Page 47 of The Billionaire's Temptation

“My pleasure,” she replied easily, hefting her heavy tote bag higher onto her shoulder. “More questions about your businesses?”

Clarissa shook her head, then shrugged. “Well, yes and no. Are you hungry?” she asked, waving towards the dining room. “Martha is making pizza tonight. Interested in pizza and beer?”

Mandy laughed, nodding emphatically. “I’m always interested in pizza and a beer.”

“Excellent!” Clarissa replied, leading the way to the brightly lit kitchen. “We’re not eating in the dining room anymore,” she explained. “I hate that room. I’m going to gut it and do something else with the space.”

“Sounds like an interesting plan,” Mandy replied, walking beside Clarissa. “What about an exercise room? Maybe a yoga den?”

Clarissa paused, looking around at the heavy, dark wood. “That’s an interesting idea.” She tapped her foot against the floor. “Whatever it’s going to be, I’m going to make it lighter. This heavy wood is probably expensive, but it’s also depressing.”

Mandy laughed her agreement. “You hate this house. Why don’t you just sell it and find something that you prefer?”

Clarissa was startled by the suggestion. But she continued forward, pushing through the door and Martha smiled welcomingly at them. Obviously, Martha had heard Mandy’s suggestion. “She won’t sell this place because she’s too worried that she’ll hurt our feelings,” Martha announced, smacking Joe’s hand when he went for another sliced pepper.

Joe chuckled, then looked at the two women. “She’s right.”

Clarissa stood there, stunned for a long moment. “But…Joe, you’ve done so much with the grounds! I can’t just…discard everything you’ve done. The gardens are a masterpiece!”

He shrugged. “Then find a place out in the country where I’ll have more space to do something else.” He grinned, confident in the knowledge that Clarissa wouldn’t abandon him or his wife. “And a kitchen big enough that Martha can cook enormous amounts of food for people who need a good, healthy meal.”

Clarissa’s mouth fell open at the man’s suggestion. She turned, looking at Mandy. “Could I really do that?” she asked, her voice a low whisper. “Could I sell this monstrosity and find a place that fits all of our needs?”

Mandy chuckled. “You still don’t understand how wealthy you are now, do you?”

Clarissa shrugged, but the frustration with her hesitation was evident on her face. “I’ve lived one paycheck away from poverty my whole life. Living in a big house for a month isn’t going to change that kind of thinking quickly.”

Mandy dumped her tote on the floor, then turned to Clarissa. “You have enough money to find a large tract of land somewhere, anywhere you like, and build a custom house that is exactly how you want it. I would recommend hiring an architect, as well as an interior designer, talk to them and tell them how you want to live, what your preferences are, and how you want the flow of the house to feel. Then get with a realtor, someone who can show you a tract of land that is large enough to give you the space to build a massive kitchen, with enough space to have an orchard and a vegetable garden that’s filled with fresh herbs for Martha to cook with.” She turned to Joe. “Do you know how to grow vegetables and fruit trees?”

Joe’s eyes were lit with excitement. “I’ve never grown food before, but…” He fisted his hands on his hips, then let them drop to his sides, looking down, then over to Martha. “Art never wanted food plants fouling up his garden. What do you think?”

Martha’s mouth fell open and she looked at her husband, then over at Clarissa. “We…couldn’t impose on you like that!” she whispered, but her fingers were trembling.

Clarissa felt as if she were finally putting the puzzle pieces together. “Martha,” she started out, bracing her hands on the large island, “would you help me design a kitchen that is large enough for you to cook,” she angled her head slightly, “for people that need the food and nutrition?” Then she thought of something else. “And would you mind moving out of the city?”

Martha and Joe exchanged a glance, then both of them turned back to Clarissa. “Let’s do it!” they replied as one.

Clarissa laughed, clapping her hands together. Then she looked at Mandy. “Excellent idea!” she replied.

Mandy chuckled. “You can even stay here until your house is finished.”

Clarissa’s smile widened. “Okay, next question.”

Mandy nodded, crossing her arms over her chest. “Hit me,” she replied.

“Would you be willing to leave your current job and become my full time accountant?” Clarissa asked. At Mandy’s stunned look, she continued. “I have a lawyer standing by, ready to help you with all of the business forms that you’ll need to submit in order to set yourself up as a separate accounting firm. I also know that you’d need to hire staff. But I was hoping that…well, since you already know everything about my account, you’d helped with the taxes, and all of the bookkeeping and consolidation of the reports from the companies that–”

“Yes!” Mandy blurted, then gasped, looking around. Her eyes were huge with terror as she looked over at Martha and Joe. She gasped, her hand flying to her chest as she reeled from her response. “Did I just agree to starting my own company?”

Martha and Joe chuckled. “You did!” Martha replied.

Mandy looked at Clarissa, then she threw herself into Clarissa’s arms. “Yes!” she gasped again. “Yes, a thousand times yes!”

Clarissa hugged the woman she now considered to be her friend. “Thank you! For everything over the past few weeks, thank you!”

Mandy pulled back, laughing but with a few tears sliding down her cheeks. “Wow! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve dreamed about starting my own accounting firm.”

For the next two hours, the four sat around the kitchen island, eating pizza and drinking beer while they made plans. Martha and Joe encouraged Clarissa to discuss her ideal living space and Mandy wondered where she was going to start her new office. They all stopped, turning to Clarissa who pointed out, “I own several office buildings!” and they all laughed.

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