Sweet Submission ✓

𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 22

Kate forced herself to wait until the workday was over before going to the library. Regardless of the magnitude of the offer, she was still—for now, at least—Josh’s EA, and she still had work to do.

At six, she collected her things, texted Josh that she’d see him in the morning, and hurried to the library. Her stomach knotted with anxiety. She wanted Tyler to be happy for her, but his relationship with his family and Candy King was a bit complicated. What if he didn’t like the idea of her being offered a promotion?

She knocked at the library door and peeked inside. He was at the computer, inputting books into the system.

“Hey, Darling.” He turned, giving her a wide heart-stopping grin. “You’re late. I had to drink your smoothie.”

“I’ll forgive you.” She entered the library and closed the door behind her.

“Check this out.” He took a box from under the desk and opened it to reveal a lumpy brown brick. “Eighteenth-century chocolate, courtesy of King Confectioners’ history and lab-nerd Spencer King.”

“Really?” She peered into the box. “He was able to recreate the recipe?”

“Yeah.” Tyler broke off a piece and handed it to her. “It’s weird because it’s so different from modern chocolate, but it’s interesting.”

Kate bit into the chocolate, intrigued by the gritty texture and spices. Interesting was the right word. But that was part of the whole process—educating people about the history and techniques of chocolate while giving them a chance to sample what it once might have tasted like.

“I also mentioned the idea of digitizing the collection to my father,” Tyler continued. “We’re going to talk more about it. I think all the handwritten stuff should be digitized, at the very least. Maybe we need to start a priority list.”

He grabbed a notepad and started writing. Kate smiled. She loved how dedicated he was becoming to the company’s history, despite her recollection earlier that day of him as a “party boy.”

Shame rustled through her. She’d known for a while now that Tyler was so much more than a party boy. And if anyone was her tribe, it was him—a smart, funny, loyal, crazy-sexy young man with a love for Monty Python and the singular ability to teach her how to have a good time.

“I have some news,” she said.

“Good news?”

“I think so.” She took a breath, her heart rate increasing. “I had a meeting with Josh, Evan, and your father this afternoon.”

Tyler’s expression didn’t change, but a faint tightness lined his mouth. “About?”

“Nothing to do with us.” She went around to his chair and leaned against the desk. “They offered me a promotion. Vice President of the Corporate Social Responsibility division.”

Tyler stared at her for an instant before a smile broke out on his face, lighting his eyes. “That’s amazing, Kate. Congratulations.”

“Thank you.” Relief spilled through her. “They told me to think it over.”

“What’s to think about? Of course you’re going to take it. They couldn’t have offered it to a better candidate.”