Page 12 of Italian’s Christmas Acquisition

“Then why? It sounded like an incredibly snobbish and wasteful mindset. Anyway, they weren’t leftovers. They were frozen preshaped cookies ready to bake.”

“Oh,” he said. “That’s fine.”

“So why don’t you eat leftovers?”

“Does it not bother you if you don’t know the age of food?”

“I’ve never thought about it.”

“You’ve clearly never eaten anything past its expiration date, then.”

“Um... Well, no. I mean, I’ve definitely found things in the fridge that shouldn’t have been there.”

“Occasionally,” he pressed.

“Yes, a couple of times.”

“Yes. You might feel differently if it were a more frequent occurrence.”

And that was all she would get.

“You aren’t going to convince me to sell. We are at an impasse.”

“Do you really think that’s fair? Your mother is desperate for you to make a different choice.”

“She’s not desperate. She’s grieving, and she’s not doing it very well. She just wants to make it like he wasn’t here. And that’s not fair.”

“Noelle,” he said, her name strange on his lips. “Surely you must realize this is a foolish thing to go up against me.”

“There is no against. I won’t sell to you. And that’s my choice.”

“Surely you must have a price.”

“Build somewhere else. Why does it matter so much to you that you have this?”

“Because I must keep building,” he said. “And this is an excellent way to do that.”

“Why do you have to keep building?”

“To expand my business.”

“Aren’t you like... One of the richest men in the world?”

“You didn’t even know who I was when I introduced myself to you yesterday, and now you’re talking about my status and wealth?”

“I googled you while you were making eggs.”

“All right then. Yes. I am.”

“Then why?”

“I must expand the company every year by two percent or it dissolves. Those are the stipulations of my mother’s will.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“You just lose ownership of it if you don’t...do that. Who’s in charge of it?”

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