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And that is where we are tonight. My brand is called “Fruits of Life.” It started out as a partnership with the estate, but soon afterwards—and with the help of a well-thought-out social media campaign—it blew up almost overnight into a wellness phenomenon.
“It’s so crowded,” Kace remarks as he joins me by the juice bar, eyes wide with joy and astonishment. “I was expecting a full house, but this is something else.”
“I know,” I manage, my voice trembling with emotion.
It’s a good thing I’m wearing this long, fuchsia summer dress. It dulls the blush of my cheeks, because I’m absolutely amazed and humbled by the turnout. Elias bought this space about six months ago. We’re on the ground floor of a business center in downtown Sacramento, perfectly positioned for what is already a booming business.
“It’s a good thing,” Kace says. “A great thing.”
“You almost sound sad,” I reply, smiling warmly at him.
“I’m just worried you’ll end up spending more time here than on the estate. It means we’ll see less of you,” he shrugs, giving me a worried look. “But don’t mind me, I’m just being selfish for a minute or two. You have our full support, as always.”
Finn comes over, Mikey sternly shadowing him. They look so cute, wearing their matching teal training suits. Finn had them custom made at his favorite sportswear boutique in Hollywood, specifically for this occasion. Elias is carrying Amber in his arms. She is a vision in white, half-asleep on her daddy’s shoulder, while her two other daddies melt at the mere sight of her.
“What’s up?” Finn asks, as sunny as always. “Why the gloomy face, bro?”
I rest my hand on Kace’s shoulder. “He’s sad because he thinks I’ll be spending more time here than on the estate,” I say. “But I was just about to tell him that it’s only temporary, until I’m sure about the management of operations. This is only the beginning of a brand franchise.”
“You’ve got a great location manager here,” Elias confirms. “How many people did you interview before you settled on this guy? What’s his name again?”
“Fabian,” I say. “I interviewed about a dozen people, if I remember correctly.”
“And look at him rocking this place already!” Finn says.
We all follow his gaze to find young Fabian mingling with the crowd of future customers and potential brand partners. We’ve got so many people in the studio right now, it’s mind-boggling.
I couldn’t be more proud or excited.
“Fabian is what, twenty-something?” Kace asks me.
“Yup. But he actually spent a couple of years in India studying, unlike others who only put that on their resume to make it look better,” I reply with a wry smile. “At least I was always honest about that.”
“It doesn’t matter, anyway,” Finn says. “We’re going to India next month.”
“Oh,” I pause, not expecting to hear that. “Wait, what?”
He laughs, and it quickly becomes obvious that all three were in on it. “I booked everything on Sunday. It felt like the perfect grand opening present for you, my love,” Finn says.
“Amber can’t go,” Mikey says, pouting with understandably good reason.
“She’s too little for this trip. But we’ll take her some other time, I promise,” Kace replies with a warm smile.
“You’re serious,” I shift my focus back on Finn. “We’re really going to India.”
“You’ve always wanted to go,” he says with a casual shrug. “I already spoke to Nikki. She’ll gladly stay with Amber while we’re gone.”
“We’ve got quite the tour planned, by the way,” Elias says. “Including the Himalayas.”
My jaw practically drops to the floor as I realize that they’ve actually done their homework for this itinerary. “Don’t tell me we’re gonna see the Dharamshala!” I gasp.
“We absolutely are going to see the Dharam… whatever,” Elias chuckles.
Finn gives me a confused look, while Kace takes Amber in his arms for a while. “What’s that, exactly?” Finn asks.
“It’s just one of the most sacred destinations for any self-respecting yogi,” I blurt out. “It served as a shelter for the Dalai Lama during his exile. It’s in the heart of the Himalayas. Oh, I’m so excited!”
I’m practically bouncing with glee as I throw my arms around Finn’s neck and cover his face with loving kisses. “Ah, my favorite part of the day,” he chuckles, welcoming me into his embrace.
