Free Summer In Stanton (Stanton Falls #3) by Kaci Hart Page B

less drive.  Less of a desire to
do the work she was doing.  The more she was back in New York, the more she
felt like she didn’t belong anymore.

 
    She wasn’t even
listening as the video rolled showing past commercials for the company.
 It wasn’t until Mr. Atwell directly addressed her that she remembered
where she was and what she was doing.  

 
    “Tessa, you’ve been
oddly quiet since this meeting started.  What are your feelings on this
proposal?”

 
    “My… feelings?”

 
    “Yeah.  You know,
how does the ad make you feel?”

 
    “Oh right.  The ad.
 Well I suppose I can’t say what I really think about it until I get a little
more understanding about the company.  This ad just feels like soup in a
can.  It doesn’t feel homemade.  It doesn’t feel like something I
want to eat when I’m sick.”  She turned her attention to the client.
 “Excuse me for asking sir, but is this what you want people to think of
your company?”

 
    The client smiled at
her.  

 
    “That’s why I’m glad we
hired your company.  You saw our challenge immediately.  We don’t
want to be thought of as the big company.  When people think of our soup
we want them to think of sitting down with friends that are as close as family
and sharing more than just food.  Sharing an experience.  And I want
different images.  You know.  Something homely . . .um. . .rustic.
 That’s it.  Our brand should remind people of a place that you go
and never want to leave.   You know what I mean?”

 
    “Yeah.  I think I
do.”  Tessa stood up and walked towards the exit.  “I’m really sorry
but I’ve got to go.”

 
    She couldn’t explain it
and she might regret it one day but for now she knew that she didn’t belong
where she was.  Not anymore.
         

 
    ***

 
    Connor pulled his pickup
truck to the house and parked.  It was the first time in years that the
parking lot had more than a few cars in it.  If things kept up at this
pace, he might need to expand the parking lot by a few spaces, but that was a
good problem.

 
    What wasn’t so good was
how he was feeling.  Everything was going great for the business but he
felt horrible.  He knew he’d promised that he wouldn’t make it hard for
her to leave but he wished inside that he had.  That he had begged her to
stay because he truly felt like they had something special.  

 
    Unfortunately, that just
wasn’t how it went down.  He sighed as he headed into the house.
  

 
    “Ready?” Libby asked.

 
    “For?”

 
    “Ms. Celia is waiting for
you.”  

 
    “Please tell me you’re
joking.   What I’m ready for is to go to my room, shower and relax
until you call me for dinner.”

 
    “I’m not joking.
 Now you can try running that by her if you like.”

 
    “No.  Where is this
supposed intervention being held?”

 
    “In the dining room.”

 
    “Okay.  I guess on
to the intervention.”

 
    “Don’t worry.  I
have a feeling this is going to help you more than you could imagine.”

 
    Libby pushed Connor
through the kitchen door and he saw all kinds of delicious looking food on the
table.  

 
    “I’m not sure if you two
misunderstood how an intervention works because I don’t think it’s just a bunch
of food.  Not that I’m upset about that.”

 
    Ms. Celia playfully
snapped at him.

 
    “Boy will you be quiet
and sit down?  I didn’t say we were going to do an intervention.  I
said we might if you didn’t get your act together.”

 
    “Lucky me then.  I
must have pleased you with my attitude today because this looks wonderful.”

 
    “No, your moping is
still contagious and I almost did have to talk some sense into you but
something happened today that I think will cheer you up really quickly.”

 
    “I don’t know about
that.  Unless you can change time and let me go back three weeks ago.”

 
    The older woman laughed
at him.