home, please.â
âWait just a minute, young lady. What did that boy give you before you came in here? It looked like some kind of pill. Are you high?â
The big kid who was driving pulled something out of his pocket and handed it to Hayley. âYou mean these?â
It was a can of Altoids mints.
âWe shared a bag of Funyuns on the way up here, so we had stinky breath,â Gemma said, seething.
âWant one?â the boy offered Hayley.
âNo, thank you. Iâm fine,â Hayley said, barely audible.
Hayley looked over to Mona and Liddy for support, but they had already quickly downed their beers at the bar and were slinking toward the exit before Gemma spotted them too.
Hayley feared she had just crossed a line and perhaps lost her daughterâs trust for good.
Chapter 11
âIâm really not comfortable appearing on camera, Bessie,â Hayley said.
âNonsense. Youâre a natural,â Bessie said, fluffing her own hair as she stared into a mirror.
A pimply kid around Dustinâs age, wearing a Jay-Z t-shirt and tattered jeans, stood behind a mounted camera. Next to him was a pudgy kid holding a cheap-looking boom mike.
âWhere did you get all this equipment?â Hayley asked.
âRented it from the high school. My crew members are volunteers from the visual-arts department. Theyâre getting extra credit for helping me out.â
Bessie had decided to make a promo video for her burgeoning candy business and post it on YouTube. When she called Hayley to come over to her house, Hayley just assumed the special candy she promised to whip up for her was ready to be picked up.
But it wasnât.
Bessie had other plans.
She needed a straight man for her video. Since Bessie had very few friends, Hayley was basically her first and only choice.
âWhat do you want me to do?â Hayley asked.
âJust be yourself. Youâll be my guest. After all, youâre somewhat of a local celebrity with your cooking column. Now donât worry. You can just stand here and smile and Iâll do all the talking.â
âLike a Price Is Right model.â
âExactly,â Bessie said as she finished primping.
That didnât seem so bad.
âOkay, letâs try one and see what we get,â Bessie said. âYou boys ready?â
They nodded, but they seemed noncommittal.
The plump one yawned.
âOkay, weâre rolling.... Sound is speeding . . . and action!â the pimply kid said.
Bessie smiled brightly and looked straight into the camera. âHello, everyone, Iâm Bessie, your favorite chocolatier. Today I have a special guest here with me. Iâve invited my dear friend, Hayley Powell, over because Iâm dying for her to try some of my delicious chocolate candies you can buy online at my website, BessiesSweetTreats.com. Go ahead, Hayley. Have one.â
Bessie waved a lumpy-looking chocolate in front of Hayleyâs face.
Hayley didnât expect a taste test.
But she went with it.
Hayley bit into the chocolate. It didnât taste as bad as she had expected.
âHmmmm . . . so good, Bessie. Yummy,â Hayley said stiffly. Her acting talents were never going to make Meryl Streep nervous.
âHow would you describe the filling?â Bessie said to Hayley, but the chocolatier was still looking straight into the camera.
âIs that almond?â Hayley guessed.
âNo, itâs walnut. Cut!â
Bessie looked at Hayley disappointed. âI guess we should have rehearsed first. Letâs try another take.â
This time Hayley was prepared to guess the correct ingredients; but every time she thought they were done, Bessie insisted on doing another take. She wanted her inaugural video to be absolutely perfect.
Which meant after twenty-four more takes, Hayley had eaten a full box of chocolates.
Hayleyâs stomach was churning.
She felt queasy.
And she actually felt dizzy from the sugar