Chapter 13 : The Invitation
886 Words
Monday arrived far too quickly.
Tamara blamed Guy Harrison.
This was unreasonable.
Possibly irrational.
Definitely unfair.
But she blamed him anyway.
Because ever since he started appearing at Sweet Haven Bakery, life had become significantly more complicated.
Not worse.
Just… complicated.
Which was somehow more annoying.
“You’re smiling.”
Tamara looked up sharply.
Emily stood across the counter holding a tray of croissants.
“What?”
“You were smiling.”
“I was not.”
“You absolutely were.”
Mia appeared as if summoned by gossip.
A terrifying skill.
“Who’s smiling?”
“Tamara.”
Mia gasped dramatically.
“At this hour?”
“Exactly.”
Tamara closed her eyes.
This was why people became hermits.
⸻
Across town, Guy Harrison was having a similarly frustrating morning.
Which was unfortunate.
Because unlike Tamara, he couldn’t blame anyone else.
His distraction was entirely self-inflicted.
“Mr. Harrison?”
Guy looked up.
His assistant stood beside his desk holding a folder.
“The final guest list.”
Right.
The gala.
The event that somehow managed to consume everyone’s lives.
Guy accepted the folder.
Scanning names.
Sponsors.
Investors.
Board members.
Then—
“Daniel Carter.”
His gaze paused briefly.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
The name appeared again.
Not unusual.
Not important.
Yet somehow…
Guy remembered the look on Tamara’s face every time Daniel appeared.
The tension.
The exhaustion.
The careful distance.
A puzzle.
Still incomplete.
Still irritating.
⸻
That afternoon, Tamara arrived at Harrison Holdings for another gala meeting.
At this point, she should probably request her own parking space.
The thought almost made her laugh.
Almost.
The receptionist greeted her warmly.
“Miss Joseph.”
“Hi, Sarah.”
The receptionist smiled.
Progress.
Apparently she was becoming a regular.
A horrifying realization.
The elevator doors opened.
And immediately, Tamara knew the universe was testing her patience.
Again.
Because Chloe Bennett was already inside.
Of course she was.
Naturally.
Why wouldn’t she be?
“Miss Joseph.”
“Miss Bennett.”
The elevator doors closed.
Silence followed.
Briefly.
Then Chloe smiled.
The dangerous smile.
The one that usually meant trouble.
“I heard the bakery is doing well.”
Tamara nodded.
“We’re surviving.”
“How admirable.”
There it was.
A compliment that somehow didn’t feel like one.
Tamara smiled sweetly.
“We try our best.”
“Of course.”
The elevator continued climbing.
Slowly.
Painfully.
Like it was enjoying this.
⸻
The meeting itself was surprisingly productive.
No disasters.
No arguments.
No Emily ordering industrial quantities of fruit.
A successful afternoon all around.
Until the very end.
When Guy closed the final report.
“One more thing.”
Everyone looked up.
“The gala includes a formal dinner.”
The board members nodded.
Normal.
Expected.
Then Guy looked directly at Tamara.
“The catering team is invited.”
Tamara blinked.
“Oh.”
That was unexpected.
Across the room, Chloe sat perfectly still.
Watching.
Listening.
Calculating.
“Attendance is optional, of course.”
Guy’s tone remained neutral.
Professional.
As always.
Yet for some reason, Tamara felt as though the invitation had been directed specifically at her.
Ridiculous.
Absolutely ridiculous.
And yet…
⸻
The meeting ended shortly after.
Most people left immediately.
Tamara gathered her files.
Prepared to escape.
Then—
“Miss Joseph.”
She looked up.
Guy stood nearby.
Of course he did.
“What now?”
His eyebrow lifted slightly.
“What now?”
“You’re always appearing with additional information.”
A pause.
Then—
For one brief second…
Guy smiled.
Actually smiled.
The sight remained deeply unfair.
“I’m beginning to think you’re difficult on purpose.”
Tamara gasped dramatically.
“That’s a terrible thing to say.”
“I stand by it.”
The smile lingered.
Only slightly.
But long enough.
Long enough to make something strange flutter in Tamara’s chest.
Which was deeply inconvenient.
⸻
Meanwhile, Chloe watched everything.
From across the room.
From behind a polite smile.
From behind years of perfect self-control.
She noticed the way Guy’s expression softened around Tamara.
Subtle.
Barely noticeable.
Most people would miss it.
Chloe didn’t.
She noticed everything.
And for the first time…
A thought crossed her mind.
A dangerous thought.
Maybe Tamara Joseph wasn’t temporary.
Maybe she was becoming a problem.
And Chloe Bennett had never been particularly good at ignoring problems.
⸻
That evening, Sweet Haven Bakery was closing.
Emily counted receipts.
Mia stole a cookie.
Tamara pretended not to notice.
Some traditions mattered.
“So.”
Mia sat on the counter.
Dangerous.
Whenever Mia started with “so,” trouble followed.
“No.”
“You don’t even know the question.”
“I know enough.”
Emily looked up.
“It’s about Guy, isn’t it?”
Traitor.
Mia pointed.
“See? She gets me.”
Tamara grabbed her apron.
“I’m going home.”
“You were smiling.”
“I was not.”
“You were.”
“She was.”
Tamara stared at both of them.
Then pointed toward the door.
“Out.”
Neither moved.
“Out.”
Emily laughed.
Mia laughed harder.
And for the first time in a long while…
Tamara laughed too.
Completely unaware that while she was trying to move forward…
Someone else was preparing to pull her back.
And this time…
It wouldn’t be Daniel.
- Writer
