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Chapter One
- Lilly -
Ismiled to myselfas the little bell over the door rang. I couldn’t help adding that little nostalgic touch. A small gold bell on a hook, ringing every time someone walked into the boutique...myboutique.
“I’ll be done in a few minutes,” I murmured. “I just want to finish this rack.”
Martin’s appearance meant it was time to go home. I stayed late nearly every night, making sure each detail was exactly the way I wanted. The lights rarely dimmed until Gabriel called and told Martin to drag me out of the store. I think my brother was worried about his investment, but it was more likely that his concern was fueled by his guilt. After all the bad things had happened—so many that I still cried if I thought about them too long—Gabriel had reluctantly agreed to give me a loan to finally open my boutique.
I had already spent months stuck at home. I used that time to create my business plan, build a website, and shop for my inventory. Once I had my freedom again, I didn’t waste any time. By mid-March, I had the money I needed to rent a small shop in downtown Bridgeport, with plans to expand at a later date.
Much to my family’s surprise, I was a hands-on business owner. The store only needed a small amount of remodeling, but I was on site every day with my designer, making choices about flooring and cabinetry. I even helped with some of the painting, something Gabriel didn’t believe I did until he came to pick me up himself one night. I had one last set of shelves to cover in black onyx paint, and he showed up, expecting me to drop what I was doing and head home with him. Instead of leaving like the dutiful sister, I slapped a roller in his hand and told him the sooner we got the shelf done, the sooner we could leave. He frowned at first, then he smiled, rolled up his sleeves, and helped me finish the remaining fixtures. We had used that time to talk, to... reconnect.
The last few months hadn’t been kind to us. As a result, we hadn’t been kind to each other. Things had occurred that I did not know of until they had played out, and while that certainly wasn’t unusual, for the first time in my life, it was bothersome. Worrisome.
Overwhelming emotions enveloped me. The confusion had put me in a bad place and the boutique was the only thing that had helped me move forward.
Gabriel hadn’t wanted me to open “Lilliana’s.” I know he was still worried about the repercussions he expected to come from the events of the last few months, but Mama was on my side. She stood by me, wearing him down with each conversation we had about my business endeavor.
But I think it was more than just her motherly powers of persuasion that worked on Gabriel.
I think Dante was the real influencer... my beloved older brother, who I hadn’t seen in months. One day, he was home. A week later, he just... disappeared. Gabriel kept me calm, telling me time and time again Dante could take care of himself. Something serious had happened while Dante and Noemi had gone on a vacation together before Christmas. About a week after they returned, Noemi moved in with us, at Dante’s insistence, but then, a few months later, she disappeared, too. Gabriel told me not to worry, that she was fine, but he refused to tell me how he knew that.
I didn’t speak to him for a week. I slammed my bedroom door in his face one night when he flat out refused to tell me everything he knew about why the two of them had disappeared without so much as a goodbye, a note, or a freakin’ “see ya later.” To say that I was angry with all of them was an understatement. Noemi wasn’t just my best friend, she was the sister I never had.
I missed her.
I squeezed my eyes shut and pushed away the not-so-distant memories.
Even though Dante hadn’t been here to be part of the decision making, I know he was the one who got Gabriel to change his mind about helping me open my store.
The day Gabriel told me he was “loaning” me the money, he slipped up.
“You still need to be careful,” he’d said. “Two–no, make that three–guards around the shop. At all times. That’s not negotiable,” he insisted as we sat in his home office, reviewing my business plan.
“No problem,” I eagerly agreed. And I’d meant it. Opening my shop was too big of an opportunity for me. I wouldn’t mess it up by ditching my guards again. Ever. Those days were over.
Gabriel had asked me how much money I needed, and I showed him my calculations.
“I’m impressed,” he’d said thoughtfully after he reviewed my proposal. “You’ve put a lot of work into this.”
“I’ve been working on it for months,” I said, sheepishly alluding to all the time I’d spent sitting around the house, keeping Noemi company at first, then having a near breakdown when she and Dante fell off the face of the earth.
“I can see that,” he murmured, stroking his goatee. “But there’s one problem.” He pointed to a highlighted number at the bottom of the last page. “That’s not enough.”
I shook my head. “Sure it is. If you turn to the details on the second page, you’ll see what the monthly expenses are. I thought of everything, from electricity to rent. I even included an extra 7% for any unforeseeable increases. I was a bit conservative on the inventory, but I added a monthly increase. That’s on page five. If you look–”
He let me blather on for a few more minutes before the odd smirk on his face made me stop.
“Don’t irritate me,” I griped at him. “Why are you smiling like that?”
“Because we’re proud of you, that’s why.” He sat forward in his leather chair. “You worked hard on this, and we know it. When I said this amount wasn’t enough, it wasn’t because your figures were wrong. It’s because Da–...wewant you to have more. I’m increasing what you’ve asked for. Doubling it, actually.”
Stunned, I sat back. “But that doesn’t make sense. I’m not sure I can pay back double, Gabriel. It could be a year, maybe more, before I turn a profit. I’ll be lucky if I can hire someone to help in the next month or two. I think you’re being too optimistic.”
I met his serious gaze across the table.
“I appreciate you looking out for my investment, but you don’t have to pay it all back. That second half is a gift.”
