When Chocolate Is Not Enough... Read online

  Max shuffled forward in his seat and rested his elbows on the table as he stretched his arms out towards her, closing the gap between them and making her wriggle a little on her chair.

  ‘Simply this,’ he said. ‘I’ve just flown back from St Lucia so that I can attend their annual conference. It’s being hosted this year by a hotel chain who specialise in boutique eco-hotels in luxurious settings. Think Bali, Malaysia, Costa Rica and a few unspoilt sites across Europe. Their hotel in Cornwall was a working abbey until a few years ago—they were virtually self-contained. And organic.’

  Daisy smiled and took another sip of coffee. ‘Any conference about cocoa sounds wonderful to me. I do struggle to keep up with the latest news sometimes—especially at this time of the year. In fact Tara is expecting me back in the office to get ready for two hen parties and a wedding rehearsal buffet lunch. I wasn’t joking about the wedding season, and there’s lots of extra cooking to do.’ She licked her lips and put down her cup. ‘But that doesn’t mean that I am not passionate about chocolate. I’m just busy.’

  Max laid his hand over hers just as she started to stand, startling her with the gentleness of his touch and the pressure of unfamiliar skin against hers.

  ‘That’s good to hear,’ he said. ‘Because I haven’t got to the really good bit yet. This is a conference with a difference.’ He slid his hand away before she had a chance to say anything.

  Daisy breathed out in exasperation and frowned at him, only to be met with a smile of such total confidence that she finally surrendered to her curiosity and slid back into her chair.

  ‘Five minutes,’ she replied, and made a thing of looking at her watch.

  Almost instinctively she sensed Max move forward, just enough to make her want to shuffle back, but she fought it to finish off her coffee and lower the cup back into the saucer with a clatter.

  ‘I don’t want to be rude, but either you’re on commission for the hotel chain or I’m missing something here. Last time I checked St Lucia was a Caribbean island with pretty spectacular scenery and a lovely coastline of its own. Has the wonderful world of the internet not reached your plantation yet? I’m sure it is much more economical to do business over the web these days. I certainly wouldn’t want to waste my time at parties when I could be working.’

  ‘You’re quite right.’ He nodded in acknowledgement. ‘But I wasn’t joking about having a business proposition. You are clearly just as passionate about your business as I am about mine. That is why I have an idea which could be of benefit to both of us.’

  His fingers tapped for a few seconds on the table.

  ‘Let me start by telling you why I have travelled thousands of miles to be here, Ms Flynn. Firstly, I have my daughter’s birthday coming up—but you already know that.’ He paused for a second to flash a laser beam smile which made her choke slightly on the dregs in her cup. ‘What you may not know is that for the last twenty years or so every sack of cocoa beans leaving the Treveleyn Estate has been snapped up at market prices by one of the largest confectionery companies in Japan.’

  He raised one hand and then the other as he spoke, so that each word seemed to be punctuated by the waggle or curve of his fingers.

  ‘They want top-quality cocoa beans which they roast and process in-house, and they come to me to make that happen—which is good news for them and good news for me … as far as it goes.’

  His hands dropped back down to the table. ‘The problem is that even with premium pricing there is still not enough money coming into the estate to give the farmers who work there a decent income and provide a future for their families.’

  He sat back and stretched out his long legs, but she could see the tension in the multiple creases on his forehead and in the muscles in his neck.

  ‘When I bought the estate I made a commitment to the families who work for me that I would make it my business to trade the amazing product we grow for the best price. Since then I’ve been working to make that happen. With something new. And that is why I am back in England.’ Max reached down inside his rucksack and pulled out a zipped plastic bag containing a large white plastic ice cream container. ‘Two years ago we started roasting and processing some of the cocoa on the estate. It has taken a lot of hard work, but I finally think we are there.’

  He waved the box and carefully undid the lid a little. The delicious, powerful aroma of freshly ground chocolate filled the space between them.

  ‘This is only a small sample of the cocoa paste I made last week. My plantation specialises in rare and amazing varieties of cocoa bean—the kind of fine flavour which would give unique characteristics to any chocolate. Now I am looking for new buyers who can truly appreciate what fine chocolate from a single estate in the West Indies can taste like, smell like—feel like on your tongue when you eat it.’

  His mouth twisted into a smile of pleasure and delight as he spoke the words, and Daisy sat mesmerised, tempted to take a closer look at the raw chocolate and yet holding back, just in case it truly was as remarkable as Max believed it to be.

  ‘But there is a problem.’ He bowed slightly in her direction. ‘I want to sell this pure cocoa direct to chefs. And to me the best way of doing that is by showing the master chocolatiers at this conference just how terrific my cocoa can be in the hands of someone who has a passion for chocolate. In short, I need someone like you, Miss Flynn.’

  Daisy blinked several times and stared at Max across the table. ‘Why me? There are lots of dessert chefs in London who would love to try your chocolate if it is as good as you say it is.’

  ‘I have just tasted a sample of your work. Believe me—my cocoa would be perfect for desserts like the one I have just eaten. Silken, perfumed and delicious. With just a hint of spice. I know that my chocolate and your recipes would be an amazing combination. In exchange you would, of course, be the first chef in the world to use artisan single-estate cocoa from the Treveleyn Estate. And all you have to do is agree to use my chocolate. What do you say? Are you willing to give it a try?’

  Daisy’s heart started thumping as the impact of what Max was suggesting hit home.

  A new organic chocolate supplier from the West Indies was offering her a single-estate fine chocolate. This could be the final magical ingredient she had been looking for—that unique final piece of the huge jigsaw puzzle.

  It had taken her three years to recover from her disappointment in Paris, and there was not a day that had gone by without her thinking about how she could take that final step. Her very own signature chocolate. If there was any chance at all of her opening a chocolate shop with her name above the door, then she needed something remarkable to give her a unique edge over the other competitors.

  She had worked hard, studied hard, and she had spent month after month working on recipes she knew would succeed. And yet she still had not felt quite ready to make the leap to her own business—not without that very special extra factor that would make her stand out from the crowd.

  She had been disappointed before, but this could be it—she had to give him a chance.

  Otherwise she might never be able to open her own chocolate shop.

  Perhaps this scruffy man who loved her chocolate cake was the very person who could make her dream come true?

  Suddenly her brain caught up with her heart.

  This all sounded too good to be true. Perfect strangers did not come up to you in restaurants and offer you luxury cocoa. She was doing it again—she was allowing her enthusiasm and desperation to take over.

  Business head on. Business head on.

  ‘Forgive me for asking, but before I answer that question I would like to know more about your cocoa plantation. There are some horror stories out there about chefs who have been let down by wonderful suppliers after they have spent months working on recipes. I need to know that you would be able to continue supplying the same quality product month after month, year after year. I hope that doesn’t sound too insulting, but chefs have to rely on their suppli
ers, and I wouldn’t want to put my name on the line and make a commitment only to be let down,’ she said firmly.

  His reply was an intense stare, followed by a thin-lipped smile in which both sides of his mouth lifted at the same time, creating deep folds either side of his cheekbones. It was an all-embracing smile that a girl might fall into and be lost. Strange how she could not look away.

  ‘Okay,’ he drawled in that odd, lilting half-American accent of his. ‘I suppose that could happen. But this is not some passing fad. Far from it. I bought the estate a few years ago, but it has been in my family for as long as I can remember. In fact I spent the first half of my life on that estate on St Lucia. My parents fell in love with the place, and the people, and so have I.’

  Max paused and looked out of the window for a few seconds before chuckling to himself.

  ‘The estate is a jealous mistress—but what can I tell you? I know every inch of her. I know where each variety of cocoa grows best, the microclimates around each river valley and native forest, and the names of every one of my estate worker’s families.’

  He turned back to Daisy, his brow furrowed and intense, and when he spoke again each word seemed to echo inside Daisy’s skull.

  ‘I have invested everything I have in the future of the estate. And that’s why the Treveleyn Estate will always deliver. You have my word on that, Miss Flynn.’

  Daisy inhaled two deep breaths, and then pushed her coffee cup to one side with both hands, breaking the tension which had built up in that space between them.

  The power in those simple words was so energising that his intensity and sincerity seemed to leap across the small table, grab her physically by the shoulders and give her a shake. He meant it. He was not simply managing this estate—it was his life.

  It wasn’t often that she met people with such a burning commitment and joy and drive for what they did—but she saw it in the man sitting across the table from her. Max Treveleyn was the real deal. He wanted to make a difference and do it on his own terms. And she admired him for that.

  Her mind jumped from option to option, trying to weigh up the risks.

  Should she take a chance? Take a chance on his passion? Or go through life settling for second best, just like her dad had done all of his life? Always waiting for his ship to come in. His bus to arrive. Waiting, waiting. Until it was finally too late to realise his dreams.

  No. Never again. She was done with compromising. This could be precisely what she had been looking for. Even if Max Treveleyn was more like a Formula One racing car than a double decker London bus.

  So she licked her lips, just once, and dared to look up at him with a faint smile, only too aware that his gaze had never once left her face.

  ‘As it happens, I am always looking for new suppliers of fine organic chocolate which could give my restaurant dessert ranges that special edge.’

  She immediately raised both hands, palms facing Max, as he half rose out of his chair with a great roar of triumph which sent the waiters scurrying away.

  ‘No promises,’ she said quickly, leaning back, startled. ‘I have worked hard to make a name for myself. I shall need a price list and samples, but—yes.’ She nodded. ‘I will give your chocolate a try.’ She lowered her hands. ‘I should be able to get back to you in two or three weeks.’

  The smile on Max’s face broadened. ‘Actually my timeline is a little tighter than that. Remember the conference I have just been telling you about? It happens to be running a very special contest over the conference weekend. With a prize you might be interested in.’

  Daisy watched, mesmerised, as he reached into his rucksack and pulled out a printed sheet of paper with the logo of a famous hotel in green as its header.

  She stretched her neck high to try and read the flyer, aware that Max was looking at her with the kind of focus that was starting to make her squirm. His blue eyes seemed startlingly bright in the dim light in this quiet part of the restaurant, below dark blond eyebrows which were broad streaks painted on his suntanned face. They were so close that she could see his long eyelashes were not black but dark brown. She thought wryly that any girl would have been grateful to have such long, full eyelashes, which perfectly framed those stunning blue eyes.

  ‘The idea is that each of the cocoa growers uses the organic chocolate they produce to cook three different dessert dishes from scratch in the hotel kitchens, under the beady eyes of the contest judges. The winners are announced at the end-of-conference gala dinner.’

  Max grinned, displaying pearl-white teeth against his tanned face.

  ‘It’s chocolate lovers’ heaven. Ambrosia from the gods. I would love to do it—except that until today I didn’t have a dessert chef who was up to the task. Now perhaps I do. All you have to do is agree to cook a few desserts on Saturday. I can even pick you up on Friday and drive us down there. Simple!’

  He waited for Daisy to reply. But there was only a stunned silence as she opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again.

  ‘Oh, I know,’ Max said, and rubbed his hands in glee and positively joggled in his chair. ‘I can hardly wait for the sumptuous feast to begin.’ Then his smile dropped. ‘Miss Flynn? Where are you going?’

  Daisy pushed her chair back and gave Max a short bow from the waist.

  ‘Thank you for thinking of me. I’m not sure of your selection criteria, but I am flattered all the same—even if my answer is no. A contest like that would take months to plan, well in advance, which is what the other growers will have done. Unless, of course …’ Daisy pressed both of her palms flat on the table as she stood up. ‘You have already approached other chefs and they’ve turned you down. Is that it?’

  Max stuck out his lower lip. ‘I won’t deny it. I did ask a few of my friends for recommendations. But strangely, all of those dessert chefs I telephoned seemed to be busy this weekend. Or had some other convincing excuse why they wouldn’t take a risk with a small independent grower with a small plantation on a small island, even if I did wave several sacks of criollo cocoa beans under those noses.’

  ‘Aha!’ she exclaimed. ‘Now things have started to become clearer. You’ve trawled your idea around every dessert chef in town and no one wants to work with you.’

  Daisy stood up to her full height and glared at him. ‘I don’t know whether to be insulted by the fact that I’m a last-minute stand-in, or delighted that you happened upon my food stall this morning and now we have had this most entertaining chat. Lovely to meet you, Max. Best of luck!’

  ‘Would it make any difference if I told you about the rather special prize the hotel chain is offering to the winner of this contest?’ he said hurriedly.

  ‘It would have to be spectacular to interest me—not merely special,’ Daisy replied with a flick of her hair.

  ‘How about a one-year contract to supply handmade chocolates to the entire hotel chain around the world? You would be expected to travel to promote the chocolates, and do a few demonstrations. But we are talking international first-class travel, and the finest and freshest organic ingredients from hand-picked growers and beautiful estates. Your name would be on every box of chocolates they sell or serve to their guests, and of course the hotel would pay for a full publicity campaign—giving you the kind of prestige marketing that money cannot buy.’

  Max paused, then waggled his right hand in the air.

  ‘Oh—and a five-figure cash prize to be split between the grower and the chocolatier. Just as an extra incentive.’ He looked at her through his long dark brown eyelashes and smiled, so that creases crinkled in the corners of his eyes. ‘All you have to do is work with me for four days at the end of this week. With your talent and my chocolate how could we lose?’ he asked, in a voice as seductive and warm and smooth as the finest melted chocolate and cream sauce.

  Daisy inhaled through her nose and tried to calm her racing Irish temper.

  A contest at an international conference of cocoa growers!

  This man had clearly not t
he faintest idea about how much work would be involved in putting together a range of recipes fit for a specialist conference in a five star hotel. The standard would have to be stellar.

  Of course she wanted the marketing and publicity that the hotel chain could afford, and the cash prize was precisely what she needed to show the bank that she was serious and had some capital behind her, but even to have a chance in this contest she would need a huge investment of time and energy—and she only had a few days to make it happen!

  There simply wasn’t time to get ready.

  She could not risk damaging her rising reputation by being ill-prepared for a contest in which the judges were probably going to be master chocolatiers—could she?

  A clatter from the kitchen at the other side of the restaurant brought her back to the real world. She had just been offered a proper job by Marco, in the restaurant. She didn’t want to work for anyone else, but Marco was offering her a great opportunity—instead of fairytale ideas of winning prestigious chocolatier contests.

  ‘You have gone very quiet,’ Max said, and bent down slightly so that he could look up into her face. ‘Stunned? Excited?’

  It was no good. Max was like a large, gorgeous puppy which bounded around the house full of beans, dragging goodness knew what onto the carpet, but no one could be angry with him because that was who he was. And there was no changing him.

  ‘I am very sorry, but there simply is not enough time to prepare for a contest next weekend. I would be letting both of us down if I agreed to do it.’

  She took a breath, only too aware that his boyish grin had been replaced by a look which screamed out disappointment. But she could not let that sway her. Even if he did look utterly dejected.

  That was probably why she started babbling—just to fill the awkward silence with the sound of her voice.

  ‘The truth is I don’t want to work for a hotel chain full-time. My dream is to open my own artisan chocolate shop, under my own name, working for myself and creating the things I am passionate about. What you’re suggesting is something completely different. I’m sorry, but I’m not the chocolatier for you. I am sure you will find someone else who is perfect for this contest,’ she told him.