“I’m pretty desperate.”
“I’m also not malicious.”
Argeth’s dark eyes assessed her. “No… no, you are not.”
Rosalind pinched her paper between her fingers. “The other councilors won’t listen to a human. Probably. But I think this is important, so if I can convince you, I think the Horn of Culture presenting a plan to revitalize the art district will be much more impactful.”
He stuck his hand forward faster than she expected. “Deal. And I’ll even keep an open mind about your proposal, even though you really should include that when you make bargains.”
Rosalind stifled her smile, but judging by the amusement in Argeth’s eyes as she shook his hand, she hadn’t been entirely successful.
That shifted quickly into something expectant.
“Oh, the caterer,” she blurted. “Lovable Loaf.” Then, because she couldn’t for the life of her keep a secret, she added, “I also have a personal relationship with the owners.”
Argeth, of course, had to look up at that and see her cheeks as they turned red. “A personal…ah, I see.”
“If that’s a conflict of interest?—”
“The previous caterer was my cousin’s wife. We can handle… whatever your relationship is that I don’t need to know about.” The councilor tapped his long fingers on the desk. “You can vouch for Lovable Loaf as a business?”
Rosalind nodded. “I can. Relationship aside.”
“Good food?”
“Best I’ve had in Heck,” she said, then amended, “Well, that and what Mozke feeds me.”
Argeth sighed, leaning down to rifle through a drawer. “My anxiety can’t handle another cancellation. So here’s what’s going to happen.” He pulled out a form, and Rosalind caught a glimpse of the attached banknote before he began to scribble on it. “Here is the money for?—”
“Plus a last-minute fee,” Rosalind blurted.
She willed her face to remain neutral this time, even as her heart climbed, but Argeth didn’t look up, even as he grumbled.
“The moneyplusa last-minute fee for the catering. I expect them to be early, have enough food, and for the drinks to keep everyone happy until the lastdemon leaves.”
Rosalind nodded so fast that she almost made herself dizzy.
“And,” he said, still scribbling on the banknote, “I am assigning you to oversee this. Stand over their shoulders, create the menu, cook the fucking food yourself, just make sure it’s done. Move your work to their space to oversee everything. I don’t want another surprise.”
“Of course, sir.”
He slid the form across the desk, and Rosalind quickly took it before he could change his mind. But besides the banknote for Lovable Loaf, there was a small sheet of paper on top.
She frowned at the number scribbled there. “What’s this?”
Argeth leaned back in his chair, hands folded on his lap. “You saved my ass. Consider this a trial budget before your proposal.”
Rosalind looked at the paper, then to him, and shook her head. “I don’t understand.”
“Add some value to your proposal and give me something tangible to pass on to the other councilors, if I like what you present. Put that to work where it can best make a difference.Showme that it can be done when we’ve failed so many times in the past.”
She looked at the number, a smile growing on her face at the thought of all the good she could already do. At finally being heard. At feeling like she was finally able to give something of value?—
“Well? Caterers?”
Rosalind jerked up from her chair. “Right, yes,thank you.”
Hurrying from the room, she couldn’t help but keep that smile on her face at the other document in her hand. Not just the budget that paid Lovable Loaf a handsome sum, but the extra value that would come from having everyone at the fundraiser fall in love with their food and the demons who made it.
