By working with Parker for a couple of years, I learned a few things about them. Back then his eleven or twelve year old sister jumped from one house to the other and some days stayed with Parker at the restaurant studying for whatever subject her mother wanted. As she grew older, she made her own decisions and started to work for her brother. Smart kid, from what Parker once told me. They thought she’d be going to Columbia University like her father, or Harvard, like one of her older brothers and get some crazy degree… instead she owns a pastry shop.
“I’ll see how things work between us.” I take a deep breath and then remind him about my now relationship with her. “Hayley put me in her black book—literally—you know what that means.”
“You broke a few rules while visiting her bakery, but that was back then. Now is different.”
I honestly don’t remember what I did, but she literally wrote my name down in one of those lists she diligently makes.
*
Pieces of Heaven is a small bakery down the street from Willows and only two blocks from my apartment. I’ve heard great things about it and many head to the little shop on a daily basis for their fix of sugar in the form of soft, sweet, flavorful pastries. Hayley, however, doesn’t have the vision to run a successful shop, or if she does, I’m wondering what she’s waiting for to take the next step. She opens at six in the morning and closes at two in the afternoon. The girl only has seasonable employees during the winter holidays, but for the rest of the year she’s a one-woman orchestra. If she employed at least two more people, she could increase her production and her revenue within a few months.
I looked at the numbers of the restaurant and saw what we buy from her, it’s not much and I believe her shop will fail if Willows stops ordering from her. Then again, maybe she can sell those in her shop. Hayley is in her early twenties and that reminds me of the kids that left only a few minutes ago promising to work out the quirks I found in their application. They were hopeful that after accomplishing what I requested, I’ll invest in their company. They might have a winner, but my final decision isn’t about the product, but their work ethics. I sent them back not only to fix their product, but to see how fast and hard they work.
I decide to email John so he can free my afternoons for the next week. In order to make a decision about the future of Pieces of Heaven , I’m going to shadow Miss Muffet. Learn how hard she works, how well she works with others and if she has any plans for the future. It wouldn’t be worth my time if she’s one of those that believes in This is good enough. Why take the next step?
“ Pieces of Heaven , how can I help you?” The soft sweet voice on the other line answers.
“Hayley Welsh?”
“Speaking.” Then I hear her voice speaking actually to another person. “Give me a second, Parker, this might be a customer. Your spectacular news can wait to finish my screwed up Monday with a great finale.”
“Sorry for that, sir. What can I do for you?”
“This is Mitchel Knight, Muffin girl. I’m guessing Parker is telling you about the purchase of Willows .”
“Uh-huh.”
“I want to let you know that I’ll be visiting you tomorrow between the hours of twelve and two. We need to get this party started. See you then.”
Would it be evil to say score 1-0?
Chapter 5
Hayley
I stare at the phone, repressing my need to scream, then turn around and look at my brother who is helping me close the bakery.
“He hasn’t changed, Parks.” I wonder if there is another way to keep the bakery afloat without Willows . “Why did you have to sell him the restaurant?”
“Because he offered me full price and he’s a friend.” His logical answer isn’t helping my anger. “You’re overreacting, think about it.”
“I swear, he did that on purpose,” I tell Parker as I squeeze the washcloth. “Between the
“I’ll see how things work between us.” I take a deep breath and then remind him about my now relationship with her. “Hayley put me in her black book—literally—you know what that means.”
“You broke a few rules while visiting her bakery, but that was back then. Now is different.”
I honestly don’t remember what I did, but she literally wrote my name down in one of those lists she diligently makes.
*
Pieces of Heaven is a small bakery down the street from Willows and only two blocks from my apartment. I’ve heard great things about it and many head to the little shop on a daily basis for their fix of sugar in the form of soft, sweet, flavorful pastries. Hayley, however, doesn’t have the vision to run a successful shop, or if she does, I’m wondering what she’s waiting for to take the next step. She opens at six in the morning and closes at two in the afternoon. The girl only has seasonable employees during the winter holidays, but for the rest of the year she’s a one-woman orchestra. If she employed at least two more people, she could increase her production and her revenue within a few months.
I looked at the numbers of the restaurant and saw what we buy from her, it’s not much and I believe her shop will fail if Willows stops ordering from her. Then again, maybe she can sell those in her shop. Hayley is in her early twenties and that reminds me of the kids that left only a few minutes ago promising to work out the quirks I found in their application. They were hopeful that after accomplishing what I requested, I’ll invest in their company. They might have a winner, but my final decision isn’t about the product, but their work ethics. I sent them back not only to fix their product, but to see how fast and hard they work.
I decide to email John so he can free my afternoons for the next week. In order to make a decision about the future of Pieces of Heaven , I’m going to shadow Miss Muffet. Learn how hard she works, how well she works with others and if she has any plans for the future. It wouldn’t be worth my time if she’s one of those that believes in This is good enough. Why take the next step?
“ Pieces of Heaven , how can I help you?” The soft sweet voice on the other line answers.
“Hayley Welsh?”
“Speaking.” Then I hear her voice speaking actually to another person. “Give me a second, Parker, this might be a customer. Your spectacular news can wait to finish my screwed up Monday with a great finale.”
“Sorry for that, sir. What can I do for you?”
“This is Mitchel Knight, Muffin girl. I’m guessing Parker is telling you about the purchase of Willows .”
“Uh-huh.”
“I want to let you know that I’ll be visiting you tomorrow between the hours of twelve and two. We need to get this party started. See you then.”
Would it be evil to say score 1-0?
Chapter 5
Hayley
I stare at the phone, repressing my need to scream, then turn around and look at my brother who is helping me close the bakery.
“He hasn’t changed, Parks.” I wonder if there is another way to keep the bakery afloat without Willows . “Why did you have to sell him the restaurant?”
“Because he offered me full price and he’s a friend.” His logical answer isn’t helping my anger. “You’re overreacting, think about it.”
“I swear, he did that on purpose,” I tell Parker as I squeeze the washcloth. “Between the
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