Melody Anne's Billionaire Universe: Refuse to Settle (Kindle Worlds Novella) (8 page)

Maybe he was turning into his father after all.

Chapter 14

Jilly pressed her cheek against the cool metal of the refrigerator, tears trailing down her cheeks.

“Did you hear all that?” Charlene asked.

Jilly nodded.

“Are you okay?”

Another nod.

“I can handle the café for the rest of the day. You should go home.”

Jilly wiped her cheeks. “I can’t. I’ll just lay in bed and obsess. I need to be here. I need to figure out a way to pay my bills.”

“It can wait.”

“No! It can’t!” Jilly didn’t mean to yell at Charlene, especially after she’d been so wonderful. “He may be an asshole, but he was right. He’s a good businessman and I’m failing at it.”

“Don’t listen to him. You’re doing great.”

“I’m really not. My bills are piling and I can’t pay them. At this rate I’ll be out of business by summer.”

“What? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“It’s not easy to admit you’re a failure.”

“You’re not a failure.” Charlene took her into her arms again. “We’ll brainstorm and find a way to bring in more customers. There’s gotta be a way to fix it.”

“Maybe.”

Jilly breathed deep. She’d just have to work harder. Find a way. She owed it to her mother to succeed.

Charlene stayed with her the rest of the afternoon, taking care of customers so Jilly could concentrate on growing the business. She made a list of more local restaurants to call, places that might be interested in her desserts. And she looked into alternative venues as well. Gyms, spas, yoga studios. Anything that sounded like it might be interested in healthy all-natural treats.

“You ready to go?” Charlene said as she peeked her head into the small office.

“No. I have a bunch of fruit I need to use up before it goes bad. And I want to make up some sample boxes. I’m hoping to drop them off tomorrow at some local restaurants.”

“Okay. Don’t stay too late.”

“I won’t.”

Jilly locked up behind Charlene and turned her Open sign to Closed. She headed in back and got to work, testing out a new muffin recipe as well as some tried and true pies.

A knock sounded from the front door, startling Jilly. She looked up to find Sandra and her wide smile.

“I saw your car outside,” she said when Jilly opened the door. “What are you doing working so late on a Sunday?”

“What are you doing here at all?”

“Prep work for a party. Your turn.”

Jilly sighed. “Trying to save my business.”

“Want some help? Or an ear?”

“Sure.” Jilly let her in and made her some coffee. “I just don’t know what to do. Bills are piling up and I don’t have the money to pay them. I haven’t heard back from the restaurants I was waiting on, but I’m going to try some more. I also want to approach some other businesses, too. Maybe spas will be interested in buying my treats to give out to clients.”

“There you go. Thinking outside the box. You’ll find a way. I almost lost my shop not too long ago, but it all worked out.” She sipped as she eyed Jilly. “So, are your eyes that red and puffy over the business, or is there something else?”

She turned away from her friend. “Something else.”

“Does it have anything to do with that young man I saw you with? He sure seemed like he liked you.”

“He did. But that’s over now.”

“Why?”

In the end, it was a very simple reason. “He wanted me to be someone I’m not.”

“If there’s anything I’ve learned in my fifty-some years on this earth, it’s that misunderstandings and assumptions can be detrimental to any relationship. Are you absolutely sure it wasn’t one or the other?”

Jilly thought about it. Colin wanted to help her, but his idea of help meant taking over and doing things his way. He wanted her to change her values in order to find business success. That was not her style. Never would be. And she couldn’t be with a man who asked her to do that.

“I guess I’m to blame. I assumed he knew me,” she said. “Because someone who knows me, and claims to love me, would never try to control me or ask me to change.”

“Very true.” She took another sip. “Trust your gut instinct. It will never steer you wrong.”

“Thank you.”

Sandra stood and headed for the door. “Let me know if I can help.”

Jilly went back to her pie making. Sandra was wrong. Her gut didn’t know anything. Her gut had told her to trust Colin, a man she knew was wrong for her. It had made her kiss him at the shelter, then fall for him over and over. Her gut made her think she could have a happily ever after with a man so different from her. Made her think he was different from the men like him from her past.

Her gut had been very, very wrong, and from here on out, her brain was in control.

*   *   *

Jilly made it home by nine and found Charlene on the couch with a bowl of popcorn.

“
She’s All That
just started. I know how much you love it.”

“Yeah. Just what I need tonight. A movie about a rich boy who tries to change the poor girl into what he likes instead of accepting her for who she is. Perfect.”

“Oh. Sorry. We can pick something else.”

“It’s fine. You watch it. I’m exhausted.”

Jilly headed for her bedroom.

“Wait,” Charlene said. “Can we talk a sec?”

Jilly stepped back toward her. “What?”

“He said he loves you. You did hear it, right?”

Of course she had. And she refused to admit how fluttery her chest had gone when he’d said it. Jilly plopped onto the open end of the couch. “It doesn’t change anything.”

“You didn’t see his face when it clicked. When he realized what he’d done. I don’t think he meant to hurt you.”

“But he did.”

“No one’s perfect.”

“Are you implying that I should forgive him? Run off and marry him? Subject myself to a lifetime of misery and control, just like my mother?”

“Colin is not your stepfather, and you know that. I think you should talk to him. Give him another chance.”

“Another chance to break my heart? No way. You watch way too many sappy movies. Life doesn’t work like it does in Hollywood. Real people don’t always get happily ever afters.”

“They can if they work for it instead of giving up after the first fight.”

Jilly couldn’t believe this. Was Charlene for real? “Whose side are you on?”

“Yours. Always yours. But you were happy with him and if there’s something there, I don’t want you to throw it away.”

Jilly stood. “I’m going to bed.”

“Please think about it.”

She didn’t want to. If she was lucky, she’d forget she ever met Colin Rutherford IV.

*   *   *

Colin tossed and turned all night. “Welcome back, Insomnia.” He ached for Jilly’s touch, her body curled around his, her sweet scent lulling him into slumber. He missed her, and for so much more than just her body.

He replayed their argument a hundred times, finally realizing where he had gone wrong. He’d acted like his father. So fucking stupid. But he wasn’t his father. His actions came from a good place, not a selfish one. All he wanted to do was help her, build a future with her. A silly little dream of happily ever after.

But he did indeed ask her to change. It was a sobering realization for him. He’d wanted to help her, but on his terms, and that was wrong.

At three a.m. Colin was out of bed. He booted up his laptop. He had a lot of friends in a lot of high places, and he was going to take advantage of that. He firmly believed in Jilly and her product and there was nothing wrong with nudging business in her direction. He was sure one of her biggest issues was that people just didn’t know she existed.

He was going to make damn sure the world knew she existed. That everyone knew who she was and the amazing food she could create. He wanted her to make her dreams a reality, even if he couldn’t be a part of it. Even if he never got to hold her again.

Colin opened his email, drafted a quick letter, then accessed his contact list. He added about a hundred people who he thought would be interested. Maybe it would help her.

Chapter 15

Jilly parked her car then rounded the corner toward the café. Weird. There were a bunch of businessmen milling around her patio, papers and smartphones in hand.

“Good morning,” she said as she opened the door. They filed in behind her. As they looked over her chalkboard menu, she flipped the light switch and turned her Open sign. The second she stepped behind the counter, they formed a line behind it. “What can I get you?”

Jilly took orders and filled them: coffees, lattes, pastries and breakfast items to go. The stream of customers remained steady all morning. She panicked for a moment when a young girl came in, definitely some sort of assistant or intern, and asked for a dozen breakfast wraps to go. Jilly barely had enough supplies to complete the order.

A lull finally fell at ten. What the hell was going on? She took the moment of quiet to clean up and make a shopping list of breakfast ingredients.

As the noon hour approached, business picked up, as it did most days, but not quite like it was that day. The line at her counter was ten-customers deep and she was starting to panic.

“Jilly! What’s going on?” Charlene had stopped in, as she often did on her lunch break.

“Please help me.”

Charlene grabbed an apron, washed her hands, and jumped in.

After about forty-five minutes, they had things under control and Jilly took the opportunity to walk around the café, checking on customers and cleaning tables.

“Is everything okay here?” she asked a table with two women in chic business suits.

“Perfect. I’ve had the hardest time finding a lunch spot near my office with gluten-free offerings. I think this is my new favorite place.”

“Wonderful.”

Jilly stopped by another table and took away a plate with a crumpled napkin. “Is there anything I can get you?” she asked the man.

He held up a Lemon Dream cookie. “These are amazing. Can I have a dozen to take with me?”

“Sure!” Jilly went to the display case and realized it was getting pretty low. There were only a few Lemon Dreams in there. She turned to the back counter and the sample boxes she had made to drop off at local restaurants and businesses. Looks like she was going to have dig into those.

“Are you gonna be okay if I leave?” Charlene asked.

“I hope so.” She threw her arms around her friend. “Thank you so much. You didn’t even get to eat anything.” Jilly pulled back and grabbed a sample box, handing it over. “Take this.”

“Thanks. I’ll see you at home.”

As the lunch crowd left, one by one, Jilly cleaned up and made a mental list of things to do. The café was pretty much tapped out on all sandwich and salad ingredients and her display case of goodies was looking pretty pathetic. This had never happened before and she had no clue why it was happening now.

A customer strolled in about two o’clock and scanned the menu. “I’ll have the avocado and spinach panini.”

“Comin’ right up.” But when Jilly reached into the fridge, the spinach was gone.
Shit!
She stepped back to the counter. “I’m really sorry, but I’m out of spinach. Is there something else I can make you?”

He perused the menu again. “Let’s go with the caramelized onion and mushroom one instead.”

She grabbed the bread and painted both slices with a sundried tomato spread, but when she went to grab the bowl of caramelized onions, it was gone. The empty bowl was in the sink.
Crap!
This made her look like the most incompetent café owner ever.

Jilly’s cheeks warmed as she approached the man again. “I’m so so sorry, but it’s been the busiest day ever and I’m actually out of caramelized onions, too.”

“It’s fine.” His smile widened. “Just make me something vegetarian. I’m not picky. A friend told me you’re a wiz of a chef.”

“Yeah? You’ll have to thank them for me.”

“He says he comes in here all the time. Colin Rutherford? You know him?”

What? Wait… All of this. It was all him? “He sent you here?”

“Yeah. I got an email this morning telling me about a new café in the area that I had to try.”

She hated to pry, but she needed to know. “What else did the email say?”

“Nothing. He said the chef was one of the best he knew and she made amazing sandwiches.”

Why would Colin do that? What would he stand to gain by promoting a business he had no ties to? Was it some kind of ploy, a way to get his hooks into her business?

Jilly finished the man’s sandwich with tomatoes, basil, and fresh mozzarella, since it was just vegetarian and not vegan, then pressed it in her panini press. She handed it over, insisting it was on the house. And now that the man was gone, she was ready to give Colin a piece of her mind.

“What the hell are you doing?” she asked when he answered the phone.

“Learning how to rebuild a carburetor. What are you doing?”

The cutesy stuff wouldn’t work on her anymore. “I’m recuperating from the busiest day I’ve ever had at the café.”

“That’s good to hear. I wish you tons of success.”

The chipper well wishes were irritating. “Why did you do it?”

“What?” He had the nerve to play dumb.

“Don’t pull that shit with me. You know damn well what you did. Why did you tell people about the café?”

“Because I think you’re an amazing chef and I thought my friends and business contacts would enjoy your food.”

“Is this some shady business move where you build it up and then snake your way in and steal it?” She knew how ridiculous she sounded, but she was upset.

He chuckled. “You watch too many movies. There’s no ulterior motive at all. I genuinely want you to succeed. I understand that I can’t be in your life anymore, but that doesn’t mean I don’t still love you.”

Flutters again at hearing those words from him.

He continued, which was good, because she couldn’t. “I truly do think you’re a great chef and you deserve to make all your dreams come true. I saw an opportunity to help get the word out, so I took it. If that makes me a bad guy, I’m really sorry.”

He wasn’t a bad guy. Quite the opposite.

“Listen…” His tone changed. She could hear the regret in his voice. “I made a huge mistake by trying to take over and push my business ideas on you. I know that now. I never meant to make you feel as if I was trying to change you, and I’m sincerely sorry. You’re perfect the way you are and I just want you to be happy.”

Tears streamed from Jilly’s eyes. She didn’t know what to say. And she wasn’t going to get an opportunity anyway.

“But I really gotta go. A client is here to pick up their car. Good luck, Jilly.”

And then the line went silent.

As she stuck her phone in her apron pocket, dread filled her core. What had she done? Had she thrown away a wonderful man over a misunderstanding? Had she continued to judge him even after she’d sworn she never would again? The sad truth was yes, and it might have cost her the only man she’d ever loved.

*   *   *

Colin wasn’t someone who lied, and it killed him to lie to Jilly. Even something as minuscule as a white lie. There was no client. He just couldn’t bear to hear her voice any longer. He tried to sound nonchalant, but it hurt like hell to talk to her and know it was all over. He’d fucked up and a few emails spreading the word about her talents was hardly sufficient in making it up to her.

“Hey, boss? You ready to put that carburetor back in?”

“Yeah.” He stood from his desk and headed back to the garage. Back to working on his own dream. At least he had that going for him.

The business was doing well, but he knew he could do more. Maybe he should go on a trip, see what gems he could find. It had been a while since he’d been to the UK. He should also start looking for more guys, add to his team. The more people he had working for him, the more cars they could restore.

By the end of the day, he’d mastered carburetors and learned a few things about upholstering. As the guys cleaned up for the day, he headed to his office to check email, play online, anything to avoid going home. He saw Jilly when he went there. And it sucked.

He had a long list of emails, all praise for Jilly and her food. And they vowed to spread the word. That made him really happy.

As he sat there, lost in thought, he could feel her in his arms, her body pressed to his. The way her silky hair felt between his fingertips. He could even smell her, a sweet scent of lemons and sugar. Like that first day he met her.

“Hey you.”

He looked up. Was she really there? Or was this some cruel dream?

“Thank you for what you did today.” Jilly walked toward him, her loose hair in waves, just how he liked.

“I didn’t do anything. It was all you.”

“You got them to give me a chance, and that means a lot to me.” She stepped closer. “But that’s not all I came here to tell you.”

“Oh?” He stood from his desk and moved toward her. “What else?”

Jilly placed her hands on his chest, sending a shot of electricity straight to his core. She looked up at him, those baby blues sparkling like gemstones, as anxiety surged through his body. “I love you.”

Colin brought his hands to her cheeks and captured her mouth with his. Jilly sighed as her body pressed to his, deepening the kiss. God, he loved this. Loved her. He wrapped his arms around her tight, lifting her off her feet and spinning in a circle. She giggled, the sweetest sound he’d ever heard.

He set her down and pulled away from her. He wanted her to see the sincerity in his eyes. “I love you, Jilly. I’ve never loved anyone, but I know I love you. And I promise to spend every day cherishing you. I just want to be here for you and support you in every way you need.”

“And I want to be that for you, too.”

He kissed her again, the official start of something real for them. They were so different, but alike, too. For both reasons, life would never be easy, but nothing easy was worth having. They were hard workers determined to make it in the business world, doing it their own way—the only way they knew. And they were determined to succeed at love. They refused to settle for anything less.