Page 56 of Barging In
Victoria shrugged, hoping to steer him off course. “She just agreed to bake for us, that’s all. I like her energy.”
“So do I. And that’s great that she’s going to help us.”
“She was also full of ideas about the wharf,” Victoria relayed with excitement.
“Ideas?”
“Yes. Turns out she’s a marketing guru. She gave me a whole list of things we could try.”
“Is she now?” Jasper mused, rubbing his chin. “Just what we need.”
“She was high up in the fast-food industry, I understand. Or was about to be; then she jacked it all in.”
“For a narrowboat?”
Victoria nodded.
Jasper raised his eyebrow. “Wow. She’s got some guts.”
“Mmm. She might have given me all these ideas, but I have no idea how to implement any of them. So, I was thinking about asking her to work for us. Only part-time, to fit around her business.”
“She’d be fun to have around the place. Might even make you smile a bit more,” he teased.
“Ha!” Victoria said, forcing a grin. “Anyway, what were you and Clem talking about over there?”
“I was thanking her for helping today. She was tellingme how much she enjoyed spending time with you. She even called you enchanting.”
A wave of adrenaline rushed through Victoria as she examined him for a hint of teasing, but his gaze had flitted to Max.
He looked back at her with a smile. “So, who knows? You two might be the dream team to bring this place back from the brink.”
“Hmm.” She was about to move the subject away from Clem when she noticed Drew heading their way, carrying two glasses of champagne.
“I might need that refill after all,” Jasper said, looking at his empty glass, then whizzing off so fast he created a breeze.
Drew approached, all smiles while he glanced back at Clem. Of course a man like Drew would notice her. She was exquisite.
“Who’s that?” he asked, his eyes fixed on Clem as he held out a glass to Victoria.
She didn’t want to tell him. She didn’t want him to know anything about her. She was... She stopped the thought before she finished it, but the wordherswas already resoundingin her head. Clem wasn’t hers and never could be.
“Clem,” she answered lightly, taking the glass. “One of the narrowboat traders; she helped me out today with the food. I couldn’t have done it without her since Christine walked out without giving any notice.”
“Well, what do you expect when you hire someone like her?”
“Yousuggested she was the most qualified candidate,” Victoria said, trying to keep calm for more reasons than she could count.
“Yes, out of those available. It doesn’t mean you shouldhave stopped looking for the right one. Really, Vic, are you sure you’re cut out for business?” Drew scoffed.
She was becoming increasingly aware that perhaps she wasn’t.
“It’s not all about qualifications,” he chortled. “Sometimes you have to use your instinct. Make sure they have a personality.”
Victoria was about to say that was exactly what she had intended on doing at the time, but Drew continued.
“If you’re going to be stuck working with the underlings, make sure you can stand their company.” He pulled himself up and surveyed the room.
Biting her lips together, she remained silent. She valued all her employees. At least now she knew her instincts weren’t so far off after all when it came to employing people; she just needed to trust them more.
