A Chance Worth Taking
1265 Words
Evelyn stayed at her desk long after Adrian left.
The office had returned to its usual quiet, but her mind was anything but quiet. She opened the folder he had left behind and read through the proposal again.
The contract was larger than any order Hart & Honey had handled since she took over the business, and the terms were better than she had expected. It was a serious opportunity. It was also a serious responsibility.
Evelyn leaned back in her chair and stared at the ceiling. Three days was not enough time to prepare for an order of this size, especially with the number of people involved and the quality Adrian expected. She would need more staff, more ingredients, better coordination and probably longer working hours, after a long time in weeks, the thought of being overwhelmed did not frighten her, It excited her.
She picked up her phone and called her assistant.
“Can you come into my office for a minute?”
A few minutes later, Maya stepped inside with a notebook in her hand.
“You called me?”
“Yes. I need you to read this.”
Evelyn handed her the proposal.
Maya scanned the first page, then looked up with widened eyes.
“This is from Cole Developments?”
“Yes.”
“They want Hart & Honey to handle catering for their corporate events?”
“Not just one event. They want us to provide catering services for several of their properties.”
Maya looked at the document again.
“That is a big deal.”
“I know.”
“Can we handle it?”
Evelyn was quiet for a moment.
“We will.”
Maya smiled. “That sounds confident.”
“It is not confidence. It is necessity.”
They both laughed.
Evelyn stood and walked toward the small whiteboard beside her desk.
“We need to start with what we already have. I want an inventory of everything in the kitchen before the end of today. Check our suppliers and find out who can deliver quickly. I also want a list of the staff available for the next three days.”
Maya began writing.
“What about the menu?”
“I’ll handle that.”
“And the packaging?”
“I’ll review our options this afternoon.”
Maya nodded and continued taking notes.
Evelyn looked at the proposal again. There was something about the opportunity that made her uneasy, although she could not explain why.
Perhaps it was because Adrian had appeared at a time when she was still trying to convince herself that she could rebuild her life.
Perhaps it was because Nathan had spent years making her feel as though everything she had achieved belonged to him. Now someone outside her past was looking at her business and seeing its value. That thought mattered more than she wanted to admit. By noon, the office was no longer quiet. Staff moved in and out of the kitchen while Maya coordinated suppliers and orders. Evelyn spent most of the afternoon working on the menu, adjusting portions and calculating costs.
She refused to make the mistake of accepting a large contract simply because she was desperate for the money. Hart & Honey had to make a profit. More importantly, the business had to deliver quality. She was reviewing the final costing when her phone rang.
It was Adrian.
Evelyn stared at his name for a moment before answering.
“Hello.”
“Have you looked through the proposal?”
“Yes.”
“And?”
“And I have a few questions.”
“I expected that.”
“You seem very confident.”
“I know my business.”
“So do I.”
There was a brief silence on the other end.
“I know,” Adrian said. “That is why I chose you.”
Evelyn looked down at the figures in front of her.
“You have other catering companies you could work with.”
“I do.”
“Then why Hart & Honey?”
“Because I have used your services before.”
She frowned.
“When?”
“Before you knew who I was.”
Evelyn sat back in her chair.
“What are you talking about?”
“Last year, my company ordered pastries from Hart & Honey for a meeting. I was not there personally, but I remember the feedback.”
“And?”
“Everyone wanted to know where the pastries came from.”
A small smile appeared on Evelyn’s face.
“You remembered that?”
“I remember good work.”
The compliment caught her off guard.
“Thank you.”
“You should be proud of what you have built.”
Evelyn looked around her office.
“I am trying to be.”
“You do not sound convinced.”
She hesitated.
There were things she could have told him. She could have told him that the business had been struggling since she left her marriage. She could have told him that every decision now felt like a test she could not afford to fail.
Instead, she simply said, “I have had a difficult few weeks.”
“I know.”
Evelyn frowned.
“How?”
“I pay attention.”
She almost laughed.
“You really are demanding.”
“And you are avoiding the question.”
“What question?”
“Are you going to accept the contract?”
Evelyn looked at the proposal on her desk.
“Yes,” she said finally. “Hart & Honey will take it.”
Adrian was quiet for a moment.
“Good.”
“You sound pleased.”
“I am.”
“I hope you are not expecting miracles in three days.”
“I expect you to do what you always do.”
“And what is that?”
“Figure it out.”
The call ended a few minutes later.
Evelyn placed her phone on the desk and shook her head. She could not decide whether Adrian was the most irritating man she had met in years or the most encouraging. Perhaps he was both. That evening, she stayed at the bakery until almost nine.
The kitchen was still busy, but the atmosphere had changed. Her staff had begun to understand the importance of the new contract, and their excitement was almost contagious. When Maya finally came into the office, she looked exhausted.
“Everything is arranged,” she said. “The suppliers have confirmed the deliveries, and the additional staff will be here tomorrow morning.”
Evelyn nodded.
“Good work.”
Maya smiled and placed a cup of tea on the desk.
“You should go home.”
Evelyn looked at the cup.
“I will.”
You said that two hours ago.I meant it this time. Maya gave her a knowing look before leaving.
Evelyn finished the last of her notes and closed the folder. For the first time since leaving Nathan, she felt as though she was moving forward rather than simply trying to survive. There was still so much uncertainty ahead of her. She did not know how the contract would turn out, and she did not know what Adrian truly wanted from her beyond business. She also knew that she could not afford to build her future around another man. This time, she wanted to build something that belonged entirely to her. Evelyn picked up her bag and switched off the office light. Tomorrow would be difficult.
But she was ready for it.
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