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He chuckled. “Well, it is the truth. No one achieves greatness alone. It is about building a team of talented individuals who share your vision and complement your strengths.”
She sipped her coffee, feeling inspired. “That’s a very humble perspective.”
He shrugged. “I have been humbled plenty of times in this business. It keeps you grounded. What about you? What turned you onto pastries?”
She grinned. “I have an impossibly sweet tooth.”
His eyebrows lifted. “I am sure it’s much more than that.”
“It is.” She nodded. To his surprise, she toed off her boots and curled her feet under her. Her expression was intent and serious and reminded him of a scholar about to launch into her dissertation. “My mom loved to cook, and I became fascinated. One day I tried to bake a simple sponge cake and almost burned the place down.”
He stared at her in genuine amusement. “How old were you?”
“Seven.” She laughed at his expression. “I was that determined.”
“What happened?”
“Fortunately, it was a Saturday, and my parents were outside in the yard. They saw the smoke and came running. I was more concerned that I had ruined the sponge cake than almost burning the place down.”
“And?”
“And my mom decided to give me a crash course in baking safely.”
“And that started your meteoric journey to baking success.”
She laughed at that and settled back against the cushions.
“Something like that.” She eyed him for a minute. “I saw you going into the house with my aunt.”
He nodded. “She handed over the finances to me – the running of it. The lawyers tied up some loose ends and I have messengered the documents to my lawyers to take a look. I want to make sure you are covered all the way.”
“I don’t know if I should be thanking you or resenting you.”
His thick brows lifted. “Why would you resent me?”
“I know it’s unfair, but it looks like I am exchanging one warden for another.”
“Warden?” Irritation and amusement showed on his face.
“It might be the absolute wrong word, but I cannot think of another.”
“Try.”
She gave an irritated shrug. “I thought that after coming up with this convoluted plan where we are both put out, I would be home free. I make these jottings, things I want to do as soon as possible – expansions, employing more people, so that I am freed up to do what I love to do and that is baking.
Now I will have to run things by you and wait for your approval.” She gestured with her cup. “What if you think I am expanding too quickly, that my ideas are nonsensical.”
He set his cup down and leaned forward, his gaze steady. “I understand your concerns, truly. But I want you to remember that I am here to support you, not to restrain you. My goal is to see you succeed, and sometimes that means letting you take risks. I am not here to micromanage your every move.”
She took a deep breath, mulling over his words. “So, you’re saying you’ll trust me to make the right decisions?”
He nodded. “Exactly. I will offer guidance and advice when needed, but ultimately, I trust your instincts. You have built something amazing, and I believe in your vision.”
Her eyes softened with gratitude. “Thank you. That means a lot to me.”
“No problem…” He stopped when his phone pinged. Turning it over, he studied the screen. “I have to take this. It is a call I’ve been expecting from an associate in Paris.”
“Go ahead. I will just finish my coffee.”