What a Rich Woman Wants Read Online Free Page B

The restaurant wasn’t too crowded. Niko staved off starvation by eating his own share of chips and salsa.
    Lesley took a careful sip of beer. “Why do you say that?” As if to prove him wrong, she loaded another chip with salsa and popped it in her mouth.
    â€œI’m guessing you’re expected to be more of a champagne and foie gras kind of girl.”
    He’d surprised her; he could tell by the flare in her eyes, the sharpness of her gaze, the few seconds of hesitation before she answered. “Yes, well, we all have to deal with expectations. The ones we have of ourselves and the ones others place upon us.”
    â€œFor example, you didn’t expect a guy like me to know what foie gras was, let alone be able to pronounce it correctly.”
    She gave him another of those small smiles acknowledging that he’d caught her. “I have a feeling, Niko, that there’s a lot about you that might surprise me.”
    He tapped the neck of his beer bottle against hers again. “Here’s to a future filled with pleasant surprises.”

Chapter Four
    Lesley placed the telephone receiver back in its cradle. Schools of animated fish swam across her computer screen. She massaged her shoulders with her fingertips, then rotated her head to work out the tension. The weekly conference call with the senior vice presidents, the CFO and a few department heads had drained her. Although she encouraged an open forum and a free exchange of ideas, the final decisions were hers alone. There were those within the company who resented her presence as her father’s hand-picked successor. Under her leadership the company had flourished, yet she still had to deal with a handful of individuals from her father’s tenure who believed they could do better.
    The computer signaled an incoming email. She opened it and smiled. Her father listened in on the conference calls. Good job , she read. You make me proud. She sat back and allowed herself a moment to absorb the praise. Every day Richard sent her a brief, encouraging message like this. Sometimes two. He seemed to sense when she was most challenged or stressed, or was on the verge of second-guessing her decisions.
    A tap on the door interrupted her attempt to reach even the slightest Zen-like state.
    â€œCome in,” she called.
    Lita slid into the room and closed the door. Lesley thought she saw apology mixed with annoyance and sympathy in her expression.
    Lesley’s shoulder muscles, which were barely relaxed, tensed up all over again. “What is it, Lita?”
    â€œMaria.”
    For a split second the connection escaped Lesley. She put her business face back on. “What about her?”
    â€œShe’s here.”
    â€œHere?”
    Lita hesitated.
    â€œ Here ?”
    Lita nodded and inclined her head in the direction of the front entrance.
    â€œWhat does she want?”
    â€œShe asked to see your father.”
    Lesley’s brow furrowed. As far as she knew, Maria’s contact with Richard Robinson had been minimal. “Did she say why?”
    â€œNo, ma’am. When I told her he was unavailable, she asked to see you. When I told her you were on a conference call, she said she’d wait. I thought under the circumstances…” Lita’s voice trailed away.
    Lesley glanced at the digital clock on her desk. She’d hoped to have a bit of a breather between the conference call and Ricky’s soccer game. She fully expected to be bored to tears, but Ricky asked so little of her and she gave so little of herself that she couldn’t disappoint him.
    She’d get rid of Maria quickly. “It’s fine, Lita. Tell her I can give her five minutes.”
    Lita left and returned, showing Maria in.
    â€œMaria.” Lesley kept her tone neutral, merely acknowledging her visitor’s presence.
    As soon as the door closed behind Lita, Lesley gestured to one of the chairs in front of her desk. Maria sat,