Read Online The Sticky Cowgirl (Lone Star Sweets, Book 2) by Lissa Matthews - Free Book Online

always had a way of knowing when she tried. But this time? She had to keep some things to herself. “Of course not. I just think we have enough new buildings downtown. We need to be preserving the old ones, the ones with character and charm and a story all their own.”
    “There are plenty of old ones being taken care of. I’ve read about them too.”
    “Not enough,” she insisted.
    “Have you talked to any of these people? The one’s who work for that company?”
    “Yes. One of the executives comes to talk to me and offer me money every few days.”
    “How much money?”
    “Daddy, it’s not about the money.”
    “It’s always about the money, darlin’.”
    “If it were, I’d have taken them up on their offer. I could buy two locations with what they're offering me, but my business is still so young. I’ve been lucky to have built a customer base where I am and if it weren’t for this, I’d probably be making a little money finally, but with all the other businesses having already sold to Turner, some of my foot traffic has slowed.”
    It was the first time she’d admitted it, even to herself that she’d seen a drop in the bottom line. Her father was right. It was always about the money, but even if she never turned a profit, even if all she ever did was barely break even, she still wouldn’t give up her building without a fight. She still wouldn’t choose to do any other business.
    “If I have to move locations, I’ll have to start all over again.”
    “You did it once.”
    “I was lucky once. No guarantee I would be lucky a second time. And what about my current customers? Most of them stop in on their way to work. It’s why I’m only open until noon.”
    “Why didn’t you tell me money was so tight?”
    “Daddy, I’m a new business. A small, food business. Of course money is tight. It’s always tight”
    “I see.”
    Samantha gave a tender smile. “That’s your favorite saying, isn’t it? You’ve said it three times since I sat down.”
    “I do see. I often see things others don’t. I’m a business man too. I might not have started this ranch, but I have kept it running and profitable for years now. I didn’t do it by bein’ run over or lettin’ myself be railroaded into somethin’ I didn’t believe in, but there are times, darlin’, when you have to compromise, when you have to know you’re beat. Business is a gamble. When you lose in one respect, you often win in other ones.”
    “That turns my stomach. What do I do, Daddy? How do I keep from being beat?”
    “You follow your gut. That’s the one thing you always have to do, the one thing you never compromise on. Your gut. That may be construed as stubborn and you have to be willing to suffer the consequences of being stubborn. Your brother, if I understand it right, wanted a store like you have, but had to make another choice because of money.”
    What was he getting at? “No thanks to you, Daddy, but yeah. So?”
    “You’re not too old to put over my knee, young lady. You’re right though. I didn’t help your brother and he followed his gut, but he also had to make some compromises in order to do what he wanted to do.”
    “How does that help me? My boot heels are dug in so deep that I’m more likely to find oil than to get out of this mess with my dignity and my business intact.”
    “That should tell you something, Sammy girl. Have you considered asking this Samuel if you could see the plans for the new space? If it’ll have businesses in it the way the paper said, maybe you could be one of the businesses. Work out a deal for one of the prime spots.”
    She had thought about it, but every time she did, she immediately rejected the idea. She wanted her space. She didn’t want something new and pristine. She wanted the history and character of her current building. “I can’t be closed that long. I’ll lose whatever ground I’ve gained.”
    “You said what they’re offering is enough that you could open