Page 17 of Winter Magic on Railway Lane

‘If you’re going to start a new business, you need a big client to start you off, don’t you?’ said Katy.

‘Er, yes, I guess,’ said Libby, exchanging a nervous look with Ryan.

‘So I’ve been putting out a few feelers and I’ve come up trumps!’ announced Katy. ‘One of the hotel chains that I used to work for has just opened up a brand new swanky place on the other side of Aldwych. So I went to see the manager yesterday and it turned out to be someone I used to work with! Small world, eh? Anyway, bookings are still a little slow, so they’re looking to add a few special touches, which is where you come in.’

Libby finally caught up. ‘So you need me to make up a couple of boxes of truffles for them?’ she asked.

That was doable, she thought. It would only take her a day or so.

But Katy shook her head. ‘They’ve got a party for some local corporate players around Bonfire Night. There’s going to be fireworks and loads of promotions apparently.’ Katy broke into a winning smile. ‘And here’s the exciting news – on my recommendation, every guest gets a goody bag filled with some of Harriet’s delicious products and your chocolate too!’

‘Right,’ said Libby, surprised. ‘Well, thanks.’ She smiled at her friend. ‘That really will help me out a lot. So what do they want – truffles, bars?’

‘Actually I gave them that spare box you brought round on our last gin night a few weeks ago,’ replied Katy.

‘You mean this?’ asked Libby, holding out the box she had brought with her. It was the largest box that she produced, holding ten chocolates. The range of flavours included sea salt and caramel, alongside tangy raspberry, nutty pecan and even a zingy chilli dark truffle.

‘That’s it!’ said Katy. ‘Having tasted them yesterday, my contact was absolutely raving about it! Give them organic and fairtrade and they’re over the moon. All with a special wrapper or box or whatever you think. We can work out those details later. Anyway, the main thing is that my contact loved the idea. So did everyone in his office! A fight almost broke out to get the last truffle! Honestly, you’ve got such a talent.’

‘Thanks.’ Libby was still reeling as she tried to work out what it meant for her. ‘So this party is on the fifth of November?’ she asked.

Katy nodded. ‘To be held in their enormous ballroom to accommodate the many guests.’

‘And how many boxes do I need to produce?’ asked Libby.

There was a month to go, long enough to produce one hundred boxes of quality truffles. It would be hard work, but she was feeling excited at what it might lead to for her future business.

‘How many boxes?’ Katy glanced at her phone to check before looking back up. ‘Five hundred.’

Libby wondered whether she had heard wrong. ‘How many?’ she asked, looking at her friend.

‘Five hundred,’ repeated Katy. ‘They’ve put feelers out for loads of people in the area and?—’

‘Five hundred boxes!’ exploded Libby. ‘Each holding ten chocolates, is that right? That’s five thousand truffles! I can’t possibly make that many in time!’

‘Of course you can,’ said Katy in a soothing tone.

Libby was horrified and turned to look at Ryan.

‘Don’t bother,’ he told her with a soft smile. ‘I’ve found that whenever she’s got one of her business heads on, you’ve got to just roll with it. Turns out she’s got a good gut instinct for this kind of thing.’

From the coffee shop to the glamping site, normally Libby would agree with him, but this time, she reckoned Katy was way off base. She found she was shaking her head furiously. ‘I can’t,’ she said, feeling the panic rising inside of her.

‘Look, this is a great start for your business,’ said Katy, reaching out to give her arm a squeeze. ‘And wouldn’t it be wonderful if you could do that for a living instead?’

‘Of course,’ said Libby.

It had been her dream for so long.

Perhaps, despite the tight deadline, there was something else now. Hope. That she might just be able to make a go of it.

10

Libby was still reeling from Katy’s mad business idea. Could she really make five hundred boxes of chocolates in just under four weeks? Could she produce five thousand truffles, entirely from scratch, in that length of time?

For a second, she found herself thinking that if she knuckled down to some serious hard work, perhaps she could. Perhaps this time luck might be on her side.

But as her friend stepped back from giving her an enormous hug, Libby looked over at the tiny kitchen in the apartment once more and was suddenly struck with horror.