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‘Of course.’
Dominic wasn’t fooled for a moment. Behind that lush mouth and those caramel melt-a-man-to-his-seat eyes, Bella was fickle, capricious and unreliable. Marco had given her countless opportunities to establish herself in a profession, but she had squandered all of them. Her seeming compliance was merely a pleasing façade for Daddy’s benefit. She might fool Marco, but Dominic had no intention of falling under the spell of that butter-wouldn’t-melt smile. He was not his father’s son.
‘She knows nothing about management styles or systems,’ Marco warned him. ‘All she knows is cooking and kitchens, so you’ll need to show her the ropes.’
Marco had to be joking, right? Bella wouldn’t stick to this job any longer than she’d stuck to anything else. Marco might be prepared to waste his time and expertise on someone who wouldn’t appreciate it, but Dominic had no intention of doing so.
He stared at Bella. She met his gaze unflinchingly. He glanced across at Marco, who gazed at Bella with all the love in his generous heart on display and something inside him started to ache. There weren’t too many people Dominic could claim to love, but Marco was one of them. His jaw tightened. He forced it to relax. For Marco’s sake, he owed Bella the benefit of the doubt, at least for the duration of this meeting. ‘Okay.’ He nodded. ‘You think Bella has something of value to offer the hotel?’
Marco straightened. ‘Bella,’ he clipped out. ‘Show us those menus you told me you’ve been slaving over. You said you’d have samples ready for today.’
She hesitated. ‘There’s a slight hitch with that, I’m afraid.’ She crossed her legs and smoothed out her skirt with an aplomb that almost stole Dominic’s breath. ‘I’ve left the menus in the canteen kitchen. I was discussing them with Charlie earlier.’
There was an awkward pause. Dominic schooled his lip not to curl. He doubted the existence of any such menus. The way Marco studiously avoided meeting his eyes told him Marco thought them products of Bella’s imagination, too.
‘I can run down to the canteen now and retrieve them, if you like. Or I can outline them to you verbally.’
While he was tempted to call her bluff, Dominic didn’t want her compounding lie with lie. He didn’t approve of her, but he didn’t want to embarrass Marco either. Marco deserved better than that.
He cleared his throat. Both Bella and Marco turned to him. ‘Why don’t we leave the menus for another day? There’s plenty of time.’ He nodded to the folders Bella held in her lap. ‘Why don’t you tell us what you’ve brought along instead?’ He hoped she had something there that would make Marco proud.
Her tongue snaked out to moisten her lips. Her fingers curled around the folders until her knuckles whitened. Dominic leaned back. The pampered princess didn’t have quite as much aplomb as he’d thought. She was nervous. Maybe he’d done her an injustice. Maybe this meant a lot to her.
‘The folders, Bella,’ he said gently. In his experience, folders meant show and tell. She wouldn’t have brought them along if they didn’t contain something that would show her off to good effect. He’d give her every chance to show off if it’d make Marco happy.
‘These aren’t anything particularly interesting.’
He didn’t trust that shrug. It was too studied.
‘These are simply the files my father sent me about the hotel, along with some information I’ve started to gather about Newcastle.’
She really had nothing? Did she seriously mean to take such blatant advantage of Marco?
‘I take it you’ve read the information your father sent you?’
‘Of course.’ But she didn’t meet his eye as she said it.
He crossed his leg and hoped it hid the sudden fury that coursed through him. ‘Off the top of your head can you tell me the number of staff you will have working under you in the restaurant?’
She moistened her lips. Again. He wanted to feel a savage triumph that he could succeed so easily in unsettling her. Only he was the one who was unsettled—by the beguiling fullness of her bottom lip, the shine there that beckoned to him.
‘I’m afraid I can’t remember that off the top of my head. I’ve only had a chance to scan the documents.’
He allowed his lip to curl a fraction. ‘I see.’ If Marco had made the decision about the hotel a week ago, Bella would’ve had the documents a week ago. He knew Marco.
She swallowed. A faint pink tinged her cheek. Dominic bit back something rude and succinct. ‘Then can you tell me what interesting pieces of information you’ve gleaned about Newcastle in the course of your research?’
Panic raced across her face. ‘I, uh … It’s the second largest city in New South Wales. It’s a coal port and … and its former prosperity came from its large steel works. And, um …’ She blinked rapidly. ‘And it’s known for the beauty of its beaches.’
‘So, in fact, you have nothing more than a general knowledge of the place?’
Her chin shot up at that. ‘I’m working on it.’
Her eyes did strange things to his insides. He hardened his heart. It’d be better for her to disappoint Marco now rather than later on. ‘Can I see your folders?’
‘Why?’
‘Indulge me.’
She glanced at Marco as if hoping he’d step in, but to Marco’s credit he remained silent. With obvious reluctance, she handed them over.
He flicked through the contents of the top folder. As she’d said, it held the information about the hotel. The printed sheets were so tidy it was obvious that they had yet to be disturbed by human hands. He shook his head. No wonder she couldn’t recall staffing numbers; she hadn’t read them to begin with.
The second folder held print-outs, clippings and brochures about Newcastle. At least she hadn’t been lying about that.
The last one …
‘That’s personal. I—’
He pulled out a lingerie catalogue. A lingerie catalogue! He smothered an oath. Marco had to see that Bella just wouldn’t make the grade on this one.
She snatched the catalogue from his hand. ‘A friend has a party-plan company. She asked me to take a look. I had nowhere else to put it.’
He didn’t doubt which reading material she preferred. He handed the folders back.
He found himself combatting a sudden weariness; a feeling of lethargy and emptiness. He tried to shake it off. ‘What qualifications do you have, Bella?’
Her eyes flashed fire. ‘If my father has no qualms in that area, then I don’t see what concern it is of yours.’
‘It’s my concern because I’m going to be ultimately responsible for the hotel’s success. Marco?’
Marco raised a hand and then let it drop. From beside him, he felt Bella flinch. It took all his self-control not to turn back to her.
‘For the last eighteen months my daughter has been working in her uncle’s restaurant.’
‘Were you in charge of its day-to-day management?’
‘On occasion.’
He shook his head and turned back to Marco. ‘This is never going to work. Bella simply doesn’t have the experience necessary for such a senior position.’
‘She’ll be able to pull it off with your help.’
He wanted to turn away from the pleading in Marco’s eyes. He owed the older man a lot, but to be party to Bella’s latest whim? A whim that no doubt would end in Marco’s disappointment and regret. He pinched the bridge of his nose between thumb and forefinger.
‘Maybe you’re right,’ Marco said. A sigh heaved out of him. ‘Maybe this is nothing more than an old man’s dream.’
Dominic glanced up. Before his eyes, Marco seemed to age.
‘No!’
Bella leapt to her feet. Dominic couldn’t do this to her. He couldn’t!
Her hands clenched about the folders. She stared at her father. That expression on his face! It reminded her of the time he’d seen her high school graduation results. ‘No Maldini has ever failed high school!’ Oh, that look—it had cut her to the quick. He hadn’t said anything else. He’d turned away. He’d cancelled what was supposed to have been a celebratory dinner. He’d gone out alone.
She couldn’t let him turn away now.
‘Don’t listen to Dominic.’ She slammed her folders down on his desk. ‘On paper I may not have the qualifications, but I have the heart and I have the talent.’ She prayed she had the talent.
She glared at Dominic. ‘How do you rate determination and talent, Dominic?’
He stared up at her. He hadn’t moved. Her heart pounded; she swore both he and her father must hear it.
‘Highly.’
She could tell he didn’t believe it, but …
‘I have both. In quantities that I promise will impress even you.’
He didn’t reply. She glanced at her father and her stomach tightened when she recalled the way his face had frozen when she’d confessed that she’d dropped out of university. He’d barely been able to look at her. It had made something inside her curl up and die.
That wasn’t going to happen now. She wouldn’t let it.
She swung back to Dominic. ‘Before she died, my mother’s dearest wish was that my father would one day create the hotel of his dreams. It was a dream close to both their hearts. It is a dream close to my heart. Papa—’ she swung to him ‘—you know this is true.’
It was the reason she’d badgered him to give her the opportunity to work at the Newcastle Maldini. She’d begged, pleaded and cajoled until he’d agreed. Dominic was not going to take that away from her.
She pulled in a deep breath. Before Italy she’d have agreed with Dominic’s assessment of her. Before Italy she’d never have dared take a risk like this. But her experiences in Italy had changed her. She’d found her passion. She’d found a talent—something she was good at. She’d discovered what she wanted to do with the rest of her life. She believed she had something to offer. Something good and true.
She trembled as she played her trump card. ‘Papa, Mama would want you to give me this chance.’
As she’d known it would, the mention of her mother defeated him. His shoulders sagged, he sighed and stared at Dominic. ‘It was my Francine’s fondest wish …’
It took all her courage to meet Dominic’s gaze. Would he back down? Would he relent and give her a chance to prove herself? His eyes were unreadable. His face could’ve been chiselled from stone, or ice.
‘You think you are up for this?’ he finally said, the soft threat of his voice sending a shiver of apprehension up her spine.
‘Yes.’ Somehow she made her voice strong.
He glanced at her father and just for a moment his expression softened. It hardened again when he glanced back at her. ‘You will work hard?’
That sounded less a question and more of a threat. She swallowed. ‘Yes.’
She refused to let her gaze drop from his, but she still didn’t have a clue what he was thinking. But those eyes, the bluest of blue, brought to mind hot, languid days on the Mediterranean … and hot, languid nights. Heat flowed into her cheeks, her neck, her breasts.
Very slowly, Dominic gave a smile. She didn’t know what that meant either. It wasn’t the kind of smile she’d ever been sent before. Without taking his eyes from her, he addressed her father. ‘Perhaps, Marco, Bella deserves your confidence? The final decision rests with you.’
‘You will work with my Bella?’
Dominic blinked and released her. She found herself breathing hard. For a moment she wasn’t sure where to look.
‘I will work with Bella if that’s truly what you want.’
Her father literally beamed at Dominic. It made her heart burn. Dominic received the beaming smiles for making the sacrifice to work with her, while she …?
‘And as long as Bella is sure that’s what she wants, too.’
The same soft threat threaded his words. Marco glared at her. She lifted her chin to hide her hurt. ‘Of course it’s what I want.’
Marco dusted off his hands. ‘There, that’s settled then.’
She swallowed. She would deserve those smiles soon, too, she swore silently. Her father would be proud of her. As long as she didn’t screw up.
Please, God. Don’t let me screw up.
CHAPTER TWO
DOMINIC sat ramrod straight and tried to find his equilibrium as Bella resumed her seat and proceeded to outline her plans for the restaurant and the type of cuisine she wanted to serve. Something about the woman rocked his balance. He searched for righteous anger, for indignation and scorn, but that comfort eluded him, too.
It didn’t mean he advocated her tactics. He loathed those. She’d emotionally blackmailed Marco into giving her the job, and yet …
The fire in her eyes when she’d leapt to her feet. The utter life that thrummed through her. It had burst from her as if her body couldn’t contain it.
He’d seen it, and for a moment it had turned everything upside down.
He’d demanded a sideways move within the Maldini Corporation for one reason alone—he hoped the new challenge would help drive away the emptiness that had started creeping over him in the last few months, the boredom and ennui.
He glanced at Bella again. Even under the polite cover of professionalism she’d now assumed, he could sense the fire in her, simmering just below the surface. He didn’t know what name to give it—zest, freedom, vitality? He had a feeling that if he could identify precisely what it was he’d find the answer to the emptiness that yawned through him when he least expected it. The emptiness that sucked all enjoyment out of life and left him feeling grey … blank. Emptiness he found harder and harder to fight each time it descended. Emptiness that had no reason for being. If he studied her, he might find the answer.
He took in her pouting lips and the long, dark fall of her hair as she listened to something her father said and his skin tightened. She crossed her legs and her skirt rode up, exposing a long length of tanned thigh. Heat arrowed into his groin and his senses suddenly blazed to life. Colours became instantly richer and he found himself appreciating the deep garnet-red of her suit, relishing the way it outlined her lush curves and highlighted the thick darkness of her hair. Smells sharpened until he could practically taste the lemon tang of her scent.
He bit back a curse. It had been a long time since a woman had fired him with such an instant response. Why Bella? Why now? He didn’t lack for female company—beautiful female company—and he’d made no secret of the fact that he liked women and that he liked variety in women. If Bella had been anyone else …
If she’d been anyone else he’d have sworn to have her in his bed by the end of the week.
He couldn’t. She was Marco’s daughter, for God’s sake.
And for the next two months he would have to find a way to work with her.
He stared at her folders, now sitting innocently on Marco’s desk, and his lips twisted. A blasted lingerie catalogue! He considered how shamelessly she’d just played her father. He thought back to all the women who had coldly taken advantage of his father and a seam of ice threaded through his veins. Bella wouldn’t find him so easy to manipulate.
It didn’t mean he couldn’t play her at her own game. She would not let Marco down this time. Dominic wouldn’t allow it. This time his reputation was on the line too and, if he had to charm her into compliance, he would.
Bella turned to him. ‘What do you say, Dominic?’
He hadn’t followed the conversation at all. No matter. He raised one shoulder in as languid a shrug as he could manage. ‘I’d say it’s going to be quite an experience working with you, Bella. I respect your—’ he let his gaze drop to her lips ‘—enthusiasm.’
‘I … Thank you.’
