The Sweetheart Deal

Dave stood, so Adam rose to his feet, as well. The other man extended his hand. “I look forward to seeing what you come up with.”

They shook hands, then Adam escorted Dave to the door of his office. He opened it to allow the other man to walk through. Dave turned back when he was halfway out the door. “I hope this works. You have ninety days to prove it to me, or I’ll have to reassess who I have at the helm of this branch.”

“Understood.” Adam kept the smile on his face even as the bottom fell out of his stomach. Ninety days? An ambitious plan like his would take almost that long to be put into place. He watched as Dave greeted Eva, then walked out to his car in the parking lot. He entered the lobby and let himself into the teller’s area. He waited until the customer in front of Eva had left before addressing her. “Dave was here.”

Eva didn’t look at him but nodded. “I saw. Everything okay?”

“Remember those ideas you said were locked in your head?”

“Yep.” Eva turned and gave him a smile. “You ready to hear them?”

He nodded and regarded the tiny woman. He’d been told by Dave that she was a dynamo and his biggest ally in the branch. It was time to see if it was true. “I’ll buy you lunch, and we can discuss what we both have in mind.”

“You’re on.” She straightened the bills in her drawer so they faced all in the same direction. “And you might want to consider going to the town hall meeting tomorrow night. They’re discussing the Lincoln Street situation and what to do.”

If he could present some of his ideas to the town council, perhaps he could get their support in helping turn around not just the community but also the bank. He nodded. “Great idea. Thanks. You’re worth every penny we pay you.”

She glanced up at him with a smile. “Then, maybe you can send more of that my way?”

He laughed. “In ninety days, if I’m still here, I’ll ensure it happens.”

* * *

MEGS ENTERED THE high school auditorium and scanned the crowd to find her sister. Kelly had promised to get them three seats together for what was sure to be a packed town hall meeting. Already they’d had to change the venue from town council chambers at city hall to the high school when people had called for details about the evening’s meeting. And if the half-full room was any indication, they had been correct in switching to a larger space.

Kelly waved at Megs from a spot in the middle of the fifth row. How she had missed her sister when she’d been living in Nashville pursuing her music career. Grammy’s death had brought her back, one bright light in those dark days. She walked down the aisle and stopped when she found Adam sitting at the end of the fifth row. He had his dark head bent over a stack of three-by-five note cards and didn’t notice her. She’d have to squeeze by his tall, lanky form to get to her sister. She cleared her throat, and he looked up at her, his chocolate-brown eyes peering into her hazels. “Excuse me. I need to get past you.”

He didn’t seem to understand her English but stared at her. She held up her hands as if to ask him what the problem was. He stood but didn’t move into the aisle to let her pass. Instead, she faced a dilemma: squeeze by him with her back to him or turn to face him as she attempted to walk by. She decided she couldn’t spend any more time looking at him and turned her back to him to squeeze past. The tight quarters made her brush her arm across his chest. If she’d still been in high school, she might have described the event in her diary and swooned as she told her sister about it. Instead, she ignored the fluttery feeling it brought to her belly and walked toward her sister. She glanced behind her and found Adam watching her. He nodded at her before returning to his seat. Megs rolled her eyes and took the open seat next to Kelly.

Activity on the stage brought Megs’s attention to the front of the auditorium. She leaned closer to her sister. “This should be interesting.”

Kelly’s eyes twinkled. “The meeting or that awkward moment with Adam?”

“You saw that?” Megs groaned. “A gentleman would have stepped out into the aisle to let me pass, but he wouldn’t budge. Not that he was ever anything but a cad.”

Kelly’s eyebrows raised at this. “A cad? Been reading regency romances again with your free time?”

“Free time seems to be all I’ve had lately since I can’t seem to get a loan.” She shook her head and glanced at the agenda someone had thrust into her hand. “This is probably just another waste of time.”

“Since when has the community coming together to help out ever been a waste? I think the accident has made you cranky.” Kelly stood and scanned the rear of the auditorium, probably searching the audience for Sam. “Don’t let what’s happened change you, Megs. You’re better than that.”

“You sound like Grammy.”

Her sister turned back and nodded. “And maybe she’d kick your backside until you got out of this funk, too.” She paused and waved, then sat down next to her. “Grammy wouldn’t give up on the Sweetheart.”

“I haven’t given up.” Megs adjusted her coat around her shoulders since there was a chill in the auditorium. “I’m being realistic. I’ve applied to two banks for a business loan. Struck out at the first place, and the second wouldn’t even take my application because I haven’t owned the bakery long enough.” She sighed and shook her head. “Worked at the place for fifteen years, but apparently that doesn’t mean a thing when you’re asking for tens of thousands of dollars.”

Kelly nodded toward the end of the aisle. “So talk to Adam.”

“Be serious.” She glanced at him quickly and then shook her head. “He’s the last person I’d go to for this. You remember what he was like in high school.”

“Was being the key word.” She looked up at Sam as he approached them. “Hey, babe.”

Sam bent over and kissed her sister’s cheek. “Full house tonight.” He looked around and nodded at several people. “I would have been here earlier, but my inspection went longer than planned with Will.”

Kelly and Megs held their collective breaths. With a soft voice, her sister asked, “And what did he say?”

Sam shrugged. “He approved all the changes.” He gave them both a wide smile. “We’re officially finished renovating.”

Kelly squealed and jumped up to hug him. “All that work and time.”

“It was worth it, right?” He let go of Kelly and put an arm around Megs’s shoulder. “You girls actually have a beautiful fully remodeled home.”

“You mean, you and Kelly do. Grammy left it to the two of you.” Megs smiled despite the sour feeling in her belly. “Congratulations, you guys.” She joined the group hug and willed herself to feel happy for the couple who seemed to have everything going right for them. Finally.

A gavel sounded on the podium onstage, so they ended their celebration and took their seats. Megs took another glance down the aisle at Adam, who still studied his note cards. She wondered what that was all about.

Rick adjusted the microphone. “Testing. Great. If we could all settle down, we’ll get the meeting started. I know there are a lot of questions and concerns about what’s been going on. If you didn’t receive an agenda for tonight, hold up your hand and I’ll make sure you get a copy.” He shielded his eyes with one hand as he looked out at them then nodded. “Good. First, let me express my regrets about the loss of property. I’m glad to say that there were no fatalities. Randy Simms remains in stable condition at the hospital, but Vicky tells me she expects to bring him home next week.”

Several people clapped at this. Rick joined in for a second or two, then continued. “Next, I’ll have our town code inspector Will Stone talk about the damage the businesses on Lincoln received and his expectations of what happens next. Will?”

Will took his place at the microphone. “Thank you, Rick. And like you, I am grateful that there was no loss of life. The businesses, on the other hand, took quite a hit. The hardware store had minimal damage, but the bakery, aquarium, bookstore and the apartment complex have suffered quite badly.” For the next several minutes he described what Megs already knew. The shell of the buildings stood, but the interiors had been wiped out. Rebuilding was now the priority for not only the business owners, but the community members, as well. “I know I’m missing my cinnamon roll fix like you are.” He looked out into the crowd and smiled at Megs.

She put her head down. Without her hands in dough, her life felt emptier and colder. She longed for the heat of the ovens and the scent of yeast and sugar. She’d tried making cookies and bread at home, but it wasn’t the same. She missed the Sweetheart. Her bakery.

“In terms of rebuilding, I’d like to introduce someone who is dedicated to bringing back the Lincoln street businesses. Our local bank manager, Adam Hawkins.”

Her jaw dropped. Will had to be mistaken. Adam was dedicated to himself and his own interests alone. Certainly not to Lake Mildred’s.

* * *

ADAM HADN’T EXPECTED applause as he took the stage, but he hadn’t expected stunned silence, either. He shook it off, reminding himself they remembered his past and not his present. He put his note cards on the podium and took a sweeping glance out over the audience. He found hazel eyes staring at him from the fifth row, but chose to ignore her for the moment.

He nodded to Will. “Thank you, Mr. Stone and Mr. Mayor. I appreciate this opportunity to present Foster Community Bank’s proposal to rebuild Lincoln Street.” He flipped the first card over. “And that’s what this is—an opportunity to come together as partners in redeeming what was lost.” He glanced out again and squelched the nerves radiating from his fingers, making his note cards tremble. He found Megan staring at him. He kept his focus on her. “Foster Community will offer low-interest-rate loans to those business owners affected by the snowstorms, whether directly or indirectly. After all, what happens to one of us touches the entire community.

“We are also proposing a community fund to raise the funds necessary to help in the rebuilding process. I have set up an account where anyone can donate a dollar, five, ten. Whatever you have. Foster has agreed to match all contributions.” He flipped the next card. “We want to be a partner during this difficult time. And I hope that together we can rebuild and revitalize Lincoln Street as well as Lake Mildred. Any questions?”

Hands shot up around the auditorium. He wanted to groan, but Eva had warned him about this. Rick approached the podium and pointed to a gentleman near the front. “Mr. Finney?”

“You said low interest rate. How low?”

Adam smiled. A question he was prepared for. “Three percent less than the current rate, which will save the business owner thousands over the life of the loan. And no application fee or closing costs.”

“Why would Foster be willing to work with us now when many of us lost our homes before because they refused?”

A hard question, but again he’d come prepared. “I regret how things were handled in the past. Those responsible are no longer with Foster Community, and we are working hard to repair those bridges we burned. I have been brought here to salvage the relationship the bank once enjoyed with you all. We want to be your source of sound advice and help you achieve your financial goals.” He stopped before he sounded anything more like a public-relations brochure. Another hand, and a familiar guy stood. Adam wanted to ask someone else, anyone else for a question, but he stood and waited. “And we should believe you why?”

His smile faltered slightly at the sight of his old friend Shane Lee. “I approached the bank president regarding these plans, and she has agreed to them all in writing. I have copies of our proposal should anyone need one.”