Free Your Heart's Desire by Melody Carlson Page A

weeks.”
    “So you’re offering me temporary work?” Caroline felt her spirits dive.
    “Well, you can look at it like that,” he spoke slowly, “or you can look at it like the opportunity it is. MG Chocolates is the largest employer in this town, and we’re growing fast. If you prove yourself a valuable employee, who knows what might come six weeks from now? Mr. Gordon appreciates motivated workers with good team spirit. From what I’ve read here and from what little time we’ve spent together, I suspect you could be just that sort of team player we’re looking for, Mrs. Clark.”
    She brightened. “Yes! I am a team player. I really am.”
    “Then you’ll accept the job?”
    “Yes, of course. Gladly. Thank you very much, Mr. Stokes.”
    “Great.” He handed her some official papers. “Fill these out right now, and I’ll ask one of the girls to give you a tour of the facility.” He grinned. “Oh, yes, I forgot to ask. You do like chocolate, don’t you?”
    “I love chocolate.”
    He nodded. “I thought so.”
    “The smell alone in this place has me slightly lightheaded.”
    “I remember that, too…” He looked dismayed. “I’m sorry to say that it wears off over the years. Unless I’ve been on vacation, I usually walk in and hardly notice it.”
    “But you still like chocolate?” she asked.
    “Oh, yes. Most assuredly.” He patted his midsection. “It probably shows.”
    Caroline felt slightly giddy as she handed him back the paperwork. She had a job! Just like that—she had a job. It was almost too much to take in. As she watched him browsing over the completed forms, she realized they hadn’t discussed her wage yet.
    “I always feel a bit awkward speaking about salary and benefits and such,” she explained a bit timidly. “But because I’m the breadwinner of our little family, it’s a necessity.”
    “Little family?” He looked surprised.
    “Oh, yes.” She felt a stab of worry. “Didn’t I mention I have a son?”
    “No, you did not. May I ask who cares for your young son?”
    “My son isn’t so young. He’s nearly ten years old and very mature for his age,” she said defensively.
    “Even so, children need watching. And sometimes they get sick. What happens then?”
    “We live with my sister. She’s a homemaker with two little ones. When Joe comes home from school, my sister will be there. And I’m sure she will be happy to help out if he should get sick. My mother used to do those things for me.”
    “Oh, well, then it seems you’ve got this all figured out.” His smile returned.
    It wasn’t the first time she’d experienced this line of thinking. Many people in the workforce questioned the sensibility of working mothers. Like Marjorie, some acted as if it were her moral responsibility, as a mother, to find a replacement father for her son. As if it were that easy! Thankfully this was not going to prevent her from getting this job. As she signed the last form Mr. Stokes had for her, she felt relieved that she hadn’t mentioned Joe to him earlier. That might’ve ruined everything. Once again, she inquired about her wages and, as he explained the salary structure and benefits, she was pleased to discover that she would be better off here than she had been in Minnesota!

Chapter 7
    Caroline was sent back down to the redheaded receptionist, Miss Warner, for her tour of the facility. “First things first.” Miss Warner opened a box of chocolates, holding it out to Caroline. “Just so you fully understand what we do here,” she said with a smile. Then while Caroline sampled a delicious chocolate, Miss Warner made a phone call, and after a few minutes, a woman in a white uniform showed up.
    “Betty works the assembly line, but fills in for me during breaks or if I’m giving a tour,” Miss Warner explained as she led Caroline down a hallway. “We’ll start at the beginning.” Before long they were in a large warehouse area. “This is where the ingredients for