Page 126 of Grumpy Boss of the Year

“What do you mean?”

“You have a very concerned look on your face, so I’m wondering what you’re thinking about.”

“I’m thinking about your trip next week.”

“You meanourtrip?” She grins at me. “The trip where we’re going to meet and find out you’re my fiance.” She giggles.

“It’s not funny.”

“I mean, it’s not funny. I will be the first to admit that, but my dad doesn’t know that I know that you’re my fiancé. It’s crazy. In fact, he calls me almost every day now. He asks me about you, so I ask him why he’s asking, and he makes all these silly excuses. I just want to say to him, ‘Dad, I know.’”

I look at her sharply.

“But don’t worry. I won’t say anything because I obviously don’t want him to know. What’s going on with that deal anyway?”

“The contracts have been signed, and the money’s been sent,” I say to her.

“Wow, so I’m officially yours now. Is that it?”

“I mean, in a court of law, I don’t think any judge would make you marry me. I mean, you have your own free will.”

“Yeah, I mean, that’s technically true, right? I do have my own free will to marry you, but the simple fact of the matter is, you’ve given my dad millions of dollars.”

“Technically, I’ve given your dad millions of dollars for the hotel properties, and that’s really where everything stands.” I stare at her for a couple of moments as she takes a seat across from me.

“So, Elisabetta, I want to ask you something before we fly out.”

“Yes?”

“Have you enjoyed the last couple of weeks?”

“I’ve more than enjoyed. I have loved them.”

“And do you have any questions on your mind? Anything that you’re nervous about?”

“I mean, I told you this before, but I am questioning whether my father is really my father.” Her eyes bore into mine. “I hate to say it, but it would just explain so many things.”

“I’m almost positive that your dad is your dad,” I respond. The truth of the matter is, I have no idea if her father is biologically her father. I would have no way of knowing unless I made him do a DNA test, which wasn’t really part of any deal I had with him.

“Don’t you think you look like him?” I ask her.

“Everyone says I look like my mom.” She shakes her head. “And if I’m my mother’s daughter and she cheated on my dad, then well, maybe that’s why he couldn’t really stand to be around me. Maybe I remind him of the other man.”

“Or maybe you remind him of your mother,” I say, and my heart pangs.

“I suppose. I mean, he was deeply hurt when she died.” She lets out a sigh.

“It’s weird. Sometimes, I wonder if I’ll ever get over this pain.”

“The pain of your dad not being around?” I ask her hopefully.

“I mean, that pain exists, of course, but I’m talking about the pain of never having a relationship with my mom, being a motherless child, you know? Sometimes, I just wish I could go back and change it so that she lived and could be there for me. Teach me the ways of the world, you know? Instead of Romeo, who, God bless him, I love, but as a teacher, he wasn’t exactly the greatest.”

“You had your aunts, right?”

“Yeah, but they weren’t really there to teach. They were just there to make sure I went to school and didn’t end up pregnant and unwed at sixteen.” She makes a face. “I guess I shouldn’t say that in front of Max.”

I laugh, then.

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