“Over the top as their Hanukkah presentations?”
Naomi nodded.“Exactly.Sukkot doesn’t lend itself to that.It lends itself to harvest and build your own sukkah and etrog drinks and supervised lulav waving and donuts and all that kind of thing.Someone might want to get Zach Weisler to come and sing ‘Three Stars.’”
Which, if Jason remembered correctly, was, in fact, a Sukkot song.“Makes sense, though if anything is going to turn this situation over the top, it’s that.”
He loved listening to her as her mind worked out the larger picture of an event.He loved the way she saw things, and the events she managed to plan.
“I can see some kind of an etrog-ade, not a cider though,” he replied as he thought about it.“But I think the lulav cookies would be so much fun.Like in the context of the things you create for Halloween, pulling out the crafting nature of Sukkot would be fun.”
“I’ll run it by the committee.”She paused, looked at him as he pulled into a space.“If you’re serious about helping, you know?”
Once he’d parked, he grinned at her.“The back end of event planning is just not my thing, but once you introduce a food item or two?I’m in.”
“Really?”
He nodded.“You should know that by now,” he replied, brushing her shoulder with his fingers to soften what might otherwise be considered a blow.“But generally speaking, if you want me in, I’ll do it.”
“But what are you thinking?I mean,” she said “Like…generally?”
He got out of the car.“I think the food items on the Hollowville side need to balance with what North Hollowville is doing for Halloween.Are they sticking with pumpkins and apples or are they going full-out candy corn and chocolate?That’s important to know.If the former, then Hollowville can use honey cake and apple cake recipes from Rosh Hashanah, add a few of them to the Sukkot arsenal.”
“I love the way your mind works,” she said as she walked over to join him.“I’ll email the committee and tell them you’re interested.More specifically, I’ll tell them that I’ve got a professional chef who wants to consult in an advisory capacity.”
“Thank you,” he said as he took her hand in his.“I like the idea of doing more projects with you.Maybe partner somehow.”
*
Jason, who shehad very complex emotional, unnamed feelings for, wanted her to partner with him.
Partner with him.
“Like brainstorm consulting on events I’m doing, as well as other events I’ve already contracted?”
She liked the feel of it on her tongue.Partnering with him.On events.
“Like the Hollowvilles festival?”
He nodded.“Exactly like the Hollowvilles festival.I could be an add-on.”
Ideas ran through her mind, brainstorms running a mile a minute like a hamster on a wheel.
But she forced herself to stop and breathe.
This was a business deal; it was important.
Things—the boundaries and obligations they were undertaking between each other on that professional level, needed to be clear on paper for this to work.“We’ll need a signed contract, you know.”
He nodded.“Of course we’ll need a contract,” he said.“This is business.I’d be one of your contractors, one of your vendors.”
There was something else in the air, an exciting something that would have been tension if it wasn’t Jason.It was almost regenerative but not.
Exhilaration.
That’s what it would be if she had to explain it to Livvy.
It wasn’t just the feeling of his hand in hers as they walked through one of Rockliffe Manor’s central business districts, onto a side street that led to the unassuming bakery that served as the cornerstone of an empire.Or rather an empress’s favorite respite.
Charlotte’s Bakery.
