Free A Family Affair: The Wish: Truth in Lies, Book 9 by Mary Campisi Page A

she’d land in one sooner rather than later?
    She licked her lips and spoke in a voice that usually made her daddy go all soft and gooey like his favorite caramel. “I admit, I’ve been a bit distracted, and that is not acceptable. I guess I’ve been hiding because watching all that happiness is just too much.” The words were not contrived nor were the tears that threatened like a garden hose sprouting a leak. “I love the girls, and I love you and Mama, but I don’t know where I belong anymore. The only place that feels like I fit is here.” She waved a hand about the room. “In this chair, running the business, and I’ll do whatever I need to so you’ll feel comfortable with that.” That reassurance should have put the color back in his face, but it didn’t. In fact, her words turned him paler than last night’s chicken breast.
    “I’ve hired a consultant,” he blurted out, leaning forward in his chair like he might shoot right out of it. “He’s going to look at the business and find ways to improve it.” He sucked in gulps of air, spat out more information. “You’ll be working with him and I don’t want you to give him a hard time. I mean it, Bree. This is important.”
    She stared at her father, tried to digest what he’d just said. “A consultant? Why? We did better last year than the past five.” What was this really about and where had he found a consultant? Unless he was talking about Kenny Robbins, the bookkeeper-turned-CFO, Magdalena had no person with that title.
    His gaze darted around the room like a fly looking for a window to escape and eventually landed on her. “A good consultant can make the difference between survival and going belly up.”
    “Daddy? Why are you talking like we’re in trouble?” Did he know something she didn’t? How could that be possible when she looked at the books every single day and nothing indicated a problem or concern? They could always be better, work harder and smarter, but a consultant? They weren’t cheap.
    Her daddy pinned her with his this-is-business look. “I’m doing it for you, Bree.” His voice cracked. “Remember, no matter how much you might not like it, I’m doing this because I love you.”
    Oh, she did not like the sound of that. “May I ask when you decided all of this and why I was not informed of the plan?”
    The former paleness of his face turned red, redder still. “It’s been in the works for some time, but your mama and me didn’t want to tell you just yet.”
    “Mama knew?” Her gaze narrowed on him, tried to ferret out white lies that might be stuck to the truth. All she saw was a bucket of remorse heaped with determination to see a job done. “Well, isn’t that just dandy. My parents have been keeping secrets from me and thinking nothing of it.” She sighed and ran a hand through her hair. “Here I thought I was involved in the business, but it looks like pillow talk prevails, and I’m just the person who sits in this chair every day.”
    “Baby Girl, that’s enough.” Her father pushed out of the chair, made his way toward her, and placed his large hands on the desk. “Your mama’s my sounding board. She sees things I miss and I’m not gonna make excuses for it. One of these days, you’ll find somebody like that and then you’ll know what I mean.” He straightened, said in a gentle voice, “Now I want you to welcome the consultant and show him Magdalena hospitality; you got that?”
    Bree crossed her arms over her middle, stared at him. No good trying to change his mind. When Daddy got a notion in his head and Mama backed him, the two were like peanut butter and jelly. Nothing was going to stop them or unstick them. “Fine, but I truly wish you had asked my opinion since I’m the one who has to work with him.” Her father coughed, looked away. That was always code for something, usually a truth she hadn’t heard about yet. “I am going to be the one working with him, aren’t I?”
    He gave