Page 1 of When I Fall In Love

1

HUNTER

That didn’t just happen, did it?

I unlock my truck, toss my laptop bag onto the passenger seat, and lean with my hands braced against the doorframe for a second. Breathe.

With a slow exhale and a last glance at the bank’s entrance, I heave myself into the driver’s seat and start the engine. Another deep breath before I get into gear and drive off to slip into the traffic out of Burlington’s city center.

I have a good fifty minutes’ drive to get my head around the fact that I didn’t get the loan I was bargaining on. Weeks of drawing up a business plan, long nights of reviewing every last detail with Derek, months of planning, years of saving throughout the slow grind of building a business, just to be told by my bank that they need to review my application again. What the hell?

This morning when I headed out from Ashleigh Lake to Burlington, I was under the impression I was merely going over to sign on the dotted line. Every communication from the bank indicated that things were ticking along perfectly. Something changed overnight, and I have no clue what it was.

As I hit the interstate in the direction of Montpelier, my heart rate slows down and the inner shock finally settles. One thing is sure: Hunter Logan won’t be expanding Ashleigh Lake Organic Ice Cream and Dairy in the year to come. Nope, without the loan, Hunter Logan will be grinding that old stone like any other day.

I hit the steering wheel with a loud fuck because this is a wrench in the works. We have earmarked four properties for potential coffee shops in four different towns in Vermont. A Burlington realtor has the offers to purchase all drawn up, ready to go out as soon as I give her the green light. Now we’ll lose them all.

But that’s only the start. Every factory employee will be disappointed. Our bonus structure this year took into account that we’d go forward with the expansion and would have at least forty more employees on the payroll by February next year. I might have hinted that Derek would get a promotion from financial director to CFO. Britt had another PA job lined up in Miami and declined it on my promise of a raise and a new job title, executive PA.

As I take the turn-off that will eventually lead me to Ashleigh Lake, my gaze snags on the first leaves that are turning. The brush of yellow where the cold dabbled with the foliage. I didn’t notice the first whispers of fall this morning. In a few weeks the color bursts are going to be breathtaking. My favorite season is upon us and now there is nothing to celebrate and no one to share it with.

By the time I reach the factory’s parking lot, I’ve schooled my face, even if my gut is still bundled up tight. I should’ve had the meeting with the bank in the late afternoon, so that I could’ve avoided coming back to work. It isn’t even lunchtime yet, and I have zero excuse to avoid the office. In fact, Britt ordered snack platters and sparkling wine to celebrate. Yep. This is going to be fun.

I take my laptop bag and gather my courage. As I hit the stairs to the admin part of the factory building, I pull my shoulders back. What do they say? It’s not failing that matters, it’s how you pick yourself up afterwards that matters.

Yeah. I’ve failed a few times. Been kicked down a few times, too. At thirty-two I should have the energy to deal with this setback, but right now it feels like lead is slugging through my veins. I glance up to the glass doors that come into view as I take the last set of stairs, almost stumbling as I do a double take.

Ah, crap. I cringe at the shiny dollar-store banner that stretches from one side to the other over our Ashleigh Lake Organic Ice Cream and Dairy logo. CONGRATULATIONS!

Goddammit, Britt. Why didn’t you go to Miami?

Manning up, I push open the glass door and a cork pops right on cue, followed shortly by a holler of “Congratulations!” as the whole admin staff jumps out from behind the huge receptionist’s desk.

I laugh because there’s nothing else to do. But then, I close my eyes and shake my head. I need to nip this in the bud.

As if every person in the room can read my body language, it goes dead quiet.

“What happened, cuz?” Derek steps forward to meet me halfway.

“Uh… we didn’t get it,” I say. “They want to review everything again.”

“Why?” Britt is next to me in two steps, brushing her wild red hair from her face. “Why on earth?”

“I don’t know.” I glance up to the half circle of people that don’t know where to look anymore. “Sorry team. We thought we had it in the bag, but until the plane takes off, we’re not going anywhere. And until it’s landed safely, we haven’t made a trip, really.”

Soft mutters of ‘sorry’ and ‘better luck next time’ buzz for a moment. I hitch my laptop up my shoulder and nod to Derek that we should go mull together in my office.

“Don’t let this stop the party,” I add to the group in general, waving to the food that’s spread out on a table along with tea, coffee, and empty champagne glasses. “We had an epic summer, so there’s still something to celebrate.”

“Shall I let the factory know?” Britt whispers, as if this hot gossip isn’t spreading like wildfire already.

“Yeah, but spare us the intercom, will you?” Derek says with a roll of his eyes. “Go for a more subtle approach if you can.”

I don’t look back at Britt and with a shrug stomp off to my office. My haven seems to be a dark and cold place, what with the solid wood, unlit monitors and steel storage tanks visible through the glass wall. The floor-to-ceiling walls give an eagle-eye view over the factory and for a moment I look down, only to see the workers’ faces turn up to me for a second before they go back to what they’re doing. The glances ripple through the whole factory like a wave and I sink into my office chair, swinging to face away from the glass wall.

Derek closes the office door behind him with a shake of his head. “We had it in the bag?”

“You should’ve come with me to help me keep my head in that meeting.”

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