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  That didn’t mean she had to accept the senior partner position, though.

  “Here we go.” Caroline pointed toward a nondescript door on the side of the building.

  “You know you’re part of the family when you get to enter through the friends-and-family door,” she said.

  “Friends and family, huh? It’s not the door for the hired help?”

  She loved his sense of humor, how being around him made her feel better, lighter, passionate. The chimes tinkled as she pulled the door open. She had to smile to herself, because before A.J. met her fiancé, her good friend had been just this side of paranoid about safety. She had kept the place locked up tighter than a Fort Knox vault.

  Wasn’t it wonderful how a little love and security could change a person’s entire outlook on life?

  When Caroline entered the kitchen, she saw her three friends, along with A.J.’s fiancé, Shane Harrison, as well as a handsome man and blond woman, both of whom looked vaguely familiar, but she couldn’t pinpoint how she knew them.

  Everyone sat on stools around the huge granite-topped island digging into a gorgeous spread—even more elaborate than the one she had set up for Drew when he’d interviewed them. A.J. must have worked on it all day. The way it was displayed looked like it might have been set up to tempt an important potential client or for another, more elaborate photo shoot as a good example of the kind of magic A.J. could work with food. Judging by the way the crowd was feasting, Caroline figured it must have been the former.

  A.J. was the first to notice her. “Caroline and Drew, I’m so glad you’re here.”

  Every head turned and all eyes were on her. She smiled and waved a greeting. “Sorry I’m late.”

  “Nonsense,” said A.J. “You’re not late. You’re right on time. Come in and grab a plate—there are places for you right over here—but first, I’d like for you to meet Carlos Montigo and Lindsay Bingham-Montigo. You might know them from their Epicurean Traveler Network show, The Diva Drives. And of course, before that, Lindsay hosted The Diva Dishes.”

  Oh! Well, of course. That’s why they looked familiar. Caroline adored food TV—almost as much as she adored baking—and had probably seen every episode of the short-lived food and travel show that had Carlos and Lindsay driving all over Europe showcasing fascinating places and regional food. They’d had a great on-air chemistry, and they’d ended up falling in love and getting married.

  She glanced at Drew. Of course he would be the first person to pop into her mind, as he often did these days when the words chemistry and falling in love were mentioned. Actually, it was more apt to say that when he wasn’t with her, he’d taken up residence in the far recesses of her mind...and heart.

  She was so glad he’d been amenable to switching their plans to come here tonight.

  Carlos and Lindsay were standing now and offering outstretched hands. Caroline and Drew both stepped forward and shook their proffered hands. Yes, now that she could put them into context, she absolutely recognized them.

  For a split second, she was a little starstruck, or maybe it was just the sheer beauty of both of them that got to her. Whatever it was, Caroline felt a little silly. That alone helped her find her voice and pull herself together.

  “So nice to meet you.”

  “You, too,” said Lindsay. “Please, come join us. A.J. said you rearranged your plans to see us tonight.”

  Caroline realized she had been wondering if having dinner with them was A.J.’s big surprise, but then she distinctly remembered her saying “business proposal.” She was almost too curious to eat.

  Even so, she and Drew made their way around to their seats at the other side of the kitchen island. She fixed herself a modest plate of fruit, curried chicken salad and asparagus frittata that had been topped with crème fraiche and chives. A.J. had outdone herself. But Caroline couldn’t help but notice the conspicuous absence of sweets. The realization brought mixed emotions—on one hand, at least A.J. had not asked her to start baking this afternoon.

  But that meant there was no dessert!

  After Caroline and Drew were settled into their places at the island, A.J. said, “On behalf of Carlos and Lindsay, thank you for coming on such short notice. I hope you’ll be as excited as I am once you know why we’ve gathered everyone tonight. I’ll turn things over to Carlos and Lindsay to tell you more.”

  Carlos set down his fork and wiped his mouth with his napkin.

  “I’m glad you all know our television work. Did you also know that we took a brief hiatus to open a restaurant in North Carolina that helps at-risk youth find an identity and safe path via the food industry? Now that the restaurant is thriving, Lindsay and I are up for a new challenge. We would like to produce a reality television show for Epicurean Traveler. We’d like to follow a catering company, and you were referred to us by Princess Sophie of St. Michel. She is friends with your friend Margeaux Broussard, who assured us you were the only catering company for the job.” He winked, and Caroline could see just how charming he was. “Plus, it must have been kismet, because we saw the fabulous profile of you and your establishment in the newspaper. We are only here for a few days, but if you are agreeable, we’d like to talk to you tonight about the concept for the show.”

  How wonderful for A.J.!

  “No disrespect to my lovely wife,” Carlos continued. “But I can see why Margeaux would recommend you. You are lovely women, each and every one of you. If you’re in agreement, we’d like to schedule a time in the next two days to do some test shots to aid us in our casting decision.”

  What? Caroline and Drew looked at each other.

  Pepper squealed. Sydney sat there looking stunned.

  Caroline’s head swam with questions. Was he really suggesting that she, A.J., Pepper and Sydney take part in his new reality show?

  Of course, Pepper managed to gush exactly what Caroline was thinking. “So, you’re saying you might want us to star in your new series?”

  Carols and Lindsay looked at each other and grinned.

  “That’s what we’d like to discuss with you tonight,” said Lindsay. “Of course, we are considering other Dallas-area catering companies. Unless something drastic changes, we’ve already decided that Dallas will be our location because it seems to be such a popular venue these days. But your friend Margeaux has already sent us photos of you and told us so much about you. We were hoping that the bond of your friendship mixed with the intrigue of Pepper’s social connections and prominence would come across on camera and make for an interesting reality show.”

  Pepper was sitting up even straighter—if that were possible—and beaming. Sydney was wide-eyed, mouth agape. A.J. was all-knowing smiles, like the cat who’d captured the mouse. How she had been able to keep this news to herself was a testament to her ironclad strength and willpower.

  “So, what do you say?” Lindsay asked. “Would you like to hear more?”

  Everyone nodded.

  “How long have you been keeping this little gem from us, missy?” she demanded from A.J. with mock exasperation—her good nature was sparkling in her eyes.

  A.J. cocked her head to the side. “Oh, for nearly three weeks. I didn’t want to say anything until we were sure everything was going to pan out.”

  Lindsay cut in. “Really, it’s our fault. Carlos and I have been trying to nail down a commitment from the network and sponsorships—both of which have been hurry-up-and-wait endeavors. But finally, finally, we reached a meeting of the minds two days ago. This was the first chance that we had to fly in and meet with you. We did not even know we were going to be here until this morning.”

  Reminiscent of a shy schoolgirl, Sydney held up her hand. “May I please just clarify?” Her British accent sounded so proper. “You are interested in us? In putting us on the telly?”

  Lindsay smiled the dazzling smile that had surely helped make her the food TV goddess she was.

  “Absolutely,” Carlos assured. “Of course, first we’d like to see h
ow the synergy between the four of you works on camera. And, as I mentioned, we are interviewing a couple of other talent prospects, but I can say with a fair amount of certainty that Celebrations, Inc. looks very promising.”

  Sydney seemed to perk up and get stars in her eyes, but as the implications dawned on Caroline, she felt the color drain from her cheeks. If her father had taken issue with her photo appearing on page 3 of the local business journal, what would he say about the possibility of her appearing on national TV?

  Even more important, she didn’t know how she felt about television cameras following her around and broadcasting her every move on national TV.

  “So, the show is about a day in the life of a catering company, right?” she asked.

  Lindsay nodded.

  “And how exactly do Pepper, Sydney and I fit in?”

  Lindsay smiled and blinked as if Caroline had just told a joke and Lindsay was trying very hard to understand the punch line but didn’t quite get it.

  “Caroline, since you’re the pastry chef for Celebrations, Inc., we’d want to film you baking and working your sweet magic.”

  Okay...at midnight...in my condo kitchen...after I get home from the office...in sweatpants and a ponytail. Oh, no. This doesn’t sound like a very good idea.

  She shot a panicked glance at A.J., who, judging by the look on her face, seemed to be reading her mind and shooting back a telepathic, This is important to me. Please just go with it.

  It was important—on so many levels. The publicity alone would put the catering company on the most-sought-after list. Plus she could tell how much A.J. wanted this, which was probably why she had not given her friends too many details before she gathered everyone.

  Caroline could understand how Pepper, with her socialite reputation and connection among Dallas’s elite, fit into a TV show, but Sydney’s position as an occasional server and part-time PR rep and Caroline’s place as a part-time baker and very part-time financial adviser...that did not seem like it would make for compelling viewing.

  Caroline felt as if it was all coming at her a little too fast. Test shots, possible pilots, the fact that Lindsay and Carlos had been discussing her friends and her and Celebrations, Inc. for a few weeks and they’d had no idea. It was all a little overwhelming.

  She was afraid her tendency to overthink things might cost the others this opportunity. So she excused herself to go to the restroom and the others joined in animated conversation, tossing around ideas of where they might shoot and potential parties that were coming up.

  Yes, it was all just a little too much too fast for Caroline’s whirling mind. The last thing she expected was to find Pepper on her heels, following her to the little girls’ room.

  “Can I talk to you for just a minute?” she asked. She glanced over her shoulder as if making sure they were truly alone.

  Caroline was surprised that Pepper would tear herself away from such exciting talks, but not nearly as flummoxed as she was when Pepper said, “I got a call from my father this morning after he saw the article in the Journal.”

  Again, she frowned and glanced around, ensuring they were alone.

  Surely Harris Merriweather had not taken issue with his daughter being in the public eye. If ever there was a daddy’s girl, it was Pepper. Even as busy as her father was, running a billion-dollar corporation, he doted on his daughter. Whatever made Pepper happy made Harris Merriweather happy. And this article had certainly delighted Pepper.

  Yet for some reason, Pepper seemed uncharacteristically speechless.

  “Is everything okay?”

  “I don’t know,” said Pepper. “I’m not sure. I mean, I hope so, because I think Drew is a fabulous guy.... But, honey, when my dad called this morning after seeing the article in the paper, he warned me away from Drew. He said that the guy was bad news and suggested that we all stay clear of him.”

  Chapter Nine

  A few days later, Caroline still wasn’t sure if it was the bombshell that Pepper had dropped that had thrown her off her game as Carlos and Lindsay filmed the test shots that night they all had met at the Celebrations, Inc. kitchen, but she had felt as stiff as a frozen dish towel in front of the camera.

  When Carlos and Lindsay brought out their camcorder to film reference footage of the Celebrations, Inc. kitchen and building—shots in which the women of Celebrations, Inc. were supposed to act “natural” Caroline clammed up. All she could think about was Harris Merriweather’s warning about Drew. Pepper had been too busy to get together, and this was a conversation Caroline wanted to have face-to-face, not over the phone. So, she’d been left to stew and overthink the matter. Her tension came across on camera in sharp contrast to the way Pepper, A.J. and Sydney had hammed it up. Caroline didn’t want her blue mood to bring them down—even though that might not even be in the realm of possibilities. They were naturals, while Caroline had never felt so lackluster and clunky in her entire life. It was as if she couldn’t get out of her own way.

  Even so, apparently her self-conscious appearance had not cost her friends the job, because one week to the day later, A.J. called with the good news that Carlos and Lindsay had made a formal offer to contract Celebrations, Inc. and the four friends as the stars of their new reality TV show, aptly titled Celebrations, Inc.

  The four of them were meeting tonight after Sydney and Caroline got off work for a celebratory toast—and to look over the contract, which the attorneys for Epicurean Traveler had over-nighted to A.J.

  They were all meeting Sydney in the lobby of the Texas Star building in downtown Dallas and planned to walk to a local restaurant that offered a nice workweek happy hour.

  As Caroline walked toward A.J. and Pepper—who were already waiting in the slick chrome-and-marble lobby, laughing and talking animatedly—she could feel their energy and exuberance across the lobby, and her heart sank.

  How could she tell them that she really did not want this television gig? Really, all she wanted was to bake her cakes for the catering company and enjoy her new life with Drew. She had finally found the peace that she wanted; she’d finally found the courage to stand up to her father and put him and Coopersmith & Bales on notice that an all-consuming corporate life wasn’t what she wanted for her future.

  Now, this—a life in the public eye. It was bound to change everything.

  Pepper and A.J. waved when they saw Caroline walking across the lobby. She bolstered herself, put on her best smile and waved back. They looked so happy. Now wasn’t the time to tell them that she was having second thoughts.

  But it was time to talk to Pepper about what she’d said about Drew. That was exactly what she planned to do once she got Pepper alone.

  In the meantime, she decided that she would feel out the situation with the TV show and see if, perchance, this didn’t have to be a package deal. If, say, the show could go on with the three of them. She still had her job at Coopersmith & Bales. Even though she was freeing herself up to make more time to bake, she would still have the nine-to-five obligation—and occasionally even more hours.

  “I hope you’re ready to celebrate,” said Pepper as Caroline walked up to them. Pepper set down a large shopping bag she was carrying and enfolded Caroline in an exuberant hug.

  “I am so excited, I’m just about to die,” she squealed. “Isn’t this just about the best thing to happen to us in...well, it’s just the best thing ever!”

  “It is very exciting,” Caroline said. And it was...in theory. Just not for her.

  She changed the subject. “You look cute.” Pepper was wearing a black-and-white skirt that was fitted at the stomach and then flared, hitting just above the knees. She had paired it with a black silk sweater and black patent stiletto heels that made her already tall, thin figure look graceful and willowy. A braid of large pearls and chains completed the ensemble. It was very Chanel-like.

  Caroline turned and hugged A.J., too. “I am so happy for you,” she said to her friend, giving her a genuine smile despite the sinking
feeling weighing her down inside. “You have worked so hard getting this company off the ground, and now with this new opportunity, it’s going to soar.”

  The petite blonde crossed her arms over the red wool jacket she was wearing. She worried a strand of pearls at her neck, and Caroline thought she sensed a note of uncertainty in the usually confident woman.

  “Is everything all right?” Caroline asked.

  A sincere smile spread across A.J.’s pretty face, and she waved off Caroline’s question. “Of course it is. I guess now that everything is sinking in, I have a bunch of questions. Mainly about how to keep the catering company a legitimate, working company in the midst of the television frenzy.”

  Not that misery loved company, but Caroline had to admit it made her feel better seeing A.J. a little taken aback, asking real-life questions rather than getting swept away by the hoopla. It felt good not to be the only realist in the group.

  Pepper’s situation allowed her to flit. When you were the daughter of one of the wealthiest men in America, that station afforded you more leeway than, say, those who were bound by a budget.

  Both A.J. and Caroline came from means that would never leave them starving and homeless, but another bond that she and A.J. shared was that each was driven to make it on her own, separate from the ties and obligations of family money.

  “Oh, don’t pay any attention to A.J.,” Pepper teased. “You know how she hates change. It’s just going to take a bit of time for her to get her head wrapped around the idea of what this really means for her future.”

  She turned to A.J. “Honey, you may have to hire on additional staff, but this show is going to have everyone in the Southeast lining up at our door. Don’t you worry. As Celebrations, Inc.’s resident party planner and booking hostess, I will make sure that the staff and I have you booked into the next decade.”