by Helen Lacey
Now it was fun using their birthright to their advantage. It wasn’t hurting anyone or costing anyone anything. So why not use the name to its fullest advantage?
After all, they were legitimate Fortunes, even if ol’ Julius had rejected their father.
Ashley knew better than to rehash that argument with her dad. It was one area where they would have to agree to disagree. Besides, her father was still talking.
“The first step in operating a successful business is to be open to help, girls. The fact that you’re balking at listening to Mendoza shows your inexperience and naïveté.”
Ashley gave an incredulous snort. Her face went hot. She looked at Nicole and Megan, silently telegraphing that they were free to jump in at any time. Nicole was staring at her with her mouth agape. Megan had crossed her arms and was frowning.
“Our father is calling us inexperienced and naïve,” she said, fully intending for David to hear the hurt in her voice. “And I thought he believed in us.”
“I do believe in you,” David said. “I also want to equip you with every possible tool for success. We’ve already talked about the restaurant failure rate. I want Provisions to be a success story and I know you can do it. But you don’t have to learn lessons through the school of hard knocks. Learn from someone who has been there. Getting help is simply smart business.”
As much as his interfering went against her grain, their father was a smart, creative, self-made businessman. He’d taken his love of video games and parlayed it into a multibillion-dollar business. He had a proven business track record. She and her sisters hadn’t even gotten out of the starting gate yet.
It rankled her, but he might have a point—even if she didn’t agree with the way he’d gone about hiring Rodrigo.
“Dad, we appreciate your concern,” Megan said. “And we do appreciate your help.”
Nicole wasn’t so quick to see his point. She huffed and rolled her eyes as she mumbled something under her breath that sounded like, “Mendoza had better not think he can step one foot in my kitchen and tell us how to run it. Nuh-uh. He’s got another thing coming.”
Megan swatted away Nicole’s words.
“Listen, girls, don’t mistake my intentions. I guess it’s the father in me coming out. I know the three of you are smart, strong, talented young women who are perfectly capable of handling whatever challenge is thrown at you. But you’ll always be my little girls. My babies. You can’t blame a dad for that. Ash, you there? Do you forgive me?”
“Oh, Dad. Of course, I do. Actually, there’s nothing to forgive. I’m just stressed. I have a million things to do and the soft opening is next week. I guess my gut reaction was fear that Rodrigo Mendoza would try to undo everything we’ve already done. But you know what? I’ll consider his suggestions and if he makes some good ones, I’ll take them into consideration.”
“That’s my girl,” David said. “Look, it’s my turn and I’m holding up play. The foursome behind us is shooting daggers at us, so I’m going to run. Let me know how things go with Mendoza after you’ve worked with him awhile.”
Ashley’s stomach did an unexpected twist at the thought of working with Rodrigo Mendoza.
Why was she suddenly all jumpy at the mention of the guy’s name? Because Rodrigo Mendoza and his handsome face with that million-dollar smile was a distraction she didn’t need.
Even so, she’d be lying to herself if she didn’t admit that she felt a little breathy at the thought of working closely with him, but she’d get ahold of herself.
“All right, I’ve got to run. It’s my turn to putt again.”
“’Bye, Dad,” they said in unison.
Trying to quell the sensation of butterflies, Ashley placed her free hand over her abdomen as her father disconnected the call.
“Well, the upside is that Rodrigo Mendoza is hot,” said Nicole, as if reading Ashley’s mind. “It could be much worse.”
“I know, right?” said Megan.
“Yeah, he’s definitely a good-looking guy, and I’m pretty sure he knows it. But we need to focus here.” Ashley clapped her hands. Right now, focus was more important than ever. In a sense, the restaurant was an extension of them. Since they were each in charge of a very specific cog of the business, if one of them stopped turning—because she’d gotten tangled up in a hot dude—then they were destined to fail.
“We need to keep our eyes on the prize, which is making Provisions successful. Are we all on the same page?” Ashley held out her hand, palm up.
Without hesitation, Megan and Nicole put their hands in, too.
“Sisters before misters,” they said in unison.
That had always been their mantra and Ashley intended to show this mister—and her father, for that matter—that she and her sisters knew their stuff.
Copyright © 2020 by Harlequin Books S.A.
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ISBN: 9781488069741
The Nanny’s Family Wish
Copyright © 2020 by Helen Lacey
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidentsare either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
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