Jillian Chantal

This week, the writers of Tuesday Tales are writing to the word prompt Burned. I am still working on the same story with the buried treasure and the wacky former best friend of the heroine.

Check out the other tales here

By the time I got to his office, the two of them were sitting all cozy and chummy as if they were at a coffee shop sharing a latte.

“Glad you could join us, Heather,” the mayor said. “Bethany thinks we should call the bakers and ask for red velvet cake with cream cheese icing.”

I knew, absolutely, if I just gave in and told her to take over that the disaster coming would be laid at my feet when it all went wrong in four days. I didn’t particularly want to get into an argument with them but these details had been ironed out weeks ago.  He even had signed off on the plans. “Let me go grab my notebook and the contracts and we can go over them.”

I started to back out the door to go get the binder when Bethany held her left hand up to stop me. “Let’s not worry about that. Tell you what. I’ll call over there and make the changes. You don’t need to worry about a thing.

“Listen. I don’t know what you’re both thinking, but we have signed documents that are legally binding. You can’t just change the order four days before the event.” I paused. “Actually, more like three days since they have to deliver early Friday morning.”

“You always worry your pretty head about the small details, Heather. Let Bethany handle this. It’ll all be okay. Everyone in town likes me and wants to make me happy so this won’t be a big deal.” The mayor leered at Bethany. “Right, doll? It’s all under control.”

I didn’t know what to say. This was going to end up as a fiasco and it didn’t look like I’d be able to salvage it. The bakery was not going to be pleased. I couldn’t go over his head as he was in charge. The city might very well be on the hook for more money with changes this late in the day. And it would come back to bite me in the butt and I’d be burned like I stuck my hand in a fire. I had no idea what to do. “I’m still going to get the contracts. I’ll be right back.”

I left the room with dread in my heart. This is not good. Is Bethany trying to sabotage me into losing my job? She doesn’t have the Qualifications to take my job, but the way she was sucking up to the old goat, he sure could give it to her.

I wanted to rage and scream. It was like watching a hurricane approach the coast for four days and knowing you couldn’t do a thing about it to make it not come and destroy your city. Helpless in the wake of hurricane Bethany. Will I still have a job Friday evening? And here I was thinking Annette was the worst of my problems.