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"Thank you for agreeing to meet with us sooner, Lucia." Mr. Breckinridge smiled, and beside him his wife reached across the table to pat my hand affectionately.
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"Yes, we were a little worried about working with someone so young, but you have truly set our concerns to rest."
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"Of course." I smiled. "Your daughter's wedding day will be perfect. Are we ready to go over the final contract?"
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"Yes, let's!" Mr. Breckinridge removed his reading glasses from the inside pocket of his suit jacket, and placed them on the tip of his nose, peering down at the papers I had slid in front of him moments earlier.
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"Yes, yes, everything appears to be in order..."
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Mrs. Breckinridge studied the paper from beside her husband, furrowing her brow as she read each line studiously.
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This part always made me nervous. With every contract, hidden fees manage to sneak out at a client, and despite my best ability to prepare the client, they're often taken off guard.
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"Well, I say this looks just fine!" Mr. Breckinridge scratched his signature across the bottom of the paper and I breathed a sigh of relief.
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"Wonderful." I smiled. "And don't forget, we'll be seeing each other Friday, at 1:30PM for the tasting— Chef Landon has an hour reserved for you in the private dining room of Basilico."
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"An hour?" Mrs. Breckinridge piped up. "Is that enough time?"
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"To try the food selections it should be. If we go over, that's not a problem. And of course our meeting will continue for another few hours as we go over your decisions for the dinner reception."
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"Oh, splendid!" Mrs. Breckinridge grinned and sat back.
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"Will your daughter and her fiancé be joining us?"
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"Oh, yes. She'll want to take part in the food." Mr. Breckinridge and his wife shared an exasperated stare and I smiled as I scribble a note into their file.
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"Perfect, in that ca—"
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"Oh my!" Mrs. Breckinridge abruptly stands, clasping a hand over her chest as she looked somewhere behind me. "What a surprise!" She gasped delightedly.Mr. Breckinridge followed suit.
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"Well, I'll be damned. It's good to see you, Tom! it's been a while, hasn't it?"
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The blood drained from my face. Whirling around, my worst fears come to life as Mr. Tom Banner approached, a pleasantly professional smile gracing his ever-perfect features.
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"Mr. Breckinridge.” He returned the handshake. “How are we getting along today?"
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"Just splendid. Your Lucia is taking marvelous care of us." The men shake hands as I rose to my feet on quaking knees, my heart pounding so fast I could barely breathe.
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"I can't imagine anyone better suited to take of our most important client." Mr. Tom Banner looked at me for the first time since his unexpected arrival, and I flushed bright red.
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This is the man that watched me get my bottom warmed less than two hours ago, and now he was interrupting my work meeting with his charismatic charm and god-like beauty.
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Damn him!
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"Well, I certainly don't want to interrupt..."
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Too late, buster.
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"...I have a lunch meeting myself in just a few minutes. Would you mind if I steal Ms. Lucy for a moment? I promise to bring her right back."
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"Why, of course! But don't keep her too long!" Mr. Breckinridge winked.
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Before I could muster a single protest, Mr. Tom Banner was guiding me with a hand to the small of my back towards the entrance of the restaurant.
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"Lucy," he stopped and turned me around by my shoulders.
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(The rest of this story is available on Amazon ebooks/kindle under LITTLE LUCY by Claire Cameron.)
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