Total pages in book: 110
Estimated words: 107204 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 429(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107204 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 429(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)
I laughed at her childlike excitement. “I’m good. Hoping one day to be as good as you are,” I joked.
“Oh, I think you will. But first”—Tatiana shoved the clipboard toward me—“The fall festival is approaching. I need you to sign up for the annual Snack on Hillstack Picnic Dates.”
I sighed and shook my head. “I’ll be skipping this year.”
“What? You can’t! It’s been a tradition since before you were born, and you took part in all of them for over a decade.”
“Yes,” I agreed, “but that was when I had a partner to purchase my basket. Now that Cole and I broke up, I won’t stand there and embarrass myself when no one picks me for a date.”
“Are you kidding? People will pick you. Plus, it’s for a good cause this year.”
“What cause is it?”
“The Pup Around the Corner.”
My eyes flashed with emotion as I sat back a little. Each year for Snack on Hillstack, the community voted to raise money for a local business. The event took place on the giant hill because of the remarkable view. In one direction, you could see Chicago’s skyline in the background, and the lakefront in the other. It was stunning all around.
“What?” I said, stunned by the realization that they would support my shop with the event. “No way. You can’t…”
“The board already decided on it. It’s a done deal. So you have to partake in the activity.” She pointed a stern finger at me. “Don’t you dare cry, Yara. I cry when others cry, and I just got my lashes done. I cannot cry for forty-eight hours. Hold it in!”
I sucked in my trembling bottom lip and tried not to release a floodgate. She had no clue how much the business was struggling. She had no clue how helpful this was going to be for me. Unless she did know, which was possible seeing how Tatiana knew everything about everyone.
She probably knew what color underwear I had on in that very moment.
I narrowed my eyes. “Why do I feel like you had something to do with my shop being picked?”
“The perks of being head of the community board,” she sang. “Besides. We wanted it to go to someone deserving. That’s you, Yara.”
“You have no clue how much I needed this.”
“Oh, but I do know. You better stop letting those people get away without paying Yara Kingsley. Your mother would’ve lost her mind if she knew women like Mrs. Levels were pulling a fast one on you.”
She was right.
If anyone knew how my mother would’ve reacted to things, it was Tatiana. She was her best friend, after all. After Mama passed away, Tatiana stepped in for us girls to look up to. We leaned on her most with issues Daddy could never understand. I’d always valued having her in our lives. I couldn’t imagine getting through the loss of Mama and the growing pains of being a woman without Tatiana in our corner.
“I’m working on building my backbone,” I told her.
“You don’t need a backbone to tell someone to piss off and pay up,” she replied. That was exactly what Avery and Willow would’ve said that, too.
“But go ahead,” she said, tapping the sign-up sheet for the event. “Add your name.”
“Tatiana.” I groaned. “Seriously. What if no one bids for my basket?” I would be humiliated. I couldn’t imagine standing on that stage without choosing it.
Tatiana seemed less than worried as she waved me off. “Don’t be ridiculous. Someone will pick your basket.”
“With the way Cole is scaring these men off from me, I wouldn’t be shocked if no one purchased it.”
“Cole and his stupid followers aren’t the ones we want purchasing your basket, anyway. We want a real man to pick it up. Speaking of…”
Oh no.
Her big, goofy smile returned. “You know how the last time we talked, you mentioned being interested in dating again?”
“Yes…”
“And you mentioned how you felt like no man has a crush on you or they are afraid of Cole?”
“Yes. I recall my sad story,” I joked. “What’s your point?”
“I found a man for you.”
I chuckled in disbelief. “I’m sorry, what?”
“I found a man for you,” she repeated. “A handsome one at that.”
“Is he British?”
“British? No. But his voice is smooth and deep like a dark roast coffee. He’s so good-looking, Yara.”
So the guy wasn’t Josh.
Hmm.
She piqued my interest. “Who is this guy?”
“Alex Ramírez. My new boss.”
I almost choked on my next breath. “The owner of Isla Iberia?”
“Yes! That’s him.”
“The tall, dark, and unapproachable owner?”
She nodded. “You've noticed him!”
That’s saying the least.
“I have. I can confidently say that that is not the man for me.”
“What? He’s sweet.” I cocked an eyebrow at her. She readjusted her words. “Okay, he’s a little rough around the edges.”
I huffed. “A little?”
“A lot.” She waved her hand around in a dismissive way. “But that’s not his fault. He’s been through a lot.”