A Catered Romance Read online

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Blurb

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Excerpt ~ Murder, Mi Amore

  Excerpt ~ The Memory Bouquet

  Praise For Cara Marsi Books

  Backlist

  Author Bio

  A CATERED ROMANCE

  by

  CARA MARSI

  A Catered Romance

  Copyright © 2012 Carolyn Matkowsky

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from Carolyn Matkowsky.

  Published by Cara Marsi

  United States of America

  Electronic Edition: February 2012

  This book is a work of fiction and all characters exist solely in the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. Any references to places, events or locales are used in a fictitious manner.

  ~ ~ ~

  Formatting by Sandra Edwards

  Cover by Kim Van Meter, KD Designs

  Stubbornly self-reliant Mary Beth Kendrick needs financial backing to keep her catering business cooking. A looming corporate buyout forces her to accept help from Tom Sackett, the man who broke her heart and left her distrustful of men.

  Unable to forget Mary Beth, Tom sets out to win her forgiveness. As he gets to know her again through their shared business interests, he realizes he wants more than forgiveness from her. He wants her in his life.

  Grateful for Tom’s support but unwilling to trust him, Mary Beth vows to keep their relationship strictly business. But his attentiveness, culminating in a night of passion, starts to melt her icy resolve and shows her the caring, sensitive man Tom has become.

  Can Mary Beth learn to love and trust again? Will she and Tom open their hearts to a second chance at love?

  CHAPTER ONE

  “You offered our company to Sackett Industries? Gail, how could you? I’d rather go under than sell to them.” Mary Beth Kendrick smoothed an unsteady hand over her hair and scowled at her friend and business partner.

  Gail O’Connell folded her arms across her chest and glared back. “Get your redhead’s temper under control. We’ll go under unless we do something fast. As equal partner, I can’t sell without you, but I refuse to lie down and die. I thought you were more of a fighter too.”

  Gail’s retort brought quick tears to Mary Beth’s eyes. Trying to hide her face, she turned toward the window. Pedestrians hurried by in the spring sunshine on the street outside their catering shop. How could they look so happy when her world was crumbling like a piece of stale cake?

  A few hours ago their biggest client had cancelled. Now this. Tom Sackett. She’d heard he was back in town. Wasn’t it enough that he’d hurt and humiliated her so badly years before?

  “Mary Beth?”

  She let out a deep sigh and turned at Gail’s touch on her arm. Gail didn’t know what Tom had once meant to her. She couldn’t take her anger and frustration out on her friend. “I’m sorry. It’s been a real bad day.”

  Mary Beth patted Gail’s arm, then walked to one of the large chintz chairs and sank into the thick cushions. She gripped the chair arms, finding no comfort in the satin smoothness of the fabric. Her gaze scanned the small reception area with its flowered drapes and chairs, pale greens and peaches. An English country garden, the decorator had said. More like an abandoned garden now. A new competitor had blown into town six months ago and plucked all the flowers, leaving her and Gail with the weeds…and lots of bills. Even the usually soothing lavender potpourri seemed to have lost its potency.

  The kitchen in the back was state of the art—all gleaming white and stainless steel. And rarely used now. They’d had such hopes when they’d moved into these new, upscale quarters and expanded their business. Now, a year later, they had few customers and almost no money.

  Gail plopped into a chair facing her. “The financial officer from Sackett approached me while you were at your mother’s yesterday. He said they wanted to invest in some small businesses and ours had potential.” Her dimples flashed in a fleeting smile. “You have to agree we have potential.”

  Gail raked fingers through her curly blonde hair, her expression serious again. “We’re in hock to our eyeballs. I used up all of Pete’s and my savings. You used all your money. None of the banks will give us a loan. We can declare bankruptcy and admit defeat. Is that what you want?”

  “Of course it’s not what I want.” Mary Beth rubbed her aching temples where the beginnings of a major headache pounded. “We’ve poured our blood and guts into this place. I don’t mind the killer hours because it’s our company, our dream.” She blew out a breath. “I have no appetite for going back to taking orders from chefs who just want to get the food out, assembly-line style. But I can’t sell to Sackett. Anybody but them.”

  Tight lines etched around Gail’s mouth. “Why not? Sackett is one of the strongest companies in Delaware. They’re offering us a chance to stay free, to make our dream come true.”

  “I know,” Mary Beth said. “It’s just…I went to high school with Tom Sackett.” Saying his name boiled the old feelings of love, hope, and betrayal into a stew of conflicting emotions, tightening her stomach.

  “That’s good, right?”

  “We didn’t part friends. I can’t forget what Tom did. I don’t trust him.”

  “Suppose you tell me about it.”

  Mary Beth shook her head. “I can’t.” To dredge up the past would force her to relive the old pain she’d fought so hard to overcome.

  Gail shot her a look filled with determination and quiet desperation. “Don’t pull the stubborn act on me. Our future depends on this.”

  Guilt stabbed at Mary Beth’s gut. She owed Gail. A lot. Clasping her hands tightly together, she said, “Tom belonged to the rich, cool crowd at St. Anselm’s Prep. I attended on a hardship grant. I fell in love with him when I tutored him in English junior year. We started dating the middle of senior year. It bothered me that we never went out with his friends. I wondered if they even knew about us, but I was so crazy for him, I shrugged off my doubts.

  “When Tom asked me to the graduation formal, I was ecstatic. I figured he must care for me, too, and was ready to tell the world. Was I ever wrong.” She blinked away tears.

  “What happened?” Gail asked softly.

  Mary Beth pressed her hands against her stomach and fought for control. “We had fun that night. At first, Tom and I danced and laughed. I ignored the snickers and sly looks from his friends. He took me out to the patio where we could be alone. We kissed.”

  She touched her lips, remembering that kiss, remembering that night. Bittersweet sorrow spread through her. “A magical kiss filled with love, hope, and dreams. I told him I loved him and wanted to spend my life with him.” She chewed her lip. “To this day, I can’t believe I said that. It makes me want to gag.”

  “You were a teenager,” Gail said. “Young girls tend to be melodramatic. What did Tom say?”

  “Nothing. He didn’t have to. His friends said it for him.” Anger made bile rise in Mary Beth’s throat.

  Gail sat straighter. “What do you mean?”

  “Tom set me up. We weren’t alone. His friends stood watching. When I made my lovesick declaration, they clapped and laughed. Cash changed hands as bets were paid off. I’ve always wondered how much money Tom made off my
torment.”

  Mary Beth’s stomach twisted with anger and sadness for the naïve young girl who’d been so in love, and so casually used.

  Gail leaned over and placed one of her hands on Mary Beth’s. “Honey, I’m so sorry. That was cruel. Did Tom ever apologize?”

  Mary Beth shook her head. “I left for the beach with my mom the next day. We planned to stay with my aunt while I looked for a summer job.” She furrowed her brow as humiliation washed over her. “We got behind in the rent and were evicted. That’s why we moved in with my aunt. Our utilities were disconnected too.” She swallowed. “I haven’t seen Tom since that night.”

  Gail’s hand tightened over hers. “Maybe he tried to call you, but couldn’t because your phone was disconnected. Maybe he came to your place looking for you, but you’d gone.”

  “I stopped torturing myself with maybes long ago.”

  Gail gave her a long, searching look. “Do you still love him?”

  “No!” Mary Beth yanked her hand away.

  Gail continued to study her. “They say living well is the best revenge. Show Tom the strong, independent woman you’ve become. Listen to what Sackett has to offer. If we refuse to even talk to them, Tom’s cruelty twelve years ago will hurt you all over again. And he will still have power over you.”

  Mary Beth tugged on her braid where it rested on her shoulder. Did she have the strength to face Tom again, to reopen the wounds that had bled her heart dry so many years before?

  She straightened her shoulders. Her friend was right. They had to fight to keep their dream alive. She wasn’t an insecure teenager anymore. Tom couldn’t hurt her again.

  Gail’s gray gaze held hers. “Mary Beth, if we lose this place and you can’t find a job right away, how will you support your mother and pay her medical bills?”

  “I don’t know. I doubt the hospital will give me another extension on my payment.”

  A mischievous glint lit Gail’s eyes. “If you can’t afford your apartment, you’ll have to move in with your mother.”

  “You play dirty.”

  “I know which buttons to push.”

  Mary Beth rose from her chair. “Okay, we’ll talk to Sackett. Tom might not even be involved. He probably has others do the work for him.”

  Gail’s face flushed pink. “Oh.”

  “Oh, what?”

  “They want to meet with us tomorrow.”

  “They?”

  “That financial guy and Tom Sackett.”

  <><><>

  “Nice place you have here.”

  Mary Beth jumped at the sound of the deep male voice behind her. Water from the pot she was filling sloshed onto the floor. She dropped the pot into the sink and jerked the faucet shut, then gripped the counter edge.

  His voice. Richer, mellowed, smooth as the finest wine. Warming her with old memories, old yearnings. She was eighteen again. In love. Dreaming of a life by his side. Until he betrayed her.

  Anger, like boiling water spilled on her lap, jolted her. Biting on her lip, she turned slowly to face Tom Sackett.

  He filled the doorway, his masculine power reaching out, drawing her in as it always had. Despite his aristocratic breeding and elegantly tailored suit, he still had the look of the renegade about him. His thick black hair curled around his ears and trailed down his neck, a trifle too long. The hot, deep blue of his eyes scorched her.

  Lifting her chin, she willed starch into her spine. “You’re early,” she said, glancing at the clock. “The meeting isn’t for another half hour. My partner’s not here yet.”

  He arched an eyebrow. “Hello to you too. That’s not much of a greeting after twelve years.”

  She placed a hand on her hip. “As I recall, our last meeting was less than cordial.”

  His jaw tightened. “People change, Mary Beth.”

  “Do they?”

  “Believe it.” The determined set of his rugged features stopped any further argument. “Do you want to talk about it?”

  “No.” She tugged on her braid, trying to gain control of her emotions. For the sake of her company, she wouldn’t let her feelings interfere. “We have a business deal to negotiate. Nothing more.”

  Tom’s harsh features softened. He scanned her face, making her wonder if her tension showed. “You’re more beautiful than I remember.”

  Awareness and a flash of anger shot through her. She dug her nails into her palms. “Saving my company is my primary concern.”

  “Mine too,” he said. “A businessman expects a return on his investment.” He strode into the kitchen with the confidence born of inherited wealth and family standing.

  Squaring her shoulders, Mary Beth fought the onslaught of old hurts. She’d grown up in the years since he’d humiliated her. Her family might not have his social connections, but her poverty-stricken upbringing had made her strong. Strong enough to fight for her professional life and keep her pride—and her heart—intact.

  “Coffee smells good. May I have a cup?” Tom straddled one of the high stools surrounding the white-tiled center counter.

  Glad to do something to distract her from past memories and Tom’s disturbing presence, she grabbed a heavy white mug from the cabinet and poured a steaming cup of vanilla almond coffee. “Just cream, right?”

  “You remembered,” he said.

  “A lucky guess.” She handed him the mug. His fingers grazed hers as he took it, sending heat racing up her arm.

  She escaped to the opposite side of the kitchen and leaned against the counter edge. The citrus scent of his cologne lingered in her nostrils, stirring up the unwanted memory of their kiss at the formal. But the sweet kiss that had promised love and dreams fulfilled had been tainted with betrayal.

  A new dread suddenly filled her. “I won’t take charity, Tom. If this is about payback, there will be no deal.”

  She wanted to wince at her overly dramatic words. Seeing Tom again peeled away the years, bringing out the teenager in her. She had to get a grip.

  He stared at her over the rim of his mug, then banged the cup on the counter. Coffee spilled over the sides onto the clean white tile.

  “I’m a lawyer and a businessman. I don’t gamble with my firm’s money.” The intensity in his sapphire eyes held her. “I’ve checked your company out,” he continued. “Talked to people. You have the potential to be big, but you’re over-extended. That’s where Sackett comes in. We’ll help you get on your feet. You have to look successful to be successful.”

  Mary Beth angled her chin, still not ready to believe him. “Sackett Industries doesn’t invest in small businesses like ours.”

  He shrugged and swallowed a sip of coffee. “Sackett owns a diverse portfolio of companies. Catering will mesh well with our other holdings. We do a lot of corporate entertaining. We could use an in-house caterer.”

  She studied him to assess the truth of his words. The confident set of his jaw spoke of a strength and maturity eighteen-year-old Tom had lacked. Maybe he’d changed after all.

  Stop it her brain shouted. Dreams of Tom had only caused her pain in the past. She wouldn’t go down that path again.

  She pulled another mug from the cabinet and grabbed the coffeepot to pour some coffee for herself. Hot liquid splashed on her hand, scalding her. She jumped.

  “Are you okay?” The stool scraped the floor as Tom stood up and started toward her.

  “I’m fine,” she rasped, waving him away. She didn’t want him close to her, not while she felt so vulnerable…and angry. Angry at him and at the circumstances that had brought him into her life again. She yanked on the faucet and held her hand under cold water.

  “This kitchen is great,” he said. “I’m planning to renovate mine. Maybe you could come over sometime and give me your professional opinion.”

  “I don’t think so.” She wiped her hands on a towel and faced him. “If we work out a deal—and I’m not at all sure about that—I will not be at your beck and call to help decorate your house, or perform any ot
her duties.”

  “You always did have too much pride for your own good,” he said quietly.

  She met his gaze and held it, refusing to look away despite the small seed of awareness growing in her. “Pride got me through school and it will get me through this. I won’t be dependent on you, or anyone, for long.”

  His lips quirked in a crooked grin. “A little bit of overreaction, Mary Beth?”

  She tugged on her braid. The man had a way of making her lose her cool.

  He studied her. “You always tugged on your braid when you were nervous. Do I make you nervous?”

  “Don’t flatter yourself.”

  Before he had a chance to respond, Gail bounded into the room, her blonde curls dancing around her delicate face. She looked from Tom to Mary Beth. “Hi. I’m not late, am I?”

  “You’re not late. He’s early.” Mary Beth nodded toward Tom.

  “Tom Sackett,” he said, holding out his hand.

  “Gail O’Connell. I’m the ‘and Company’ in Kendrick and Company Caterers and Party Planners.”

  He laughed. “Glad to meet you.” His quick smile made Gail dimple with pleasure.

  Resentment knifed through Mary Beth. Tom could charm the apples out of a fresh-baked pie.

  “How’s Joey?” Mary Beth blurted.

  “His fever broke now that the antibiotics have kicked in.” Gail pulled her hand from Tom’s. “Joey is my five-year-old,” she explained. “My husband is out of town and I had trouble finding a sitter. Sorry to keep you waiting.”

  “No problem. My financial officer’s not here yet.” Tom settled back on the stool. “I got here early to check out the place and talk over old times with Mary Beth.”

  Mary Beth narrowed her eyes. Old times? Hardly times she’d want to reminisce about. The future, her company’s future, was all that mattered now.