The Sweetheart Deal. Syndi Powell
across the parking lot toward town. Megan, the baker, was a client of the bank’s both professionally and personally. He wondered if she was okay, then reminded himself that she seemed to want nothing to do with him since his return to Lake Mildred. When he ordered pastries for the staff meetings, her sister or another employee delivered them. The night he had stopped in to the bakery himself, she’d stayed in the kitchen for his entire visit until he’d left with his bread. And she never came by his office at the bank when she made her deposits. “Yes, too bad. What other businesses?”
“Will wasn’t sure of the extent of the damage, but it’s huge.” She pushed the snow to the edge of the curb and leaned on her shovel. “The apartments, too. Lot of people homeless this morning.”
Adam put his hand on Eva’s shoulder. “You don’t have to shovel the snow. I can take care of this.”
“You saying I can’t?”
The spark in her eyes made him wince. “No!” He cleared his throat and started over. “Once we get the snow cleared from the front door, I’d like you to get the branch ready for the day. Coffee brewed, hot water for tea. We’re sure to have a lot of visitors today.”
“I can shovel snow, too. I’m not an invalid.”
He’d seen proof of that himself. He held up a hand. “Didn’t say you were.”
“Despite what my son says...” She continued to shovel the snow, and together they cleared a path to the door. She paused as Adam unlocked the front doors. Once opened, she disappeared inside. He glanced around the parking lot, then bent his head and continued shoveling the sidewalk.
Finally finished, he shook the snow off himself, then entered the branch. He sniffed appreciatively and walked through the lobby, down the hall to the staff room. Eva turned and handed him a cup of hot coffee. “Black, two sugars.”
“You’re too good to me, Eva.”
“Someone has to take care of you bachelors.” She took a sip of her own tea, then nodded to the thermoses on the counter. “I made extra if you want to deliver them to the emergency workers downtown. I’m sure they could use a hot drink right about now. Do wonders for the bank’s image, no?”
Adam nodded. When he’d taken the branch manager position, he’d inherited a mess both financially and publicly. The previous manager had been responsible for foreclosing on many homes in the area, known for his tough stance rather than his compassion. Adam’s district manager had warned him what he was walking into. Add that to his own past problems with the residents, and Eva was right. Giving out coffee would be only the beginning of what he needed to do. “I’ll drop them off as soon as Sandy arrives. Great idea, Eva.”
She tapped her head. “Got a bunch of them locked up here.”
Later that morning, Adam bundled up and once again trekked out into the frigid landscape. He carried the two thermoses and a plastic bag full of cups, stirrers and packets of cream and sugar. When he reached the corner of Main and Lincoln, he paused. It looked as if a bomb had exploded. He moved to the barricades and motioned to one of the workers. “I brought you guys coffee.”
Keith walked over. “Thanks, man.”
“Anyone get trapped?”
“They’re getting the baker out now. She was there when the roof collapsed. And they’re still digging some of the tenants out at the apartments. In a weird way, it’s a good thing it happened so early in the morning. Less people around to get hurt.”
Adam closed his eyes at the thought of Megan trapped under snow and ice. She had to be okay.
Keith gave a grin. “I’m going to miss her double-chocolate muffins though. Those got me through many a shift.”
“How long do you think it will take to get this cleaned up?”
Keith looked back and shrugged. “Day or two. But longer to rebuild.” He accepted the thermoses and bags. “Appreciate it.”
“Courtesy of the bank.”
The man seemed to wince a little but returned to his crew with the coffee. Several turned to Adam and yelled their thanks. He nodded and turned to go back to the bank.
And then he saw her.
Megan emerged from the bakery, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders, and ambled between two emergency workers. Her sister ran to her and put her arms around her. She didn’t look as if she’d been badly injured. He hoped she wasn’t.
Before now he hadn’t noticed that the Sweetheart was smack-dab in the middle of the most damage. He thought of the bank where he’d be needed. But his feet betrayed him as he walked slowly until he stood in front of her. “I’m sorry about the Sweetheart, Megan. But I’m glad you’re all right.”
She glanced up sharply at him then shifted away. Her sister, Kelly, rolled her eyes. “I’ll bet you’re sorry. Go find someone else to harass.”
Okay, maybe he’d deserved that before, but he’d changed. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a business card. “When you’re ready to discuss rebuilding...”
Megan looked at the card held out to her, then after many long seconds, she took it and put it in the pocket of her jeans. Never saying a word.
Adam turned and almost bumped into a man. He apologized, then paused. He didn’t need to ask if the man he’d almost knocked down was Bobby Snow or not since he looked much the same. He still wore glasses, and the chubbiness of adolescence had remained. Bobby recognized him, too, as he made to leave. Adam followed him, however, weaving through the crowd of people who had come to witness the destruction. Adam called after him, “Wait, Bobby. I just want to talk to you.”
“Leave me the hell alone.”
“I want to apologize.”
The other man stopped and faced Adam. “You’re joking, right?” He turned to see if anyone else in the crowd was listening to him. “Is this guy kidding me? Because an apology won’t make up for what you did.”
“I was a jerk in high school. I’m sorry for the awful things I said and did to you.”
“Such as...” Bobby crossed his arms over his chest.
Adam pinched the bridge of his nose. “You really want a list? Fine. I’m sorry for shoving you into the girls’ restroom about once a week for three years. I’m sorry that I called you Piggy and Fatty and oinked when you walked down the hall at school.” He started counting things off on his fingers. “I apologize for stealing your lunch. For having Sarah McGillis write you a love letter as a joke. For having my team members TP your house. And your car.”
“You made Sarah write that note?” Bobby shook his head. “Of course you did. You hated me, so why not humiliate me?”
“I’m sorry.” Adam sighed. “I want to apologize and see if I can do anything to make it up to you.”
“Why?”
His other victims always asked that question, and he’d never been able to come up with the right answer. “Because I hate how I treated you when we were in high school. You didn’t deserve it, and I’m sorry.”
Bobby looked him over. “What can you possibly do to atone for making my life miserable for four years?”
Adam shifted his weight from side to side. This was always the hardest part. Because how could he make up for that? For some, it was easy to lend them a helping hand. Others let him off the hook without requiring anything. But Bobby seemed to be the type that would never forgive him no matter what. “What do you want, Bobby? How can I make this up to you?”
Bobby started to laugh, and people started to stare at them. “You really think you can do something to change the stuff that happened twelve years ago? That was the time to make amends. Not now.” He hesitated then shook his head again. “Forget it.”
He