took Ally an hour to lay out her business plan to Jillian, how she wanted to partner with her on a retail pie store, located somewhere in Pacific Heights or the Marina.
“Your pies are going to be even hotter than the cupcake craze.” Ally was smiling, but the tone of her voice was all business. “I feel it in my heart, Jillian. It’s the same feeling I got when I started Foot Fetish.”
“I appreciate your belief in me, Ally. Really I do. And you know it couldn’t come at a better time for me, what with the divorce and all.” Jillian wiped away a tear. “But running a retail business takes a lot of time, not to mention money.”
“We’ll hire staff to manage the store on a day-to-day basis. And I’ll do my voodoo: brand the store and do the marketing and promotion.” She looked Jillian in the eye. “And, of course, I’ll secure the financing, too. If our model works, we’ll duplicate it in other locations in the city, and other cities around the country. Perhaps even go international with it.” Ally leaned in close. “All you have to do is to come up with a few scrumptious pie recipes and bake the pies. Initially, of course. You’ll supervise the baking when we get to the point where we need an industrial kitchen and baking staff.”
Jillian couldn’t believe her ears. Then a thought made her smile waver. “But—what if Bettina finds out?”
“Barry will make sure our corporation is veiled. By the time we go public, the kids will be in elementary school.” Ally smiled. “We’ll each be fifty-fifty partners, but any investor will want some equity stake, so we’ll have to both peel off percentage points for that. Whatever it is, we hold onto a combined fifty-one percent. So, what do you say? Are you in?”
“Oh my God, of course!” Jillian jumped up and hugged her friend. “I can’t believe this! It’s a dream come true.”
“Now the big question: what do you want to call it?”
Jillian thought for a moment. “What do you think about ‘Life of Pie’?”
Ally laughed. “It’s simple, to the point, and already familiar. Works for me.”
To seal the deal, they toasted with their coffee mugs. But their sips were interrupted by the buzz of Ally’s cell phone. She glanced down, seeing a text from Brady.
Pretty please, with sugar on top?
She sighed, then texted back.
Tuesday afternoon. 5:30. Allyne Park, in Cow Hollow.
That would give her a few days to consider what to say to him.
Whatever it was, it would cost her something: a friendship and her support system or a chance at love. Which was worse?
She sighed. “A piece of pie sounds great right about now, but the Grove’s can’t compete with yours.”
“If you and your little mummy give me a ride home, I’ll whip one right up. Apple! You can take it home with you.”
“Perfect. In exchange, I’m giving you an advance on your salary. Will six thousand cover you while you research our pie products?”
When Jillian squealed, heads from all over the coffee shop turned around to see what was causing the commotion. Embarrassed, she whispered, “I can’t wait to get home and try out a few recipes. Ally, I can’t thank you enough. And I won’t let you down. Ever. You’re a true friend.”
Ally desperately needed to hear that, now more than ever.
Chapter 4
Tuesday, 8 January
9:10 a.m.
“It’s been a whole week! Why haven’t you returned my calls?” Art knew he sounded like a desperate fool, but he didn’t care.
He missed Kelly.
Okay, in truth, he missed their sadistic sexcapades. That girl certainly knew how to wield a paddle.
Maybe she considered ignoring his calls as some form of foreplay. He viewed it as torture, which is why he begged. “Can we meet tomorrow? If that doesn’t work, what about the day after? I’m flexible, if Friday works better.”
Kelly’s tone reeked of venomous scorn. “This is a joke, right?”
“A…what? Why would you say that?”
Kelly snickered. “Maybe you should ask your
“Your pies are going to be even hotter than the cupcake craze.” Ally was smiling, but the tone of her voice was all business. “I feel it in my heart, Jillian. It’s the same feeling I got when I started Foot Fetish.”
“I appreciate your belief in me, Ally. Really I do. And you know it couldn’t come at a better time for me, what with the divorce and all.” Jillian wiped away a tear. “But running a retail business takes a lot of time, not to mention money.”
“We’ll hire staff to manage the store on a day-to-day basis. And I’ll do my voodoo: brand the store and do the marketing and promotion.” She looked Jillian in the eye. “And, of course, I’ll secure the financing, too. If our model works, we’ll duplicate it in other locations in the city, and other cities around the country. Perhaps even go international with it.” Ally leaned in close. “All you have to do is to come up with a few scrumptious pie recipes and bake the pies. Initially, of course. You’ll supervise the baking when we get to the point where we need an industrial kitchen and baking staff.”
Jillian couldn’t believe her ears. Then a thought made her smile waver. “But—what if Bettina finds out?”
“Barry will make sure our corporation is veiled. By the time we go public, the kids will be in elementary school.” Ally smiled. “We’ll each be fifty-fifty partners, but any investor will want some equity stake, so we’ll have to both peel off percentage points for that. Whatever it is, we hold onto a combined fifty-one percent. So, what do you say? Are you in?”
“Oh my God, of course!” Jillian jumped up and hugged her friend. “I can’t believe this! It’s a dream come true.”
“Now the big question: what do you want to call it?”
Jillian thought for a moment. “What do you think about ‘Life of Pie’?”
Ally laughed. “It’s simple, to the point, and already familiar. Works for me.”
To seal the deal, they toasted with their coffee mugs. But their sips were interrupted by the buzz of Ally’s cell phone. She glanced down, seeing a text from Brady.
Pretty please, with sugar on top?
She sighed, then texted back.
Tuesday afternoon. 5:30. Allyne Park, in Cow Hollow.
That would give her a few days to consider what to say to him.
Whatever it was, it would cost her something: a friendship and her support system or a chance at love. Which was worse?
She sighed. “A piece of pie sounds great right about now, but the Grove’s can’t compete with yours.”
“If you and your little mummy give me a ride home, I’ll whip one right up. Apple! You can take it home with you.”
“Perfect. In exchange, I’m giving you an advance on your salary. Will six thousand cover you while you research our pie products?”
When Jillian squealed, heads from all over the coffee shop turned around to see what was causing the commotion. Embarrassed, she whispered, “I can’t wait to get home and try out a few recipes. Ally, I can’t thank you enough. And I won’t let you down. Ever. You’re a true friend.”
Ally desperately needed to hear that, now more than ever.
Chapter 4
Tuesday, 8 January
9:10 a.m.
“It’s been a whole week! Why haven’t you returned my calls?” Art knew he sounded like a desperate fool, but he didn’t care.
He missed Kelly.
Okay, in truth, he missed their sadistic sexcapades. That girl certainly knew how to wield a paddle.
Maybe she considered ignoring his calls as some form of foreplay. He viewed it as torture, which is why he begged. “Can we meet tomorrow? If that doesn’t work, what about the day after? I’m flexible, if Friday works better.”
Kelly’s tone reeked of venomous scorn. “This is a joke, right?”
“A…what? Why would you say that?”
Kelly snickered. “Maybe you should ask your
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