The CEO Daddy Next Door Read Online Free Page A

distillery. That’s not an inexpensive proposition. We can help him with that. Every entrepreneur loves free publicity.”
    And at what cost? Ashley’s pride, that’s what. The matchmaker truly couldn’t find her own match. After her heart and her pride were destroyed by James, her avoidance of men was intentional, but temporary. At no point had it meant that she wasn’t still hoping Mr. Right would turn up. Now she had to resort to bribing Mr. Not-Right-At-All, just to appease the network and save face.
    â€œSo, what are you waiting for? Call him. I’ll wait until you’re done before I start writing the press release.”
    It’d been high school since Ashley had asked out a guy, and that hadn’t gone well. Suddenly her hands were clammy. She certainly wasn’t afraid of Marcus. But she was afraid he’d say no.
    * * *
    â€œI don’t need to tell you the gravity of the situation.” Marcus’s father’s voice was unusually cold. It was the tinny overseas connection on speakerphone, Marcus hoped. He couldn’t stand the thought of his normally cheerful dad being so gravely unhappy. “If we can’t get this endeavor of yours off the ground, the ramifications will be great. It’s not just the loss of expected growth. It’s the money we’ve put into it, as well. It has to work.”
    Yes, it does. Marcus looked across the conference table at his sister, Joanna, the head of marketing for Chambers Gin. The worry was so plain on her face it broke his heart. “We’ll turn a corner,” Marcus said. “By the time we host the media night at the new distillery, we’ll be on our way.”
    â€œI don’t want you to think I don’t trust you or your vision, Marcus. I absolutely do,” his father continued. “It’s just that the entire family’s livelihood is on the line. I don’t want to get in so far over our heads that we’re all left with nothing. That’s not the legacy I hoped to leave behind, and it’s definitely not the future I want for my children or my grandchild.”
    â€œI’ll make it work, Dad. I don’t want you to worry about it.” Leave the worrying to me.
    A pregnant pause filled the room. “Okay, son. I trust you. I’ve got some calls to return, but I’ll speak with you and JoJo on Friday, right?”
    â€œYes. Friday. Speak to you then.”
    â€œBye, Dad.” Joanna pressed the end button on the phone in the center of the conference table. “He’s so stressed. I don’t think I’ve ever heard him so stressed.”
    Marcus tapped his pen on the all-too-thin stack of orders for the US gin, Chambers No. 9. “It’s not like we can blame him. We aren’t even close on our projections.” Marcus ran his hand through his hair and turned to stare out the office window overlooking the New York City skyline. And to think he’d been so sure they could capture the imagination of US consumers. They’d come nowhere close. He had the expertise to revive the family business, and he’d dip into his personal financial accounts if needed, but his resources did have their limits. That meant the clock was ticking. Chambers No. 9 needed a big boost, as quickly as possible.
    When his father had swallowed his pride and admitted he needed help saving Chambers Gin, Marcus had let his adoration for his father and his deep devotion for his family lead the way. Leaving a highly successful and lucrative job as a European securities trader behind, he’d accepted this new challenge, no questions asked. He’d insisted only that his father trust him on this one point—they had to expand into the massive US market, and that meant launching a new artisan gin. Chambers No. 9. Cocktail culture had become big business, and there was a niche to be filled with carefully crafted spirits. Bold expansion was the only way. Go big or go