Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 68691 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 343(@200wpm)___ 275(@250wpm)___ 229(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68691 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 343(@200wpm)___ 275(@250wpm)___ 229(@300wpm)
This I knew. Roma have been around a long time, they’re part of the European family now despite their origins in India. But I was curious as to Tina’s role.
“And what did you do with your program?” I asked, “Did you cook meals, help with laundry, look after kids, that kind of thing?” I asked. I admit, it was a little condescending but she must have been what? Twenty maybe?
But the girl looked at me frostily.
“For your information, many Roma are successful entrepreneurs, they often open businesses like bodegas, restaurants, child-care facilities, you name it. A lot of them just need some start-up capital to get going, or some working capital to expand, so that’s where my program comes in. We provide loans to disenfranchised folks who otherwise have no way of accessing capital.”
“You mean microfinance?” I asked surprised. This was a hot topic in the economic development sphere, something that I’d encountered during my duties as Crown Prince. “You’re in the microfinance space?”
“Yeah, kind of,” the brunette acknowledged. “Not exactly microfinance because our loans are bigger. Microfinance usually implies loans of a five hundred dollars or less, like what Grameen did in Bangladesh, but we can do loans up to fifty thousand, so it’s more like small business lending.”
Now I was seriously impressed. I’d been expecting another batch of bimbos, girls who knew nothing about the world around them, heck, probably not even their own countries. But this girl was different. She had some serious smarts, citing Grameen in Bangladesh, the difference between microfinance and small biz lending, heck even start-up capital. I wanted to know more, a lot more, so I pulled out my trump card.
“You know, I’m the Crown Prince of St. Venetia. Maybe I could help you out, hook you up with some connections,” I offered casually.
Most girls melt the minute they hear the phrase Crown Prince, turning into big puddles, but the brunette was different. She paused for a moment, looking me straight in the eye.
“Thank you,” she said evenly, “I’m sure Roma Outreach would be grateful for your patronage and I’d be happy to put you in touch. Like I said, I worked for them last summer so I’m not there anymore, but I know people who’d love to hear from you.”
And I nodded. The girl was a professional. As with any non-profit, you never want to turn away any offers of help, especially from a rich and powerful donor. But that didn’t get me closer to my goal.
“What are you up to nowadays if you’re not with them?” I asked curiously.
And the girl fell silent for a moment.
“I’m at Miss Carroll’s,” she said with a smile, “meeting a lot of new people, like you,” she said, winking at me.
And I had to laugh then. Both of us knew that Miss Carroll’s was a finishing school, a bride factory for the rich and famous of Europe. So for her to describe it as “meeting new folks” was refreshing, a casual take on the very serious business of husband hunting. And I ate it up.
“How about I help you out?” I asked in a rush. God, I was like a happy golden retriever, bouncing at her heels, hoping to be petted. “I’ll put in a word with Miss Carroll’s, there are some Roma here that you could work with. I’ll set it up.”
And for the first time, the brunette cracked a smile, the rays basking me in warmth.
“Would you?” she asked breathlessly, that beautiful rack lifting as she inhaled. “Would you? I feel like it’s the only way I could get away, they practically have us chained up at the house. But if you, the Prince, put in a good word maybe I could get away for an afternoon.”
“Sure,” I said with my best grin. I couldn’t help but smile back, she was so joyous suddenly, lit up from within, eyes flashing with light. “Just give me a couple days and I’ll figure it out.”
“Thanks,” she said softly, for the first time shy in my presence. Ah ha, so the alpha female had a feminine side too huh? When she wasn’t protecting her precious Roma, she was a woman still, with emotions, feelings, and real vulnerabilities. “I’d like that,” she said.
And so I took her hand again, my big fingers circling that delicate limb, and kissed her wrist on the inside again, my lips trailing against the sensitive skin. Her eyes grew wide, pupils enlarging, and she gasped a little, her pulse fluttering under my fingers.
“I’ll see you around,” I rumbled with a smile before turning away. My head felt light, my heart singing because I hadn’t met someone this fresh, this lovely … well, ever in my life. And I was definitely going to be seeing Tina again soon. Very soon, if I had anything to do with it.