Chapter Seven
“So how’s business?” Tasha asked in between mouthfuls of Cobb salad.
Sommer shrugged. “As well as to be expected for a new business. Things were really popping in the beginning but I think it’s because of the newness of it all. But now business has slowed down considerably. I’m wondering if I should have a focus group to test new menu items. That may bring more people in. I was also thinking of doing lunchboxes. I’d sell premade lunches for people on the go who don’t want to leave their office or just want a savory treat.”
“That sounds like a good idea. I think there was a place like that ages ago. It was pretty popular. But then the owner died and her kids took over and ran the business to the ground. I think you could make something like that work.”
“Possibly but it would involve a lot more prep work than I intended, plus I’d be getting further away from my main goal of Afternoon Delights which is to provide corporate catering services. Right now the confections in the store seem to be the only thing that’s doing well but they won’t pay the bills unless I come up with something fast.”
“Have you considered reaching out to your father?”
“Don’t start that again. You know how I feel on that subject.”
“About getting help? Yes, I know and frankly, I think you’re an idiot.”
Sommer narrowed her eyes. “Excuse me?”
Tasha laughed without humor. “You heard me just fine. You’re being stupid. If you want your business to be successful you have to do whatever it takes to make it a success. You have these resources at your disposal so I don’t understand why you’re not using them.”
“I’ve explained this to you several times already. I don’t want help from my family because I want to prove to them that I can do this on my own without their interference. If I allow them to help me then what’s to say that they won’t just take over the whole thing?”
“You’re being ridiculous. I don’t understand why you act as if getting help is a bad thing. You’ve been this way since I’ve known you. Remember in high school when we had a huge group project? You took on the bulk of the work and got overwhelmed but when we offered to help, you blew up as if we’d assaulted you or something. Look, I admire your drive and ambition but asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness. If I had parents who were half as helpful as yours, my life wouldn’t have been such a struggle.
Sommer wanted to tell her friend how she felt but she doubted Tasha would get it. Growing up human in a Wulfen family, she’d always felt inferior, as if she wasn’t good enough. Her parents had always been great and never made her feel like she was anything other than a valued member of their family. But others in their pack made it known in subtle and not so subtle ways that she didn’t belong and she would never be good enough.
Having overindulgent parents didn’t help much because others viewed her as spoiled and unworthy. So that was what drove her to want to do this without their intervention if for nothing else than to say she did it. She’d accomplished this on her own and no one could take that away from her.
Sommer sighed. “Look, it’s hard to explain and frankly, I don’t feel like I should have to. You’re my friend. You’re supposed to support me in my decisions. It’s not like I’m hurting anyone. I’m just trying to run a business.”
“But you are hurting someone. You’re hurting yourself. Even if you did receive help, it wouldn’t take away from your accomplishments. A lot of people start off with help from friends and family. No one can do it all alone. We’re not superhumans.”
If she only knew…
“Look, Tasha, I know you mean well and don’t get me wrong, I really appreciate your concern but I don’t want to talk about this anymore. Anyway, weren’t you the one who told me my business would be a success because of that psychic reading? What happened to your vote of confidence?”
Tasha reached across the table and patted Sommer on the hand. “I know you’ll be a roaring success, my friend. But the road to get there doesn’t have to be such a struggle.”
“But as long as I struggle on my own, when I get to my destination, I will appreciate it more.”
Tasha shook her head. “I don’t understand you, Sommer but I will support and cheer you on.”
“Thank you. That’s all I ask.”
“Well, since the subject of our business is off limits, how are things going between you and Caleb?”
Sommer took a sip from her water glass before answering. “It’s really hard to say because everything still feels so new. I’m enjoying his company so we’re just taking things slow for now.”
“Hmm, that’s not the impression I got the last time I saw you two together. The man looked as if he wanted to eat you up. There’s nothing about him that says he wants to go slow. I bet the sex with him is amazing.”
Sommer grinned. “Unlike you, I don’t kiss and tell.”
“Oh, come on. Just give me a little hint. Does he at least make your toes curl and your body tingle?”
Sommer shook her head. “You’re persistent aren’t you? But if you must know…I have no complaints in the sex department.”
Tasha grinned from ear to ear. “I knew it! That man is the epitome of an Adonis. If he didn’t only have eyes for you, I would have made a play for him.”
Sommer waved her hand dismissively. “What are you talking about? Caleb has always dated around.”
“Girl, since we were teenagers, I could see the way he’d look at you. He was always staring at you like someone on a diet looking a piece of chocolate cake.”
Sommer let out a loud belly laugh. “You have such a way with words, girl you’re nuts.”
“Hey, I speak the truth. It seems to me that if you have feelings for him and he returns those feelings then I see no reason why you’re being so cautious.”
“Because I know Caleb. He doesn’t have a great track record when it comes to women. When we were growing us, he seemed to have a different girlfriend every week. I don’t want to get too invested only to have my heart broken later.”
“Maybe those other women were placeholders.”
Caleb had basically told her the same thing but Sommer still couldn’t believe it. Being with Caleb these past weeks had been a dream come true for her. She wanted to keep the memory of the times when he’d hold her after making love until the wee hours of the morning. She’d always cherish how he’d make her laugh with his dry sense of humor. When they were together, she could almost pretend that what they currently had would last for the rest of their lives. But it was just a fantasy. Caleb would one day realize that he belonged with a Wulfen Fem and Sommer simply wasn’t good enough. Until that day, she’d have to keep a wall around her heart.
Sommer simply shrugged, belying how she really felt. “We’ll see where it goes. Anyway, how about you? Who’s the new flavor of the week?”
“Actually, I’m taking a break from dating right now.”
“What? That’s a surprise. You usually have a new man every time I see you.”
“Yeah, but to be honest, I’m tired of the merry-go-round of men in my life. The last guy I was with, I kept forgetting his name and I couldn’t think for the life of me why I was with him in the first place. And then I had to take a long hard look at my life and I didn’t like what I saw.”
“Wow, that surprising coming from you. I wouldn’t call your life sad at all. You have a thriving career, you’re financially stable and you have an active social life.”
“Yeah, it’s the active social life part that’s the problem. All those men I’ve dated, they don’t really mean anything. They come and go and when it’s all over, I’m alone again. Some of them claim to love me but I sometimes wonder if they really mean what they say because I can’t think of one single guy I’ve dated who I’ve felt really deeply for. And then I wonder if something is wrong with me.”
“What do you mean?”
“You know what my home life was like. My parents were negligent at best but at worst, they were emotionally abusive. They always tried to find fault in everything I did. They withheld affection and simply didn’t care about me. I think I’ve been looking for that love in all the wrong places. All those men don’t fulfill me. And I think I realized that when I saw you and Caleb together. I want to experience what you two share. But I can’t do that until I learn to love myself.”
“Oh, sweetie, I didn’t realize you felt that way. And you shouldn’t base your decisions on Caleb and me. Besides, who’s to say that things won’t fall apart for us eventually?”
“The way Caleb was staring at you, I highly doubt it. Besides, it’s written in the stars.”
Sommer groaned. “Uh, not that again.”
“You mark my words, Sommer McGregor. You and Caleb are going to be together for a very long time.”
Sommer wished she had her friend’s confidence.
* * *
The office phone buzzed on Caleb’s desk and he saw that the light from his PA was flashing. He pressed the speaker button and then the lighted one. “Yes, Marcia?”
“You have a Miss Kahn here to see you. She doesn’t have an appointment but she says that you’ll see her.”
Caleb groaned inwardly. He wasn’t a fan of getting unexpected visitors in the middle of the day when he was at work, although there were a few people he would make an exception. Selena Kahn however, was not one of them.
In the last several weeks, she came up with an excuse to contact him or randomly ‘bump’ into him. Just the other week, he was having lunch with Michael and she invited herself to join them. She also asked him out to dinner under the guise of having something important to discuss with him. That something important turned out to be her wanting to renew their relationship. Caleb had let her know in no uncertain terms that all he was interested in from her was friendship.
Selena had seemed to take his words affably enough but the fact that she thought she could just show up at his office unannounced made him realize that he hadn’t been clear enough.
Now that she was here, however, there was no point in sending her away. “Send her in,” he instructed her his assistant.
Caleb pushed away from his desk and stood when she burst into his office.
“Hello, darling.” She strode into the room with a brilliant smile pinned on her face.
She was easily one of the most stunning women he’d ever seen, but she still didn’t hold a candle to Sommer. Selena didn’t stop until she was directly in front of him. She threw her arms around his neck and attempted to kiss him but he turned his head away from her which caused her lips to land on his cheek.
He gently grasped her arms and pushed her away from him before wiping his cheek because he was certain she’d left a lipstick stain.
“Should I be offended that you wiped my kiss away?” She asked with a raised brow.
“I’d rather not walk around with a kiss mark on my cheek.”
“My lipstick stays in place. I don’t wear the cheap brands of the other women you’re used to, darling.”
“What are you doing here anyway?”
She shrugged an elegant shoulder with an air of nonchalance. “I was in the area and I thought I’d come by and invite you out for lunch.”
Caleb put some distance between them and pinched the bridge of his nose to ease the tension of a budding headache. “Selena your business is located on the other side of town. What are you doing in his part of town? Tell the truth.”
She smiled slyly. “Okay, you got me. I came by to see you.”
“Selena, I thought the last time we talked I made it pretty clear that I’m only interested in friendship.”
“So can’t friends have lunch together?”
“Of course they can, but I have the sneaking suspicion that you’re interested in being more than just friendship.”
Her lips tightened briefly. “Okay, I won’t beat around the bush. Yes, I came here hoping I could have a heart to heart with you before you make a foolish mistake.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Foolish mistake? What are you referring to?”
“Your little tryst with the McGregor girl. You two have been seen together quite a bit in the past few weeks and people are starting to talk.”
If Caleb had his way he would be seen out with Sommer but she was frustratingly trying to keep things under wraps. Caleb wasn’t insensitive to the fact that some of his Wulfen brethren were traditionalists and had had a problem with Sommer’s place in their pack in the first place. But the vast majority of his pack accepted and loved her.
“Whom I choose to associate with is none of your concern and her name is Sommer, not the McGregor girl. Human or not, she’s still the Beta’s daughter and you will show her the respect she is due.”
Selena took a step backward as if he’d hit her. She placed her hand on his chest in what seemed like a surprise. “Caleb, I’m coming to you as a concerned friend. What will people think if you let this little fling of yours continue? You’re the Alpha-In-Waiting and you need a strong Wulfen Fem by your side. Sommer may be the Beta’s adopted daughter, but not everyone will accept her. I’m just stating facts.”
Caleb clenched his fists at his sides as his anger rose. Why had he never realized how unpleasant Selena was? “And I suppose you would make a better candidate?” he asked with deadly calm.
She raised her chin defiantly. “You could do a lot worse. My family has been loyal pack members. We share the same social status and we look good together. Even you have to admit when we were together we were magic.”
“What I will admit is that what we shared was a brief a fling that was pleasurable at the time but not very memorable. Sommer McGregor is not only worthy to stand by my side when I’m Alpha, she will do it with dignity and grace. Sommer is worth more than any woman from my past and that’s including you. At least she would never try to undercut another woman to make herself look superior. Now if you’ll excuse me I have a lot of work to do.”
Selena’s mouth fell open and then her eyes narrowed to angry slits. “No one will accept her. Mark my words.”
“Well, it’s a good thing your words don’t matter to me. Just because we had a fling a while back, doesn’t give you the right to make comments on my life. And if I hear you spread one negative word about the woman I love, I will make you wish you were never born.”
She gasped. “You…you love her?”
“More than life itself.”
“Well, I guess there’s nothing left to be said.”
“No.”
“I should be going.”
“Yes, and don’t come back. Consider this friendship terminated.”
Long after Selena was gone he contemplated what he’d told her. Caleb did in fact love Sommer. Now he had the task of convincing Sommer.