Page 5 of Hooked on Marshall

“Thank you,” he says, his voice choked with emotion. “I was hoping all of you would accept me taking over. Although I won’t be changing the concept Mark created here, I would like to rebrand. And I want everyone’s input as to how that will happen.”

From there, he goes on about how Mark had originally asked him to partner on this place. But he respectfully declined because he wanted to try his hand opening his own alehouse in the city. And while he was extremely successful with that, something about the feel of this place when he came home after Mark’s death made him question his decision.

“So, when Gina told me she wanted help selling the place, I knew what had to be done,” he says. “I sold my place in the city so I could buy Mark’s dream and make it…ours.”

There’s some more chatter before he explains that he wants to change the name from Brick Oven to something else that will memorialize Mark in a subtle way while also recognizing their familial connection. As he continues to talk about that, my mind whirs and spins as I try to come up with a name that will lend itself to some minor changes inside as well.

I’m so lost in thought that I miss whatever he says that makes everyone cheer again. My head snaps up as I refocus and clap for…something. Then Marshall gives Gina a hug and she waves goodbye to all of us. When she’s gone, Marshall has one more request.

“So, before we open for business, I want to spend a few minutes with each of you,” he says. “I know I know all of your names already, but now that I’m officially your new boss, I’d like to know a little more than what I may have gleaned through my conversations with you over the last few weeks, okay?”

Everyone nods and he turns for the kitchen and probably Mark’s office. Well, I suppose it's his office, now. Jace follows him along with a few of the younger staffers who only work afew days a week. Instead of lining up to talk with Marshall, I go about prepping for opening at the front of the house. With a few extra hands, it doesn’t take long. Before I know it, Jace is calling my name.

“Yeah?”

“Go on back and chat with Marshall,” he says. “Everyone else has been in already.”

“Sure,” I nod.

I take in a deep breath and head for the office. When I step into the doorframe, I expect to see him seated behind the desk. But he’s not. Instead, he’s leaning back on the front of it. When his eyes meet mine, he gives me a smile that’s both warm and…I don’t know.

“Come on in, Lana,” he says. “Have a seat so we can get to know each other.”

My stomach flutters and my heart trips. But somehow, I move to one of the chairs in front of his desk. When I sit down, he shuts the door and takes the seat beside me. And I pray that this is quick.

Five

I purposely avoided looking at Lana while I was talking to my new staff earlier. I was afraid that my face would give me away. But now that she’s right here in my office, I’m fighting like hell to control my physical reaction to her. While she sits, I take a deep breath and settle in the chair beside her. Then, I lean forward and brace my elbows on my knees. Mostly to keep this casual, but mainly to hide my growing arousal.

“So,” I sigh. “Tell me a little about yourself.”

“What do you want to know?”

Everything.

“Well, where are you from?”

“Right here in Willow Point,” she laughs.

“What?You’re kidding.”

“No,” she says. “Why would I be?”

“I just…how did I…”

“How did you what?”

I take a deep breath and try to express myself in a way that won’t sound…creepy.

“I just can’t believe I’ve never seen you before,” I tell her.

“We were never in high school together,” she says. “Mark and I chatted about it. I wasn’t a freshman until two years after you graduated.”

Okay. So, she’s five years younger than me. I can work with that.

“Okay,” I nod. “What did you do after you graduated?”

“I earned a bachelor's in marketing with a minor in digital design,” she says almost painfully.

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