that had turned to hell in the blink of an eye.
Graham Naquin.
Bastard. Usurper.
The irony of the man she’d thought her forever guy being the person taking the helm of Ullo was like someone shoving a spoonful of crap into her mouth and expecting her to say “mmm.” But this was one spoonful she wasn’t going to swallow.
How dare her old man hire him? Him. The very person who had almost broken her heart. Okay. Had broken her heart. Which sounded strange since she’d known him for such a brief time, yet for a while it had felt every bit as real as what her parents had.
She’d eaten a lot of ice cream trying to get over the false start with Graham. In fact, she’d wolfed down a half gallon in twenty-four hours. That’s how much cream and sugar she’d needed to soothe the hurt of rejection.
And now this. She would have to run to California to work off what was likely about to be spooned down in mourning of the thing she loved most about each day—her job.
Dear God, she was no longer employed at Ullo.
As Tess pushed through the metal door into the stairwell, her knees gave way. Sinking against the cold cement steps, she struggled for a breath.
This wasn’t happening.
No way.
She was an Ullo. She’d grown up skipping through the phantom floats hulking like huge freighters bobbing at a wharf. Tess had worked summers perfecting sculpting foam, schlepping papier-mâché onto props, and wiring fiber optics. She’d taken extensive art lessons, chosen a major in industrial art and ignored the tryouts for the Junior U.S. Soccer team… all so she could work for her family’s business. All because she wanted to be the one child who pleased their father by caring more for Frank Ullo Float Builders than for herself. She’d sacrificed so she could do what was right, what would be best for their family business.
And it had been for nothing.
Unshed tears gathered in her throat. She wanted to cry, wanted to lie down right in the dusty stairwell and sob until she ran dry. But she wouldn’t give the world the satisfaction of knowing her disappointment. Of the betrayal.
Her father didn’t think she was good enough.
“Damn it,” she whispered into the air around her.
“Tess.” The door opened with a whoosh, nearly nailing her in the shoulder. Billie’s head popped into the stairwell.
“Hey,” Tess managed to say, hoping like hell the tears in her eyes weren’t noticeable.
“What in the name of Sam Hill is going on?” Billie asked, darting a look at the inner recess of her office. “Your father said you quit.”
“I did.”
“Why?” Billie looked like someone had run over her cat.
“Ask my father.”
“Don’t you think I did? He buttoned up his lip like a preacher in a whorehouse. Said you no longer wanted to work here and to send a note to Accounting so you could collect your last check. Sister, what’s going on?”
“Nothing you need to worry about, Billie. This is between my father and me.”
“It has to do with that good-looking guy Frank hired, doesn’t it? I knew something was going on when your dad got all secretive, wanting me to show him how to use the fax machine and getting all those calls from Texas.”
Tess pulled herself from where she slumped. “Yeah, you’re about to be working for that good-looking guy.” The words hung in her throat. She didn’t want to think about Graham Naquin. She’d spent far too much time thinking about the son of a bitch already. She’d just stopped longing for him. Or mostly stopped moping around waiting for his call.
“Huh?”
“Dad’s retiring. Might as well be the first to tell you.”
“Retiring? No. He hasn’t even made a peep about—”
“Well, he is. Soon.”
“I had no idea.” Billie’s face crinkled as she soaked in the ramifications. “So Frank basically hired this guy over you?
His own daughter?”
“You’re a sharp cookie.” Tess gave Billie a half smile that hurt like hell to deliver.
“Smart cookie. Not sharp,” Billie muttered, sadness etched on her face. “I can’t believe this, Tess. I’m sure he has a good reason. Something’s wrong. I’ve had this weird feeling. He’s been saying strange things, and I wondered what was up. But this?”
“Not a good enough reason. I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m not about to stick around and watch him give Frank Ullo to some asshole.”
“He seemed okay to me. Together, polite, nice ass.”
“Yeah, well, he’s an ass all right. Good luck,” Tess said, giving Billie a quick squeeze.