Page 59 of Billionaire and the Barista

“This is why my mother thinks I am the devil,” I chuckled, deeply satisfied with my actions. “I fired him, had his work visa canceled, and told him to find his way back to Amsterdam and his father. He immediately went to mom, crying like I hit him.”

She wrapped her arms through mine. “You are devious. And they think he’s the smart one?”

“He did manage to secure the property adjacent to the Lake Moore development, but that’s about all the good he’s done.”

She pulled her arm away and stopped walking again.

“We’re never going to make it anywhere if you keep stopping,” I joked.

“What does, did, Gavin have to do with the Lake Moore development? That’s the big hole in the ground next to my café. They are putting in high-end, high-rent shops and apartments. It’s going to be a nightmare for me and the whole neighborhood.”

“Gabriella, it’s not that bad.”

“Yes, Nathan, it is. I’m pretty sure they’re behind the real estate agents coming down on me like piranhas.” Her eyes blazed with fury. “What does that have to do with your cousin? What does that have to do with you?”

I held out my hands and took a step toward her. “It’s no big deal, we’re putting in a multi-plex. It will raise the value of the neighborhood. Your property value has skyrocketed in the past two years.”

“Yeah, I know,” she sounded bitter. “I have to pay the property taxes. In the meantime, developments like Lake Moore are forcing the good working-class people out of their homes. They can’t afford the rising rents or the increased property taxes.”

“Gabs.” I tried to step up to her again. She would feel better once I could hold her, and she could think this through. “Imagine how free you would be if you sold that lot. You could set up shop anywhere in town. I could broker a deal, so you have a prime storefront space.”

Her face flushed and then blanched. “Is that what this has all been about? You came back, but not for me. Holy, shit, Nathan, is that why you were in the café insisting I go out with you? Have you been laughing at me behind my back every time I tell you about the phone calls?”

“Admit it, the building needs more repairs than you can afford. I bet it needs a new roof. It does, doesn’t it? The property taxes are getting outrageous, so are all the utilities. We could handle the sale privately, and that would save us both on agent fees,” I explained.

She ran her hands over her face. Her eyes were red and shined with the threat of tears when she looked at me again. “Is that what all of this between us has been about? You can’t get me to sell so you’ll romance me out of my property? I can’t believe I let myself fall for you again.”

She stormed up and down the sidewalk, her arms flailing in anger. I didn’t understand her rage. I had never once tried to coerce her into accepting those offers. I had kept my professional and my private life separate.

“You have always been a selfish bastard,” she started ranting. “I should have learned the first time when you hadn’t bothered to even realize that was my business because my parents died and gave it to me. You were too busy with how good I looked perched up on the back of your bike. Big hair, big hair, big boobs, big butt. I was some kind of trophy to show off.”

She crossed a line. I had been dealing with shit from my parents back then, so what if I momentarily forgot the café was hers? So, fucking what? “You weren’t that much of a trophy.”

She rushed at me and shoved me in the chest. I staggered back, but she didn’t have much strength. I barely lost my balance.

“Whoa, Gabriella, what will you tell your future children about acting out on their emotions?”

“Get away from me Nathan. And stay away. I don’t even want to see you at my café again. And my property, it’s mine. I’m not selling, and you can’t have it. I’ll give it away to a homeless shelter or turn it into a drug rehab house before I let you get your hands on it.”

She turned and ran from me.

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