Read Sweet Dreams (A Sugar Rush Novel) for Free Online

environment, with the columned brick buildings also evoking the values and history of the company.
    The Sugar Rush Candy Company—originally Stone Confectioners—was founded by Edward Stone in the mid-nineteenth century, and had been the domain of the Stone family for over a hundred and fifty years. Though the name had changed a decade ago, the company was still family-run. The six Stone brothers were a close-knit clan who zealously guarded their privacy and had a reputation for being tough but fair employers.
    When the family had moved the Sugar Rush headquarters from San Francisco to Indigo Bay after WWII, the company’s presence had turned around the economy of an entire region of the coastline with investments in local businesses, steady employment, and a commitment to sustaining the coastal environment.
    Not much had changed about Sugar Rush over the years, including the foundation of their well-loved products like Honeybee Toffee and Swirl Pops, which had been among Polly’s favorites as a child.
    Hoping she could make a few purchases at the gift shop after the tour, she went into the lobby where her twelve fellow students and instructor, Gordon Andrews, milled around. The open doors of the gift shop displayed shelves lined with Sugar Rush candy bars, glass cases arranged with chocolate confections, fat jars glistening with taffy, suckers, jawbreakers, licorice, rock candy, and bubblegum.
    “Everyone, gather round.” Gordon spoke in a hushed tone, as if he were in a hallowed, sacred space. “Sugar Rush rarely allows tours into their test kitchens. The only reason we were able to arrange one is that one of the assistant chefs is a former student of mine. So I’m sure I don’t need to tell you to please be on your best behavior and exhibit both respect and deference.”
    “Should we curtsy too?” Cora, a fellow student, muttered beside Polly.
    Polly smiled. Everyone in the area knew the Stone brothers were the de facto kings of Indigo Bay, so curtsying in their presence would probably not be out of order. Not that Polly thought any of them would emerge from their lavish offices to talk to a group of community college students.
    Gordon introduced them to their tour guide, Henry Peterson, who led them through a door marked “Employees Only.” After they put on the required aprons and plastic caps, they followed Henry into one of the test kitchens—a massive, gleaming expanse of granite countertops and stainless steel appliances where the chefs and scientists created different varieties of candy. Two chefs bustled around checking on bubbling pots, as if they were presiding over a modern-day witch’s brew.
    “For generations, Sugar Rush has prided itself on hand-making all our candies,” Henry explained. “Everything from lollipops to sour candies, taffy, and chocolate. Usually there are half a dozen chefs working here, but they’ve stepped out to allow us time for the tour.”
    “Is the chocolate tested here too?” Cora asked.
    “The chocolate test kitchen is located one floor above.” Henry pointed to the ceiling. “This is where we test and create all the other candy. Right now we’re working on different varieties of ribbon candy and taffy.”
    Polly had learned and practiced a lot of the techniques in class, but this was the first time she’d ever been in a real candy kitchen and lab. Henry explained all the different processes as they walked around, and soon her hand began to hurt from scribbling so many notes.
    “He’s coming!” One of the chefs hurried up to Henry, her whisper loud enough for everyone to hear.
    Polly looked up from her notebook, sensing a palpable excitement rippling through the air. Her fellow students shifted and murmured with interest.
    “What’s going on?” she asked Cora, who shrugged.
    “Oh.” Henry looked disconcerted. “I wasn’t expecting this, but it seems the CEO is about to pay us a visit.”
    Intakes of breath rose from the culinary students. An excited