Page 45 of No Holds Barred

“Oh um…”

God, this woman couldn’t ever just say a sentence full out, could she? Angelica clenched her jaw to hold in her frustration.

“I uh… Daddy told me that I needed to do something, so I bought a hotel.”

Angelica nearly choked. She flicked her gaze directly to Leanne, trying to figure out if they’d both just heard the exact same thing. Leanne’s widened eyes told her that she had, and that neither one of them had been expecting it.

“Hold on, let’s stay right here for a second. Your father told you that you needed to do something… like a job?” Angelica pressed her hand flat against the desk, her heart hammering. She couldn’t imagine anyone in her life just telling her that she needed to work. As soon as she’d been allowed, she’d been working. She was ten when she started babysitting, twelve when she started doing other odd jobs.

“Yeah.” Ashlee’s cheeks pinked like she was embarrassed. “I uh… I went to college and got a business degree, but then I didn’t do anything after that. Daddy gave me an ultimatum, so when I saw this place was for sale, I thought sure, why not?”

Angelica tensed. “You bought a hotel on a whim.”

“Well, Daddy bought it for me.”

“Oh my God.” Angelica blew out a breath and pinched the bridge of her nose. “What other jobs have you worked before this one?”

Ashlee shook her head.

“None?” Angelica’s head was about to blow. Handing a toddler a hotel and the money to drive it into disaster with notraining? It was a miracle she hadn’t blown it to the point of putting it under already.

“None,” Ashlee squeaked out.

“I… I’m speechless. I don’t even know what to say to that.” Angelica flicked her gaze to Leanne who just stared at Ashlee wide-eyed and confused.

“Me either,” Leanne murmured.

The silence in the room was pregnant, but Angelica wasn’t entirely sure how to break it. She finally looked directly at Rex and said, “I think I need a break.”

“Uh… okay?” He waved to Angelica to let her know that they’d do what she needed.

This wasn’t what Angelica had been expecting. She wasn’t prepared for this. “Ashlee, can you go get your front-end manager for me.”

“Yeah.” Ashlee skittered out of the room.

Leanne moved her chair and sat much closer to Angelica. “What the hell do you do with that? It took you years to train me. You can’t train her in a week.”

“I know,” Angelica hissed out the words. “And even you still could use some training.”

Leanne scoffed. “I don’t need training.”

“Of course you do.” Angelica rolled her eyes, and she flicked her gaze up to Sy only to realize belatedly that he hadn’t stopped filming. Of course. But she wasn’t about to yell at him either. She didn’t have the energy for it. “Everyone needs continual training, and considering you weren’t hired for your last position, now might be the time to self-evaluate and figure out where you can grow and learn.”

Leanne’s face pinched hard.

Hope walked toward them, and Angelica couldn’t stop the smile from lighting up her face as Hope came into the room.She pointed over her shoulder and toward the door. “Is there a reason Ashlee’s crying?”

“Crying?” Angelica jerked hard. She hadn’t said anything mean. She’d actually been quite kind in her response, although she was a bit abrupt.

“Yeah, she’s sitting behind reception.” Hope furrowed her brow and then looked toward Leanne.

“Well, it seems the Ice Fairy strikes again.” Leanne sent Angelica a glare that would rival one of her own. “Always tearing people down instead of building them up, aren’t you?”

“I think that’s a bit uncalled for,” Hope said, stepping deeper into the office. She took the seat that Ashlee had vacated and flicked her gaze between Angelica and Leanne.

Angelica wasn’t exactly sure what to say in response. Leanne seemed to be doing that to her more and more, or perhaps it was just that she couldn’t find the will to try. “I didn’t think I said anything that would be cruel enough to make her cry.”

“You were horrible,” Leanne fired back. “I should know. I’ve been on the receiving end of your cold stoicism. Haven’t you?” Leanne faced Hope, as if expecting her to agree.