Treats Page 7