Year of Living Blonde (Sweet Life in Seattle, Book 1) by Andrea Simonne

it.” He reaches for his bag and pulls out his laptop, moving his coffee aside so he can place the computer on the table in front of him. “Basically, I have financial software I use for all my tenants. It’s a program I wrote myself called A Conti Fatti. ” His laptop is in sleep mode, so it only takes a few seconds to bring up his business software and find their file. “Graham is already familiar with it, but let me show you two how it works.”
    After opening the file for La Dolce Vita, Anthony brings up the page that shows the financial overview of the bakery. He then turns the laptop toward Natalie and Blair.
    They both lean forward in their chairs, focusing on his computer.
    “What I’ve done is create this software that takes in all the financial variables involved in running a small business,” Anthony explains. “It tells me whether or not you can afford your lease.”
    He brings up some pie charts to show them what he’s talking about. “I created this to help screen my tenants, and then I let Graham here handle the paperwork and all the rest of it.”
    Natalie looks perplexed. “But I still don’t understand why you won’t lease us the space next door.”
    Anthony turns the computer around and brings up their profit and loss page. “According to this, you can’t afford it. In order to inhabit that space you’d need to first remodel, plus your monthly lease would double.”
    “We’ve already gotten bank approval for the remodeling loan, though,” Blair puts in. “And we have savings, too.”
    “I know,” says Anthony. “But it would still be a bad investment on my part.”
    Natalie frowns. “That space next door is empty and has been for months. Aren’t you losing money?”
    “Yes, but all that information is accounted for. My software tells me it’s safer to find a new tenant than allow you to rent that space and have to abandon it. Believe me, I’ve included every variable, and it isn’t a good idea.”
    He watches the women as they study the computer screen. Blair, the redhead, is leaning on one elbow as she reads. The ball-buster is facing forward with a scowl on her face. She licks her lips in what appears to be frustration and picks up her coffee mug.
    The movement catches his eye and when she puts the mug down, he’s still watching.
    Anthony’s eyes widen as he focuses on her mouth. It’s shockingly sensual. Even with the scowl. What’s a mouth like that doing on a stern woman like this? Full lips with a natural pout and a pink flush that clearly isn’t makeup. From what he can tell, she isn’t wearing any makeup at all. Her skin is pretty and he decides she doesn’t really need it. Her hair is light brown and pulled back in a severe ponytail.
    He scans her body quickly, but there isn’t much to see. She’s sitting, but even standing he suspects he couldn’t see much. Her clothes are black and baggy and he figures she’s trying to hide that she’s overweight.
    Natalie suddenly looks at him, sensing his perusal.
    He grins and surprisingly her scowl goes away. That erotic mouth looks even better. Such perfect cherry lips. He wonders what she looks like when she smiles. A real smile, not the fake ones she’s been giving.
    “So if I begged a little, do you think you’d give me your cookie recipe?” he asks.
    He continues to smile, but she doesn’t smile back. In fact, the scowl has returned and is deeper than ever.
    Dude, she probably never smiles.

    Natalie frowns. Did he really just ask me for my cookie recipe? Like I’d hand it out?
    She knew he was looking her over, too. He’s probably comparing me to his harem of women who all look like variations of Justine—a cake pop with breasts and gold earrings.
    If that’s the measure he’s using then she knows she falls short. Very short. Not that I care anyway.
    Her eyes go back to his computer and the pie charts and graphs he’s showing them. It all seems like a bunch of nonsense. And to think, this nonsense is