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Chapter 27 - Bookstagram
Ruby
Jace and I plodded up to the door of Amber’s condo. I swear, I was still shaking from yesterday. Even though Vander and I had gone out for coffee last night and talked things through, I still desperately needed to talk to Amber and Minty.
The deception bothered me, and my pasted-on smile wasn’t working if Jace’s sidelong glances were anything to go by.
“You okay, momma?” Jace ventured in the car on the way over.
“Yes, agapimeno mou. It’s just this whole franchising venture that has me all twisted up.” That was true.
“Well, you don’t have to do it if you don’t want to,” Jace answered matter-of-factly.
I raised my eyebrows. “That’s true.”
I started to wonder if franchising would give me the satisfaction and fulfilment I hoped for.
The mental and physical stagnation leeched all my energy. I needed something new, something fresh. I’d thought about selling Spuds in the past, but I didn’t want to let go of that very physical link with my past, with my family.
What would I do if I didn’t have Spuds? I could look for something else, but a new job would be unpredictable. What if it required business trips? What if I had to go into Toronto for training?
My brow furrowed. Franchising was my best option to shake things up a bit without toppling my carefully balanced world.
“Just have fun tonight, Momma. Don’t worry about things.”
“Smart advice.”
I reached across the seat and caressed his soft cheek. Soon there would be downy fuzz on his face, and then he’d be shaving. I stopped that line of thought before I started blubbering about his wedding.
At Amber’s, he and Alex immediately retreated to the games’ room. Minty and Amber stood staring at me.
“What?” I snapped, irritably.
“What happened?” Amber’s eyes scanned my face worriedly.
Minty grabbed the mini tubs of ice cream. “Will we need these?”
I sighed and flopped down on Amber’s couch. “Bring them. No need for a bowl, just grab me a spoon.”
We curled up on the couch together. “So, you know how I had my second meeting with the franchising consultant yesterday?”
“Yes,” they answered.
“Well, it turns out it’s Vander’s company.”
Two mouths dropped open. I saw Minty’s brain working furiously behind her astonishment. “Didn’t he recommend that company to you?”
“Yes, sort of, I already had chosen them as one of my options.”
Minty moved over beside me and placed a comforting hand on my knee. “Start from the beginning.”
“I met with my consultant, Dylan, and everything went smoothly…”
Leaving the office, I felt much more confident, secure in the belief that Dylan knew what he was doing, and that I would have Vander’s guidance on top of that. I got all the way to my car when I realized I forgot my day timer in the meeting room. By the time I made my way back upstairs, the receptionist was no longer at her desk, so I sat down on the chaise lounge to wait.
I heard voices and laughter coming from the office down the hall. The door opened and I smiled as Dylan walked out, a huge smile on his face. Curious, I scanned the other faces in the group, then finally looked into the office through the open door.
Vander stood framed by the doorway, his suit jacket open over his wide chest, his hands tucked deep into his pockets, an easy smile on his handsome face.
