Easy to say—she wasn’t sure she knew what ‘her’ way was. ‘That’s what you would do, but that’s because you know what you’re doing.’
Liam paused. ‘No, I don’t. Not always. I don’t want to ruin my image but I certainly made my share of mistakes.’
‘You did?’
‘Yes. There was the time I nearly landed us with a lawsuit when I let myself get distracted and riled during a security assignment. The police tried to arrest me whilst someone tried to attack the guy I was meant to be protecting.’
‘What happened?’
‘I knocked the police officer out so I could protect the client. It eventually worked out but it nearly didn’t. And another person may have handled it differently, figured out a less violent way. But sometimes you have to do it your way, take a stand, act on your own instincts, take a risk.’
‘Maybe I am too risk averse. All I see is the worst-case scenario.’
Liam shook his head. ‘I don’t think it’s that.’
‘Then what do you think it is?’
He hesitated and she gestured. ‘It’s fine. Hit me with it.’ She genuinely wanted his opinion, wondered how it had come to matter to her so much in such a short space of time.
‘Right. I think you’re too worried about everyone else. You want to please your father and your mother and the press and your staff and you’ve lost sight of you. That’s what I told you from the start. Make the company yours. Show everyone you can do this—if implementing a new green policy is problematic, do something smaller first. But do something.’
Ava swirled her water thoughtfully, pushed her plate away, her mind racing. ‘OK. So I need to do something to win their respect. I know what would help—I just have no idea how to do it.’
‘Tell me.’
‘My dad was about to close a deal with Leonardo Brunetti—he owns a chain of upmarket Italian emporium-type supermarkets. Since my father’s death he’s been prevaricating and now he’s on the verge of pulling out. He’s citing the uncertainty of Dolci’s future and my inexperience. I can’t help feeling that if Luca approached him he’d be fine.’
Liam could hear the bitterness in her voice. ‘Because he’s a man.’
‘Yes, partly, but mostly because Luca has set up his own company, made a success off his own bat.’
‘Then how about approaching Luca? You could go to see Leonardo Brunetti together, pitch for the deal.’
‘No.’ Ava needed to prove to everyone, including Luca, that she could do this herself. ‘I need something different. I’ve done everything I can think of to win Leonardo Brunetti over. Short of giving him the damn products. I have written reports, costed spreadsheets, put together a presentation on why Dolci products are great. But I can’t be my father and I can’t pretend that Dolci isn’t having leadership issues.’
‘No, but you can be yourself. Stop apologising for your past and your father. You are a successful woman in your own right.’
‘It doesn’t feel like that.’
‘Then fake it. Like you fake your smile.’
Ava stared at him—why on earth hadn’t she thought of that herself? ‘You’re a genius. Fake it till you make it,’ she said. ‘I’m good at that.’
There was a heartbeat of silence as the words lingered in the air and the atmosphere changed. Liam leaned forward, raised an eyebrow. ‘Really?’ he said, his word a long drawl, a teasing glint in his cobalt eyes. ‘Interesting.’
Heat crept over her face. ‘I wasn’t talking about...that.’
‘Talking about what?’ He maintained a tone of mock innocence but couldn’t hold back a grin.
‘I wasn’t talking about sex,’ she muttered. ‘I meant that it’s like modelling—sometimes you have to act, fake a smile and you keep doing it until it looks real and...then sometimes you find yourself genuinely...’
‘Making it?’ he offered helpfully.
‘Yes.’ Against her will she did smile. ‘I need to stop digging this hole until it’s so deep there’s no way I’m getting out of it.’
‘It’s fine. I’ll help you out. Any time.’ He wriggled his eyebrows and she chuckled, then he joined in and it was as though they couldn’t stop, the laughter an incredible and welcome release from all the pent-up tension and emotion.
‘I needed that,’ Ava said eventually.