Read Online Try Me On for Size by Stephanie Haefner - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Stephanie Haefner
Ads: Link
car dealership had taken off and within two years’ time, Mia’s dad owned the largest megadealership in the entire county. They built a huge house on a ten-acre plot of land on the outskirts of Kenville and Mia could no longer walk through the school hallway without someone rambling off her dad’s motto from his TV commercial: Bring me your trade; I’ll make it rain.
The thirty-second spots had always embarrassed her. After rambling like an auctioneer, spitting details about the cars on his lots, he’d delivered his famed line and threw handfuls of fake dollars in the air. And it hadn’t even rhymed properly.
Eighteen years later, he was still making those corny commercials. And still using that corny line. She flipped the channel whenever one came on.
Mia usually stayed away from her parents’ place, because her visits weren’t really visits. They were hours filled with nagging. The only reason she’d agreed to tonight’s gathering was her mother’s birthday.
Gift bag in hand, Mia opened the door and let herself in. Nothing. “Hello?”
The faint sound of laughter drifted to her ears. She followed it to the dining room.
“There you are. Where the hell have you been?” The Great Antonio Montanari demanded.
What’s up his ass? “It’s six oh five. You said be here at six.”
“No. I said dinner was at six. Chef Rene has already served the appetizer.”
Only the best for the Montanari family. Her father had hired his favorite private chef to cook for the event.
“Sit down. Your mussels are getting cold.”
Yuck! He knew she didn’t eat shellfish. Mia sat anyway and smiled at her mother. “Happy birthday.”
“Thank you,” she said and continued eating, the whole table now silent.
Where’d the laughter go? Gee. I show up and the mood is killed. What’s new?
“So . . . Mia,” her mother started after dabbing the corners of her mouth with a linen napkin. “How are you? How are things at the store?”
The hired help took away the appetizer plates, hers untouched. “Good. We’re trying something new that will hopefully be successful for the shop.”
“I heard about this thing you’re doing?” her father said.
Mia’s gaze shot to Riley, suddenly engrossed in her manicure.
“Sounds vulgar if you ask me. No woman in her right mind is going to spend hard-earned money on that crap. Why would you do something so stupid?”
Here we go again. “Please don’t assume you know anything about my business.”
“I don’t need to know anything about the bra business to know this is a waste of time and money. You have no idea what you’re getting yourself into. Are you trying to ruin your reputation? Do you want to be a porn peddler? Hell, it sounds to me like you’re a pimp, hiring a prostitute.”
Eyes wide, Mia fought to keep her jaw in place instead of it falling into her lap. But as the shock faded, anger boiled inside her stomach. He had no right to insult her like that. This was exactly why she hated coming to family functions. “That’s not what we’re doing. We’re trying to save our business.”
“Why on earth would you even try to do that? For a measly forty grand a year?”
Well, that showed what he knew! It was actually thirty, now that they’d had to cut their salaries.
“If you work for me, I can more than double that.”
“At the cost of my soul,” she mumbled.
“What was that?” her father bellowed.
“Nothing.” She stared him right in the eyes. “My answer is the same as it’s always been. I will never come work for you.”
He shook his head and downed his red wine.
“Please, sweetie?” her mother begged.
Come on. Now she was starting?
“It’s so hard for your sister to be home alone all the time. If you work for your father, Nico can be home more with Riley and Gianna. And now with the baby coming, how will she ever manage?”
“I thought she was hiring a nanny.”
“Oh, no. A stranger is no substitute for a mother or father. Please,
The thirty-second spots had always embarrassed her. After rambling like an auctioneer, spitting details about the cars on his lots, he’d delivered his famed line and threw handfuls of fake dollars in the air. And it hadn’t even rhymed properly.
Eighteen years later, he was still making those corny commercials. And still using that corny line. She flipped the channel whenever one came on.
Mia usually stayed away from her parents’ place, because her visits weren’t really visits. They were hours filled with nagging. The only reason she’d agreed to tonight’s gathering was her mother’s birthday.
Gift bag in hand, Mia opened the door and let herself in. Nothing. “Hello?”
The faint sound of laughter drifted to her ears. She followed it to the dining room.
“There you are. Where the hell have you been?” The Great Antonio Montanari demanded.
What’s up his ass? “It’s six oh five. You said be here at six.”
“No. I said dinner was at six. Chef Rene has already served the appetizer.”
Only the best for the Montanari family. Her father had hired his favorite private chef to cook for the event.
“Sit down. Your mussels are getting cold.”
Yuck! He knew she didn’t eat shellfish. Mia sat anyway and smiled at her mother. “Happy birthday.”
“Thank you,” she said and continued eating, the whole table now silent.
Where’d the laughter go? Gee. I show up and the mood is killed. What’s new?
“So . . . Mia,” her mother started after dabbing the corners of her mouth with a linen napkin. “How are you? How are things at the store?”
The hired help took away the appetizer plates, hers untouched. “Good. We’re trying something new that will hopefully be successful for the shop.”
“I heard about this thing you’re doing?” her father said.
Mia’s gaze shot to Riley, suddenly engrossed in her manicure.
“Sounds vulgar if you ask me. No woman in her right mind is going to spend hard-earned money on that crap. Why would you do something so stupid?”
Here we go again. “Please don’t assume you know anything about my business.”
“I don’t need to know anything about the bra business to know this is a waste of time and money. You have no idea what you’re getting yourself into. Are you trying to ruin your reputation? Do you want to be a porn peddler? Hell, it sounds to me like you’re a pimp, hiring a prostitute.”
Eyes wide, Mia fought to keep her jaw in place instead of it falling into her lap. But as the shock faded, anger boiled inside her stomach. He had no right to insult her like that. This was exactly why she hated coming to family functions. “That’s not what we’re doing. We’re trying to save our business.”
“Why on earth would you even try to do that? For a measly forty grand a year?”
Well, that showed what he knew! It was actually thirty, now that they’d had to cut their salaries.
“If you work for me, I can more than double that.”
“At the cost of my soul,” she mumbled.
“What was that?” her father bellowed.
“Nothing.” She stared him right in the eyes. “My answer is the same as it’s always been. I will never come work for you.”
He shook his head and downed his red wine.
“Please, sweetie?” her mother begged.
Come on. Now she was starting?
“It’s so hard for your sister to be home alone all the time. If you work for your father, Nico can be home more with Riley and Gianna. And now with the baby coming, how will she ever manage?”
“I thought she was hiring a nanny.”
“Oh, no. A stranger is no substitute for a mother or father. Please,
Similar Books
