Page 4 of Wrapped in You

Joe winced. "Uh-oh."

Mayor Ackley raised both hands. "It won't be like it always was. Hollywood won't walk all over us this year! I've struck a deal with them."

Joe tilted his head. "I'm listening."

Mayor Ackley turned to look Sophie in the eye. "They're going to hire locals for everything from extras to mechanics to handymen to caterers. Everything we can offer them, they'll hire us for. We're going to be a part of the film crew this year. How about that?"

Sophie smiled. She still couldn't believe it and guessed it would fall through.I'll believe it when I'm on set, she thought.

But just then, her phone buzzed in her back pocket. Thinking it was an emergency from the crew in the kitchen, she excused herself to answer it.

But it was a number she didn't recognize. The area code was from Los Angeles, California.

Sophie hurried outside into the twenty-degree chill to answer it. Spits of snow melted on her cheeks and nose, and night had fallen so that the streetlamps cast an angelic and Christmassy light upon the two-hundred-year-old downtown buildings. Already, Christmas decorations were hung, and a mighty tree was set up next to the courthouse, decorated with holly and bows and glowing bulbs.

"This is Sophie Masters with Culinary Tastings," she answered. She sounded vaguely breathless.

"Miss Masters? This is Ada Tomson with Weber Studios," said a formal voice. "I wondered if I could talk to you about a rather spontaneous job proposal. Could you get a catering crew together for a seventy-two-person shoot in two weeks' time? It'll be local. No need to travel at all. It'll be right there in Willow Creek."

Sophie closed her eyes and fell against the side of the building.

She said, "It would be my pleasure."

But what she thought was this was the lifeline I needed. Thank you.

Chapter Two

The following two weeks were a flurry of emotion. Sophie was up to her ears in Hollywood contracts, menu planning, grocery shopping, and securing schedules with Randy, Tommy, Fiona, and Piper. She even hired a few more people to get through the film and the holiday season. "Keep your eyes on the prize, Sophie," she told herself.

Thanksgiving came and went. This year, Sophie's mother and sister contributed most of the cooking and pie baking, then apologized that it "wasn't as good as Sophie's."

Sophie just laughed. "Don't flatter me! It's delicious."

Of course, she would have done the recipes differently. But she'd gone to culinary school for crying out loud. She had to be in a different league if she would stay in business.

Three times, people fromSilver Bellsproduction swung by the catering company to check that everything was up to Hollywood standards. Each time, they left more than eager for Sophie's catering journey on set.

"Last year was a disaster," one of the film guys explained as he dabbed a napkin over his mouth and grinned. "We hired a Hollywood catering company to come out to Willow Creek forthe winter, but we didn't know the guy in charge was going through a divorce at the time."

"How terrible," Sophie said. She felt a dark poison at the center of this man's heart.

"He brought in some terrible food," the film guy said as he put on his coat and zipped it to his chin. "I'm surprised the film crew kept working without going on strike. Remember the day he made burgers?"

"It's pretty hard to mess up a burger," the other guy said with a snort. "But he managed it."

Sophie wanted to roll her eyes. She thought about telling them that compassion was one of the most essential things humans could offer each other. But she really needed this gig, so she smiled and nodded until the film guys left her alone.

Then she called Cindy to complain.

"There's a reason we want to live in Willow Creek," Cindy reminded her after her rant was over. "We're kind to each other. We genuinely like each other! I think that's rarer than we think in the real world."

"Do they hear themselves?" Sophie said. "They talk like they're villains in a film. It's clear to me that last year's caterer needed a hug and a friend! But they hate him because he made a couple of not-so-tasty burgers."

"Forget these guys. You'll show them you can do this job with grace—and good taste," Cindy said.

"Did you just try to rhyme grace and taste?" Sophie asked, smiling into her phone.

"I sure did. Did it work?"

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