Page 1 of The Sweet Chef and the Corporate Queen

Chapter One

Jules

"Ihave to leave immediately. My mother's in the hospital."

The words hit me like a bucket of ice water as I stand in the large suite of Mountain Laurel Lodge, still in my silk pajamas, clutching my first coffee of the day. It's precisely 6:42 a.m. on the second day of the most important corporate retreat of the year.

"What happened?" I manage, trying to process Claire's news through my pre-caffeine haze.

"Stroke." Claire's voice through my phone speaker is tight with worry. "They called from the hospital an hour ago. It's serious, Ms. Sinclair. I've already booked a flight home that leaves in two hours."

I glance at the partially open door to the second bedroom where Mia is still sleeping. "I understand this is an emergency, but I'm in the middle of running a leadership retreat with my entire executive team."

"Ms. Sinclair." Claire's voice cracks slightly. "It's my mother."

The raw emotion in those three words stops me cold. I take a slow breath, mentally shifting gears.

"Of course. Family comes first." The words feel foreign in my mouth, but I know they're the right ones. "Do you need help with arrangements?"

"I've already called a taxi. Thank you for understanding."

Before I can respond, I hear rustling from Mia's room.

"Mommy? Is Claire going somewhere?" My daughter appears in the doorway, hair tousled from sleep, stuffed bunny clutched under one arm.

"Go brush your teeth, sweetie. We need to get ready for breakfast."

The moment Mia disappears into the bathroom, I return to the call.

"Take whatever time you need for your family," I say, already mentally calculating contingency plans. "I hope she recovers quickly."

After ending the call, I press the speed dial for my assistant.

"Zoe, we have a situation. Claire had to leave due to a family emergency. I need a replacement nanny here in North Carolina by tomorrow morning."

"Tomorrow? But that's?—"

"I'm aware of the timeline. Pull whatever strings necessary. I cannot afford distractions this week."

A toilet flushes, and Mia emerges with a toothpaste smile.

"Where's Claire going? Is she leaving?" There's unmistakable hope in her voice.

"Yes, sweetheart. Claire's mother is ill, so she needed to go home. Which means you'll be joining me for some of today's activities until we sort things out."

Rather than disappointment, Mia's face lights up like I've just announced we're going to Disneyland. "Really? I get to stay with you all day?"

The naked joy in her expression makes my chest tight. When did my daughter become so excited at the mere prospect of spending time with me?

"Temporarily," I caution, already scrolling through my schedule. "I have meetings and events all day, which means you'll need to be very quiet and very good."

"I'm always good." She bounces on her toes, suddenly full of energy. "Can I bring Mr. Hoppy?"

"No stuffed animals in business meetings, Mia." I grab my leather portfolio, checking that all my notes for today's presentation are in order. "We're professionals."

Her little shoulders slump, but only for a moment before she straightens them in an unmistakable imitation of my own posture. "I can be professional."

My phone pings with a text from Zoe:Working on nanny situation. Earliest potential arrival is tomorrow afternoon.

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