A Necessary Compromise

A Necessary Compromise The Billionaires' Reunion, Volume 3 Rose Fresquez Published by Rose Fresquez, 2023. Copyright © 2023 by Rose Fresquez. –––––––– All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher. A Necessary Compromise is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. Join my Insider Group and get an exclusive Novella, THE THERAPIST’S NEIGHBOR Table of Contents Title Page Copyright Page CHAPTER 1 CHAPTER 2 CHAPTER 3 CHAPTER 4 CHAPTER 5 CHAPTER 6 CHAPTER 7 CHAPTER 8 CHAPTER 9 CHAPTER 10 CHAPTER 11 CHAPTER 12 CHAPTER 13 CHAPTER 14 CHAPTER 15 CHAPTER 16 CHAPTER 17 CHAPTER 18 CHAPTER 19 CHAPTER 20 CHAPTER 21 EPILOGUE CHAPTER 1 Fear wasn’t standing in the way of Vanessa Douglas’s dreams. However, unforeseen circumstances repeatedly hindered her pursuit of becoming a teacher, casting a shadow over her future. On numerous occasions she'd felt compelled to abandon her goals, to slump on the sofa, and idly wait for opportunities to arise. But that approach wasn’t the solution. Life was full of surprises, and she’d had to learn to handle them—even when it meant leaping over the obstacles until she steered her life back onto the path she wanted. She pondered that this morning as she drove her BBQ food truck and took in San Francisco’s charming shops and cafés, each with its unique character. Fog now obscured her view of the towering skyscrapers looming above the Victorian-style homes. But on a clear day, she’d see Alcatraz Island rising from the Bay, and the gray scenery could transform in a matter of hours, much like her temporary food business. She pulled into the parking lot where the restaurant construction workers wearing lime-green vests and orange hats were already lined up for lunch. She couldn’t help but grin. The smell of the sea, the sight of colorful sailboats and yachts in the Bay’s blue-green waters, and the rustle of the palm trees above the lush grassy area lifted her spirits. After she parked, she hurried out, avoiding eye contact with her customers so she could focus on firing up the generator. Ava, her colleague, walked in, radiating energy and carrying brown bags filled with vegetables. She unpacked lettuce and tomatoes. “This is going to be the best day ever.” “I hope so.” Vanessa handed her assistant a purple apron, stamped with the words Mama Dee’s BBQ Queen above a crown. The smells of grilled meats and chicken skewers in the oven filled the truck. She moved to the pinboard to double-check her list. She’d already checked everything on the pinned paper, but she could never be too confident—especially after this morning. “It sure had a slow start.” “Uh-oh. That doesn’t sound good.” Ava nudged her. “My fault. I was late showing up, and the taco truck claimed my designated spot this morning.” Vanessa cringed again. She knew better than to show up thirty minutes late. Torn between pursuing her passion and facing reality, she still kept a schedule of some sort. But how was she supposed to keep up with a routine on the day she volunteered at the special needs school? Autistic children were unpredictable, and she’d had to stay to tend to Henry when he had a meltdown after they’d stopped him from taking another child’s ball. Henry had then darted out of the classroom, and she’d chased him and brought him back. Some autistic kids loved running, which could be dangerous when they outran the adult tending to them. She’d done her best to calm him down using the minimal tactics Mom found worked for Vanessa’s deceased autistic sister, Ola. Ava scowled. “You should have spoken to Juanita and claimed your rightful spot for the truck. After all, you’ve got the permit for it.” Right. Two months ago, Vanessa shelled out a fortune for the permit so she could avoid parallel parking between other cars. But since then, she’d learned the certified paper didn’t guarantee the spot. Anyone with a permit could park in any of the designated truck spots. “After how my argument with the deli truck owner escalated last time?” She’d cited evidence and asserted herself as the spot’s rightful owner, but... “Not everyone has a psycho daughter who’s gonna spray paint your menu board and your truck’s sign.” The crazy woman had smirked. “No one messes with my mom and gets away with it!” Shuddering, Vanessa heated the grill. “True enough, but lately, my prayers include far too much asking God for forgiveness for losing my temper and being edgy.” The Bible story about turning the other cheek always came to mind, an answer from God, no doubt. But when the food business got the best of her, she lost all sense of reason. As if her truck’s brownish-purple paint wasn’t gaudy enough, now the thing had neon-pink and green spray paint. Add her duct-taped menus—the ones she’d replace as soon as she could afford to—and the truck didn’t give the most appealing first impression. “I’m trying to respond to conflicts peacefully by leaving, like today, even though every fiber of my being wanted to stay and fight.” “That’s so not fair.” Ava shook her head, her dyed-purple ponytail swinging side to side since she hadn’t put on a hairnet yet. “It took forever to obtain that permit, and you paid a hefty price for it.” “It’s still worth it to avoid the hassle of waiting for weekend events.” After selling her food at weekend events that didn’t require street permits for seven years, Vanessa had realized she’d never reach her goal of opening