Read Online Mr. Romantic: A Mister Standalone (The Mister Series Book 2) by J.A. Huss - Free Book Online

Lying is the worst sin because it fosters undeserved trust and loyalty .
    But… I didn’t do anything. I didn’t fake my r é sum é . And I don’t even know how they got a hold of it. Why should I have to humiliate myself because—
    “Miss Rockwell?” Nolan asks.
    I look up and realize the room is silent. Daniel is seated again and all eyes are on me.
    “Yes?” I ask, meeker than I’d care to admit. Suck it up, Ivy. Suck. It. Up .
    “Are you ready?”
    I nod and stand, smoothing out the wrinkles in my linen skirt as I walk to the front of the room. I’m out of here tonight anyway, right? I was a pity interview. I’m only part of this meeting at a friend’s suggestion. I don’t have a chance in hell of getting this job.
    Right. Nothing to lose.
    I straighten my back and force a smile. “I know I’m inexperienced,” I say, referencing Nolan’s introduction. “And all the ideas I’ve heard here are great.”
    Chuckles from my male counterparts. They’re so damn sure of themselves. So confident that they are better than me. Smarter, more deserving. But I do have good ideas and they’re about to hear them.
    “Well,” I say, sighing a bit. “They were all great ideas about ten years ago.”
    “What?” Daniel says. I don’t look at anyone, just focus my gaze out the window.
    “The world of marketing has changed, gentlemen.” I pause, then look at Claudette. “And lady. And yes, I’m not quite up to par with what’s worked in the past. That’s true. But my youth gives me many advantages. Let me tell you what I’d like to do with this sorry excuse for a resort in the middle of a desolate wasteland, whose closest attraction is a dead saltwater lake.”
    My eyes dart to Nolan and he’s smiling. Everyone else is staring at me like I just choked a puppy.
    Keep going, Ivy .
    “Oh,” Claudette says, her hand over her heart like I have personally insulted her. “I can’t wait to hear this . ”
    I turn back to Nolan. “Mr. Delaney. I ’ m going to assume you chose this location based on the price of land, the proximity to San Diego, and the fact that this wasteland actually blooms once a year and manages to pull off the impossible — it becomes pretty. But you’ve got a big problem and it’s got nothing to do with your golf course, which I understand was created by some famous someone or other.”
    Snickers from Bram. I ignore him.
    “And it’s got nothing to do with your spa services.”
    “Enlighten me, Miss Rockwell,” Nolan says.
    “OK,” I say, taking a deep breath. “Your problem is no one wants to come here except when the cactus is in bloom in the late winter and early spring. That’s a great time of year. The temperatures are mild, the desert is pretty, and it’s close to the city. It’s a day trip for most. But you have ten more months of the year to book. And you’re new. Everyone in San Diego equates Borrego Springs with a day trip. It’s not a place to vacation. You can stay in San Diego and get a better vacation. Or go a little further north and get a real desert experience in Palm Springs.”
    “Tell us something we don’t know, Miss Rockwell,” Claudette snaps. “We are well aware of the resort’s limitations.”
    “Fine,” I say. I take a deep breath and spit my idea out with the exhale. “Give the rooms away for free.”
    “What?” Claudette laughs. In fact, everyone laughs.
    Except Nolan.
    He’s scratching the stubble on his chin like he’s actually listening to me.
    One brownie point to Mr. Romantic.
    “Give the rooms away for free,” I repeat. “Bram here has already told us that the golf course is exceptional. Upcharge it. And Daniel has already said the spa is spectacular. Raise the prices. Give the rooms away for free and make your profit off the amenities.”
    “That’s your plan?” Claudette sneers.
    “Oh, no,” I say. “I’ve got a lot more plans, Ms. Delaney. But since you’ve informed me that I don’t have a chance in hell of