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Addie could hear the enthusiasm radiating from his voice. She wasn’t going to push the issue with Caleb. Who was she to deny him something that made him happy?
“I do have some sous-chefs working with me, so it’s not as if
I can’t delegate,” Caleb explained. “Paolo works side by side with me. He does as much of the work as I do.”
“Okay,” she said with a nod. “Moving on, I think that if the Blue Bayou extends its hours it could really increase visibility and pique the interest of diners in the area. For instance, you could open for breakfast six days of the week.”
“Easier said than done. If I increase hours that requires me to spend a lot more money on food costs and payroll. I didn’t think it was feasible.”
Addie sent him a shaky smile. “It is now. I’ve been authorized to put more money into the coffers of the Blue Bayou.”
Caleb let out a shocked sound. “What? Your father said that?”
The disbelief on his face almost made her laugh out loud. But, she knew this was serious business. The Blue Bayou was Caleb’s baby. It was written all over his face. He deeply cared about its success or failure. And even though she hadn’t worked here a single day, Addie was now invested in this charming eatery. She needed to be successful in her partnership with Caleb. After all, she had something to prove to her father. If she couldn’t show him that she had a mind for business by her twenty-seventh birthday, she feared he might just leave his fortune to someone else. As Sebastian Fontaine’s only child, Addie had a lot to lose. Her mother reminded her of this fact almost every day.
Don’t let it all slip through your fingers. Her mother’s voice buzzed angrily in her ears. Although her parents had been divorced since she was a child, Helena Fontaine still continued to watch over her ex-husband’s fortune with an eagle eye. She always insisted that Addie needed to get her due. She’d raised Addie to fear the very idea of her father cutting her off and giving all of his fortune to another relative he felt was more deserving. Since Addie’s relationship with her father was a bit fractured, she didn’t have a lot of confidence in his loyalty to her. And so now, in an effort to prove her business savvy to her father, Addie had been given partial ownership in Caleb Donahue’s business. Surely that must sting!
She felt a little badly for Caleb. He’d clearly gotten in way over his head with her father. She knew the feeling all too well. Sebastian Fontaine was a man who treated people like his business dealings. He was constantly wheeling and dealing.
“Daddy has agreed to put a large sum of money into the Blue Bayou in order to expand it and increase its value.” She pushed her glasses up on to the bridge of her nose.
Caleb frowned. “But why? I don’t get it. He’s never so much as stepped inside the place.”
Heat stained her cheeks. Did she have to come right out and tell him that the Blue Bayou was a means to an end for daddy dearest? It was a way to keep Addie busy and allow her to gain some experience in running a business. Addie was Sebastian Fontaine’s only heir apparent to his empire.
Addie wasn’t a fool. She knew her father could have easily placed her at one of his Fontaine offices. But he hadn’t wanted to take a chance at Addie making a fool out of herself, and him in the process. It was too embarrassing to reveal that information. Caleb was already regarding her as if she had two heads. He might just explode if she told him that it was a bit of an experiment. Daddy had thrown down the gauntlet. It was now up to her to show him she could work with Caleb Donahue and make the Blue Bayou even more successful.
“He’s the type of man who wants to excel in all areas of business. Since he now has a partnership with you—”
“Technically, you have the partnership with me. Right?” Caleb asked.
“Yes,” she said with a nod. “But my father wants it to do well since he was the one who gave you the loan in the first place.”
“And you? Is working here what you wanted for your career?” Caleb asked. His gaze was intense. Addie had the feeling Caleb Donahue was the sort of man a woman would have trouble keeping secrets from.
“It’s fine by me,” she said with a grin, allowing her eyes to roam around the place. It was beautiful. The walls had been painted a rich blue color. There were taupe and silver accents in the seating areas. Beautiful paintings hung on the walls, each with a blue accent. The vibe was upbeat yet peaceful. It made Addie want to smile.
“Well, I’m happy to hear it since we’re stuck together,” Caleb said. For a moment Addie was startled by his words. Her jaw dropped.
Suddenly, Caleb’s face was transformed by a dazzling grin. He’d been playing with her.
“Sorry, I thought a joke might diffuse some of the tension of this situation.”
Addie raised a hand to her chest. “Phew. To be honest, I had no idea of what to say as a response. I’m glad you were teasing.”
“Addie, I’ll be completely honest with you. This situation isn’t ideal for me. I never wanted to have a partner. From the beginning I’ve prided myself on doing it all on my own.” He made a face. “But, I suppose that I didn’t get here by myself. I took out a loan from your father and now it’s been called in. Those are the breaks. I knew the risk when I entered into the arrangement with him. I want the Blue Bayou to be successful, long-term. And if working with you is part of the deal, then I’m all right with it.”
“I’m determined to do a fine job here, Caleb. I want to prove myself worthy of the trust daddy placed in me.”
Caleb narrowed his gaze as he looked at her. “As I said, this place means the world to me. I can’t afford for it not to do well.”
“Trust me. Neither can I,” Addie said in a firm voice. She wanted to be taken seriously. Addie knew her twin sister, Tabitha, had always been daddy’s favorite. He’d been of the belief that Tabitha hung the moon. Now that Tabitha was gone, he was stuck with Addie. She had never measured up to her sister in her father’s eyes.
There was so much pressure on her to make her mark in her father’s world. He’d given her this assignment and she couldn’t let him down. After all, if she wasn’t Sebastian Fontaine’s daughter, then what in the world was she?
“Just when you think the worst is about to happen, the sun comes out and hope shines like a beacon.”
Penelope Donahue
