“I don't care about getting more billionaires here. I care about using the ones we have coming. This is my chance to move up in the world,” Delores replied, leaning back in her chair. The sunlight off the graying roots of her dyed blonde hair. Delores had been beautiful once. That much was easy to see, but years of frustration and struggle had whittled away any of the sweetness she once had. Only bitterness remained.
Ella was glad that in six more months that she wouldn't have to deal with her anymore.
“Yes, ma'am.” Ella nodded, waiting for her dismissal. She tried not to look at the papers scattered across Delores's desk. Several letters from the IRS sat unopened. Ella wished her stepmother would let her handle the inn's finances, but that would mean giving up control of the bank accounts. Money was all that mattered to Delores.
The sound of tires on the gravel driveway filled the room and Delores rose from her chair. “Now, if you'll excuse me, the guests of honor have just arrived. Go make yourself scarce. No billionaire wants to see the likes of you.”
Chapter Two
Ella hurried out of the stuffy office. She grabbed the door, finding that it had once again swung open on it's own again. Not much, just a couple of inches. The latch needed to be reset. Ella put it on her mental list of things to fix. Once outside and down the hallway, Ella took in a deep, relaxing breath.
Hopefully, Delores would be busy with schmoozing her wealthy patrons for the next few hours and wouldn't find ways to make Ella's life more of a living hell.
Not that even a billionaire and his sister would be able to stop her, Ella thought bitterly. She shook her head as she walked quickly past the main entrance with the marble entryway that Delores had insisted on and the inn was still paying for. She nearly ran into a man in a black suit with a thin black tie. Ella assumed he was part of the billionaire's security team and simply apologized and kept walking.
As soon as Ella turned twenty-two, her father's will stipulated that the inn would go to Ella as long as she had worked faithfully in service to the inn. There was no doubt in Ella's mind that she had worked her butt off for the inn, so all that remained was time. Six more months and the inn could be rescued from Delores's horrible management. Not only did Delores not have any idea how to run the inn, those IRS letters on her desk gave Ella a bad feeling.
Ella hurried to the side entrance and snuck outside just as three limos, followed by cars with unpronounceable Italian names opened their doors. From the corner of the building, Ella watched as Delores stepped out and greeted the billionaire wedding party.
It was a bitter pill to swallow. Ella had done everything in her power to make this happen, but she was forbidden from the final step. She wasn't even going to be allowed to witness the wedding or the reception. Delores had already informed her being seen at either would result in a serious pay cut.
It had been Ella's idea to send the inn's brochure, along with the extra three photographs, to Connor Conglomerate's CEO, Xavier Connor. It was Ella who had done all the legwork, gotten everything in motion, worked with the wedding planner, and ultimately done all the labor to get to this day. Well, as much work as one could do without ever getting to talk to anyone important. There was no way Delores would let those golden strings attached to important people slip through her fingers. Delores was the voice on the phone while Ella had been the body.
With a frustrated sigh, Ella turned from the entrance and continued along the side path, making her way toward the small barn on the property. Someday, this upstate New York property would be hers. All of it. The beautiful 1920's style mansion nestled against the lake and all the property that came with it would be hers to turn into something people waited months to stay at.
Six more months and her dreams for this place could come true. She'd been saving her paychecks for years now so she could actually hire and retain good workers, as well as replace all the bargain priced junk Delores insisted was quality.
“Are you actually going to be able to leave on time today?” Maria asked, falling in-step with Ella and breaking her train of thought. Despite Ella's quick pace, the stout older woman kept up easily, used to hard work. She was one of the few workers at the inn that had stayed after Ella's father died. Almost everyone else had left when Delores refused to pay a decent wage.
“I wish.” Ella shook her head. “I'm headed to the barn for a quick break. I still have to finish the linens for tomorrow. And get the rehearsal dinner set up in the dining room.”
“And fourteen other things too, I imagine.” Maria sighed, shaking her head. “That woman makes you do too much. It's not fair, Ella. You deserve better than what she gives you.”