"Oh, yeah. You're gonna lovethis," Mitchell said. "It's'SummervilleChocolates.'"
The name landed with a thud. "You're joking."
"I wish." Mitchell's tone grew sarcastic. "He just needs to get the funding, that's all."
Nowthatwas a joke. "You mean he doesn't have it already?"
"The guy's got nothing," Mitchell said, "except the name and a 'loyal team' waiting in the wings."
I stared at my former co-worker. "And hetoldyou all of this?"
"Yeah, but only after I confronted him about the references. And when I get pissed, you wanna know what he tells me?"
"What?"
Mitchell flicked a hand toward the job application resting on the counter. "He says that I can workherein the meantime, says he picked me up an application as a special favor."
Oh, my God.
So the job application – the one Mister Grampkin had picked up earlier this month – that hadn't even been for himself?
By now, the room was spinning so fast, I felt like I might topple over. I looked back to Harper. "You told me it was Cole." My voice rose. "How could you assume such a thing?"
Her eyes were glistening now. "What else would I think?Hewas the monster not Grampkin."
She was right.
I'd been bad-mouthing Cole for months while praising Mister Grampkin to the skies, so of course she would assume such a thing. But that still didn't make it right.
I gave her a murderous look. "At the very least, you should've said it was my 'old boss' and not Cole."
She blinked away tears. "But that's the same person."
I shot back, "Yeah, except it wasn't."
By now, our discussion had grown so loud, it had drawn the attention of not only the two remaining customers, but also of Sam, who'd left the back room to flip the door signs from open to closed.
Everyone was staring, but I couldn't bring myself to care. To no one in particular, I said, "I wassuchan idiot."
Andthatwas a massive understatement.
Chapter 41
Lexie
My pulse jumped as I stood on his darkened doorstep. It was still Christmas Eve, but just barely. It had been snowing on and off all evening, leaving the ground covered in a winter wonderland of white.
But I wasn't feeling it.I'd just spent the last few hours at my parents' place, trying like crazy to be festive for their sakes even as my thoughts churned with the realization of what I'd done.
During the whole time I'd been there, I'd barely said two words to Harper because everything Iwantedto say was filled with so much profanity, I would've ruined everyone's holiday if I'd said what I'dtrulybeen thinking.
Afterward, on the drive back to my aunt's place, I'd been subjected to yet another long tearful apology that did little to ease my heavy heart. Yes, I'd accepted, but with so much ill grace that Harper felt compelled tocontinueapologizing all the way back, even after I'd accepted.
It didn't help that just before we'd left the candy store, Mitchell had mentioned to both of us that the remaining employees of Winterville Chocolates had all received nice Christmas bonuses along with holiday hams.
Knowing what I'd learned earlier in the month from Cole – that Mister Grampkin had blown most of the bonus money on that stupid party – well, it only made me feel worse. Not only did it make Cole look more princely in comparison, it reinforced what an idiot I'd been to quit my job in the first place.
But it wasn't the loss of the job that had my eyes filling with tears and my heart aching with an emptiness that could only be filled byhim, the monster I'd fallen for.
