Chapter One
Caleb Donahue couldn’t remember a time in his life when he’d felt so alone. Growing up in a big, bustling family in Pelican Bay had afforded him the luxury of never being forced to endure that particular feeling. He wasn’t being honest with himself. If he shut his eyes tightly and forced himself to go back in time, Caleb could remember an overwhelming sense of loss and loneliness. He hated going back to that dark place—it had been such an awful time of fear and dread. Dredging up those memories made him feel hopeless and sad. Caleb avoided thoughts of the past at all costs. What good did it do to stir up such horrific memories?
Ever since he’d been adopted by his forever family, loneliness hadn’t affected him. Until now. And it was messing with him big-time. It took him back to the time before—the darkness of his young life. The things he’d spent most of the past two decades trying to forget. The memories weren’t always clear, but he remembered enough to make himself sick every time they cropped up.
Focus, Caleb. He urged himself. Don’t get caught up in the storms of the past.
His entire professional world was going up in flames. And he was sick about it. He’d worked so hard to get his bistro up and running. It was popular and had received great reviews. He’d actually made a profit last year. Just last month there had been a write up about it in the Pelican Bay Gazette. He had finally found his footing. And then the bottom had fallen out of his world. In one fell swoop the rug had been pulled out from under him.
Now he was faced with uncertainty. His bistro was not entirely his own anymore. And it felt like a massive failure to have lost such control over his business.
Sebastien Fontaine had called in his loan, and since Caleb couldn’t repay the entire amount of money he owed the wealthy businessman, he now had a partner in the Blue Bayou. The beauty of opening his own business had been the autonomy to make his own decisions and chart a course for himself. He liked being the captain of his own ship. That was now a thing of the past!
He’d been foolish. Caleb had been so desperate to get the doors of the Blue Bayou open he hadn’t considered what might happen if he couldn’t repay Fontaine’s loan. Now he was knee deep in a sticky situation. What if Fontaine wanted to go in a completely different direction with the bistro? Would he have any recourse against a man of such vast wealth and connections?
The sound of the front door opening diverted his attention away from his melancholy thoughts. He felt as if his head might explode.
“Excuse me. We’re not open yet,” he called out. “Not for another half hour.” He’d forgotten to lock the front door. His brain was mush.
A shuffling sound forced him to swing his gaze up.
A woman dressed in a long peasant skirt and an over-sized blouse came walking slowly toward him. She was carrying a gigantic bag and held a folder in her hand. Her skin was the color of burnished bronze.
“I’m sorry miss, but we’re not open until noon today,” he called out, hoping to see her turn around and head toward the exit.
She fiddled with her glasses. “I’m not a customer.”
Caleb frowned. “I’m not buying anything if you’re trying to sell me something.” He wasn’t in the mood to play games today. He hated when vendors just stopped by to interrupt his day. Perhaps he should put up a sign. No solicitations on the premises.
She let out a laugh. It was rich and throaty. And Caleb wasn’t sure, but it sounded like someone who was slightly nervous. Her body language spoke volumes. She was fidgeting with her hands and looking around her in a nervous manner. Tension radiated off her in waves.
He took a closer look at her. With her round, tortoise shell glasses, retro clothes and wild mane of long hair, she looked like an owl. He had no idea what she was doing here.
“I’m not a salesperson, Mr. Donahue.” Her voice was prim and proper.
Caleb stood up straight. She knew his name. Why did she know his name?
She took a step closer, reminding him of a kid who was building up their courage. “I’m Addie Fontaine. Sebastian Fontaine is my father.”
Anger speared through Caleb. Why was Fontaine’s daughter showing up at the Blue Bayou? Perhaps she was trying to get free food now that her father was officially his partner. His thought was mean-spirited, but he was so annoyed that his professional life was being torpedoed by Sebastian Fontaine. He had absolutely no grace to offer his daughter.
Caleb glared at her, hoping it might make her disappear. “Did he send you here? To make sure I understood the papers he sent me? You can tell him I understand everything. He made it quite clear. He’s asserting his right to step in to the business I built from the floor up and become my partner. Tell him I understand full and well what I’ve gotten myself into with my poor decision making.”
She cleared her throat. “No, Mr. Donahue. You’ve misunderstood. My father isn’t your partner. I am.”
**
Addie Fontaine’s heart was beating like a jack hammer inside her chest. Her palms were moist and she felt like she just might faint. She wasn’t equipped for confrontations, and this was beginning to feel tense and awkward. Addie wasn’t a person who enjoyed going head to head with anyone. Her father had led her to believe that this meeting would be congenial. Why had she ever believed him? Clearly, he’d done this in order to see her step out of her comfort zone.
“Stop hiding, Addie.” Her father’s familiar refrain rang out in her ears.
She wasn’t hiding. She just didn’t like the world very much. For Addie, it had never felt like a very safe place.
“You’re my partner?” Caleb Donahue was gazing at her with a look of barely-contained anger.
Why oh why had she allowed her father to bamboozle her into this situation? He had been doing nothing more than throwing her a bone by allowing her a partnership in the Blue Bayou. And now she was being glared at by a gorgeous bistro owner.
She swallowed past the lump in her throat. “Yes, according to my father I am. He’s asked me to partner with you since he has several projects in Asia that are going to consume his time.”
“Unbelievable,” Caleb muttered. “Do you even know the first thing about running an eating establishment?”
She bit her lip. “I-I studied food hospitality at school.”
Caleb’s eyes bulged. “School? What about hands-on experience?”
“I don’t have any,” she admitted. “Oh wait! I used to serve ice cream at the Soft N’ Sweet over on Royce Street.”
Caleb didn’t say a word. He sank down onto a stool and bowed his head. Addie felt bad for him. The poor man looked utterly defeated.
“Mr. Donahue. I assure you that I’m a quick learner. I was valedictorian of my high school class and Magna cum Laude at Columbia.”
Caleb’s shoulders began to shake. Strange noises began to emanate from him. Addie was beginning to wonder if he needed medical attention.
“Mr. Donahue. Are you all right?” she asked.
He swung his head up. Tears were coursing down his cheeks and his face was contorted with mirth. His mouth was wide open and he was chuckling so hard he was gasping for air.
He was laughing at her! Not just laughing but having a huge fit of merriment. At her expense. Addie felt her cheeks getting warm. Some things never changed. This is why she didn’t deal with people very much. When she did, nine times out of ten they made her a laughingstock. Caleb Donahue was no exception.
She clutched her briefcase to her chest and counted to ten. If he didn’t stop chuckling by the time she reached ten, Addie was going to show him she wasn’t the type of woman who appreciated being laughed at. And she was certain he wouldn’t be laughing any longer after she gave him a piece of her mind.
Addie was so mad her lips began to tremble. She raised her chin up. “It’s quite rude to laugh in someone’s face, Mr. Donahue.”
He looked up at her. His lips still twitched but he was no longer laughing.
“I-I’m sorry. We may have gotten off on the wrong foot. Why don’t you take a seat, Addie?” She nodded her head and took a seat across from him at the table. He let out a sigh. Addie had the impression he was getting himself together right before her eyes. She had to admit, he was all kinds of gorgeous. With his deep-set brown eyes and tawny-colored skin, Caleb was a looker. His rugged physique and tall stature didn’t hurt. Addie felt certain this man had women flocking around him like moths to the flame. And she couldn’t say she blamed them one bit.
“I apologize for blindsiding you. My father didn’t tell me you weren’t aware of the situation.” She cleared her throat. “I assumed you’d been informed.”
“Sounds like he blindsided both of us.”
“My father tends to do that,” she said in a flat voice. She shook her head. “He’s been doing it to me my entire life.” Addie wanted to clap her hand over her mouth. Why had she blurted out that information? It was none of Caleb Donahue’s business and it fell under the category of TMI. Addie wanted to make a professional impression on her new partner. She didn’t want him to think she was weak or unprincipled.
“Well, since we’ll be working together, there’s something you should know right off the bat. This place means the world to me. Ever since I was a kid it was all I’d ever wanted for myself professionally.”
Addie nodded her head and looked around. “You’ve got a beautiful place here. From all the information I was given, it’s doing well.”
Caleb nodded. “Very well considering all the competition. Most restaurants fail during their first year in business so the success of the Blue Bayou is big news.”
Addie adjusted her glasses. “I commend you although I do see some areas where the restaurant could be stronger.” Addie tried to sound authoritative. Fake it until you make it. Maybe she could show Caleb that she wasn’t as green as he thought she was in the world of business.
Caleb leaned forward in his seat. She could see the tension hovering around his jaw. “Such as?”
She reached into her briefcase and pulled out a folder. Her fingers trembled as she searched through the contents. Caleb was making her nervous with his dark, intense eyes. It wasn’t his fault, if she was being honest with herself. Everything made her jittery. It was one of the reasons her father had assigned her to work with Caleb at the bistro. He wanted to toughen her up and sharpen her instincts.
“Well, for starters, you’re the owner and the head chef. That seems like you’ve got a lot on your plate. I would recommend hiring someone else as head chef.”
Caleb shook his head. “I love being a chef. Cooking is one of my all-time favorite passions. It’s the main reason I opened up this place.”
Addie could hear the enthusiasm radiating from his voice. She wasn’t going to push the issue with Caleb. Who was she to deny him something that made him happy?
“I do have some sous-chefs working with me, so it’s not as if I can’t delegate,” Caleb explained. “Paolo works side by side with me. He does as much of the work as I do.”
“Okay,” she said with a nod. “Moving on, I think that if the Blue Bayou extends its hours it could really increase visibility and pique the interest of diners in the area. For instance, you could open for breakfast six days of the week.”
“Easier said than done. If I increase hours that requires me to spend a lot more money on food costs and payroll. I didn’t think it was feasible.”
Addie sent him a shaky smile. “It is now. I’ve been authorized to put more money into the coffers of the Blue Bayou.”
Caleb let out a shocked sound. “What? Your father said that?”
The disbelief on his face almost made her laugh out loud. But, she knew this was serious business. The Blue Bayou was Caleb’s baby. It was written all over his face. He deeply cared about its success or failure. And even though she hadn’t worked here a single day, Addie was now invested in this charming eatery. She needed to be successful in her partnership with Caleb. After all, she had something to prove to her father. If she couldn’t show him that she had a mind for business by her twenty-seventh birthday, she feared he might just leave his fortune to someone else. As Sebastian Fontaine’s only child, Addie had a lot to lose. Her mother reminded her of this fact almost every day.
Don’t let it all slip through your fingers. Her mother’s voice buzzed angrily in her ears. Although her parents had been divorced since she was a child, Helena Fontaine still continued to watch over her ex-husband’s fortune with an eagle eye. She always insisted that Addie needed to get her due. She’d raised Addie to fear the very idea of her father cutting her off and giving all of his fortune to another relative he felt was more deserving. Since Addie’s relationship with her father was a bit fractured, she didn’t have a lot of confidence in his loyalty to her. And so now, in an effort to prove her business savvy to her father, Addie had been given partial ownership in Caleb Donahue’s business. Surely that must sting!
She felt a little badly for Caleb. He’d clearly gotten in way over his head with her father. She knew the feeling all too well. Sebastian Fontaine was a man who treated people like his business dealings. He was constantly wheeling and dealing.
“Daddy has agreed to put a large sum of money into the Blue Bayou in order to expand it and increase its value.” She pushed her glasses up on to the bridge of her nose.
Caleb frowned. “But why? I don’t get it. He’s never so much as stepped inside the place.”
Heat stained her cheeks. Did she have to come right out and tell him that the Blue Bayou was a means to an end for daddy dearest? It was a way to keep Addie busy and allow her to gain some experience in running a business. Addie was Sebastian Fontaine’s only heir apparent to his empire.
Addie wasn’t a fool. She knew her father could have easily placed her at one of his Fontaine offices. But he hadn’t wanted to take a chance at Addie making a fool out of herself, and him in the process. It was too embarrassing to reveal that information. Caleb was already regarding her as if she had two heads. He might just explode if she told him that it was a bit of an experiment. Daddy had thrown down the gauntlet. It was now up to her to show him she could work with Caleb Donahue and make the Blue Bayou even more successful.
“He’s the type of man who wants to excel in all areas of business. Since he now has a partnership with you—”
“Technically, you have the partnership with me. Right?” Caleb asked.
“Yes,” she said with a nod. “But my father wants it to do well since he was the one who gave you the loan in the first place.”
“And you? Is working here what you wanted for your career?” Caleb asked. His gaze was intense. Addie had the feeling Caleb Donahue was the sort of man a woman would have trouble keeping secrets from.
“It’s fine by me,” she said with a grin, allowing her eyes to roam around the place. It was beautiful. The walls had been painted a rich blue color. There were taupe and silver accents in the seating areas. Beautiful paintings hung on the walls, each with a blue accent. The vibe was upbeat yet peaceful. It made Addie want to smile.
“Well, I’m happy to hear it since we’re stuck together,” Caleb said. For a moment Addie was startled by his words. Her jaw dropped.
Suddenly, Caleb’s face was transformed by a dazzling grin. He’d been playing with her.
“Sorry, I thought a joke might diffuse some of the tension of this situation.”
Addie raised a hand to her chest. “Phew. To be honest, I had no idea of what to say as a response. I’m glad you were teasing.”
“Addie, I’ll be completely honest with you. This situation isn’t ideal for me. I never wanted to have a partner. From the beginning I’ve prided myself on doing it all on my own.” He made a face. “But, I suppose that I didn’t get here by myself. I took out a loan from your father and now it’s been called in. Those are the breaks. I knew the risk when I entered into the arrangement with him. I want the Blue Bayou to be successful, long-term. And if working with you is part of the deal, then I’m all right with it.”
“I’m determined to do a fine job here, Caleb. I want to prove myself worthy of the trust daddy placed in me.”
Caleb narrowed his gaze as he looked at her. “As I said, this place means the world to me. I can’t afford for it not to do well.”
“Trust me. Neither can I,” Addie said in a firm voice. She wanted to be taken seriously. Addie knew her twin sister, Tabitha, had always been daddy’s favorite. He’d been of the belief that Tabitha hung the moon. Now that Tabitha was gone, he was stuck with Addie. She had never measured up to her sister in her father’s eyes.
There was so much pressure on her to make her mark in her father’s world. He’d given her this assignment and she couldn’t let him down. After all, if she wasn’t Sebastian Fontaine’s daughter, then what in the world was she?