Page 115 of Bargain With the Boss

Chapter 27

Sydney

Sleeping was for suckers evidently.

At least that’s what I told myself when I poured my third cup of coffee. My mother was heading back from London and had demanded a meeting as soon as she arrived.

I’d put her off long enough.

She wasn’t going to get her way and the only thing I could do was throw myself on her mercy. I’d pay for it. I’d probably pay for it until I turned forty, but I would protect my people.

Even if it meant losing the garden center I’d dreamed of.

I’d find a way to create the facade of family values for the damn merger if it killed me.

But for now, I had to get through the meetings with our distributor and fix the clusterfuck my mother created in her tantrum because things hadn’t gone her way.

I’d emailed Judy, my mother’s assistant, for a head’s up when my mother arrived. I’d gotten the first summons while on a video call with Malaysia. The Christmas line was locked in, and we’d be shipping to stores without issue. Well, at least without distribution issues. Shipping from our warehouses was a whole different animal.

But I was one step closer to fortifying my defenses.

And it was time to face my mother and try to salvage my life.

“Leah, I’ll be in my mother’s office. I’m not sure how long I’ll be. Can you reschedule my last call?”

“On it. Have you talked to Pete today?”

I nodded. “Yes, I finalized the winter holiday line.” My personal life was in shambles but A Home You Love would be safe. At least I had that.

“We were lost without you.”

I laughed. “You and the team would have figured it out.”

“I don’t know.”

I patted her hand on her desk and Leah shot me a surprised look. “You would have. I have every faith.”

She swallowed. “I’ve been updating my resume.”

I shook my head. How did she know? “Leah?—”

“I handle your emails remember? Your mother wasn’t exactly secretive about her expectations for this merger. You’re the best boss I’ve ever had.”

My eyes stung. “I’m doing everything I can to keep the team together.”

“If you can’t, please don’t blame yourself.”

Even more determined, I straightened. “Not an option.”

I left my office with my head held high on the way to the elevators. I would not back down—no matter what I had to offer my mother.

The trip up to my mother’s domain was quiet. She hated elevator music or distractions. She was on the top floor overlooking the front of A Home You Love headquarters lobby. It was a glossy, cold space with a heavy marble desk where our head of security was stationed along with reception.

White leather chairs lined the waiting area. Massive brass planters held plants I’d chosen. The one stamp I had on the initial view of my mother’s company. A happy monstera plant was flourishing in the floor-to-ceiling windows looking out onDexter Avenue. A living wall broke up the space. Below it was a marble countertop with a high-end coffee machine and glass mugs. No plastic for my mother.

It was all about aesthetic.

All about the way things looked on the outside—even if the inside was cold as the veined icy marble she loved so much.