Read Online Starting Over (Nugget Romance 4) by Stacy Finz - Free Book Online

interested.
    “I got Emily to do it—just temporarily, until we find someone else.”
    “No kidding,” he said. “That’s great.”
    “I’m glad you think so, because I had to promise to help plan her wedding in exchange. It’s a lot of work and I’ll have to use some of my time here to do it.”
    “Ah,” he said. “Bored already and moving on to the next thing, huh?”
    She straightened to her full five feet, seven inches. How dare he? “No, I did this to help the Lumber Baron, because unless I took over the planning of her wedding, Emily wasn’t going to cook for us.”
    “Mm-hmm,” Nate said, and Sam contemplated wiping the dubious expression off his face. With her fist.
    “What is your problem?”
    “My problem is that running this inn and planning events here is a full-time job, Samantha. It’s not something you fit in between helping your girlfriends. I’m thrilled you got Emily to sign on, but we could’ve just paid her. Fiscally it makes more sense than lending her one of my employees to help her pick out bridal lace.”
    “Do you realize how demeaning you sound?”
    “What, the heiress doesn’t like it when people are frank with her?”
    “You want frank, I’ll give you frank. You’re an asshole, Nate. I am putting everything I have and then some into this job. I won’t apologize for being born into wealth, which you seem to resent so much. Why, I have no idea, since you don’t exactly seem to be hurting for money. Is that the Jag you drove to work this morning or the Range Rover?”
    “I earned every cent of my money.”
    “Good for you. And how much of it have you used to help others? This may be my first job, but I’ve raised and given away millions of dollars to people in need, the arts, and a dozen other important causes. How much have you raised?”
    Before he could answer, she added, “And by the way, Emily wouldn’t have saved our butts for a paycheck. She only did it for my services.” Sam started to walk away. “Don’t worry, I’ll have my stuff packed and be out of here in the next hour. Thank you for at least having given me the opportunity.”
    Nate leaned against the counter, sipping his coffee, and raised his eyes over the mug to stare at her. “Quitting so soon?”
    “I’m not quitting. I just figure you’ll fire me for insubordination.”
    “I wasn’t planning on it.” He turned to leave the kitchen but stopped to say, “I’ve gotta go to San Francisco for a few days. Hold down the fort while I’m gone, would ya?”
    “What about Emily’s wedding?” she asked, unsure of what game he was playing.
    “I guess we don’t have much of a choice. Just try to organize your time wisely.”
    He left her standing there, stunned. The man must have a brain tumor, she thought. What else could explain his complete capriciousness?
     
    Nate returned from San Francisco four days later, just in time to meet with Landon Lowery. Tracy rode up with him and planned to catch a commercial flight back to the city from Reno-Tahoe International as soon as they concluded the conference.
    The woman had talked his ear off during the long drive. She was good-looking, though, with a tight little body. If Nate hadn’t had a policy about dating employees, he might’ve asked her out. She’d come on to him plenty, making it known that she’d be amenable to dating, sex, and pretty much anything Nate wanted. For that reason, he questioned how smart it was for them to be sharing a car together. But having her fly both ways when he was driving anyway, seemed stupid.
    Tracy took a quick tour of the Lumber Baron, then commandeered Maddy’s office, forcing Sam to conduct her business at the front desk. Tracy had also asked Sam for a cup of coffee. Sam got it for her willingly enough, but Nate figured she had to be bristling at being treated like the help. He also figured it was good for her.
    They stood around in the lobby, watching the clock and waiting. When Landon finally pulled up,