In addition to the money, a nationwide marketing campaign, and the mentorship, the winner would also be given an opportunity to borrow up to two million dollars from the investment firm. Their flexible payback model, which wouldbe based on revenue and not a set monthly payment, was one of the most generous terms Ashanti had ever seen.
Winning this contest would negate the need for a traditional loan. As much as she abhorred the thought of taking on such enormous debt, knowing she wouldn’t have to start paying it back until her business showed a profit made it easier to swallow.
Shehadto win this contest.
However, in order to win it, she had to convince people to vote for Duchess Delights utilizing the nationwide online voting method the contest had set up. She was up against four other Black women-owned businesses, including a natural hair care line that was already gaining popularity and the country’s first Black woman-owned microbrewery.
But there was one thing she had that none of those other contestants did: the chance to get her name out there on a national stage. This contest and the segment on Leah and Luke’s show truly could not have come at a better time. Ashanti had no choice but to believe it was kismet.
“That’s all I have for now,” Dominique said. She handed Ashanti and Thad a square black card with a QR code on one side and in bold lettersDOM. on the other. “I will text you both daily. Many of these parts are still moving, so you will need to be agile.”
With that she told Ridley she would see her at some mixer next week and left the condo.
Evie hooked a thumb toward the door. “You cannot tell me that Dom is not short for dominatrix. I was afraid to breathe around her.”
“Even I’ll admit Dom is a bit scary, and I’m not afraid of anything,” Ridley said. “But she is one of the best in thebusiness and there are a bunch of people who are jealous of you both right now because you got the chance to work with her.” She pointed at Ashanti and Thad. “Do not blow this. It’s rare to get this kind of opportunity.”
Thad pushed back from the table. “I’ll do my best,” he said. “I still need to pack, so I should get going.”
“You haven’t packed yet?” Ridley said. She dropped her head on the table in one of her signature overly dramatic Ridley moves. Her head popped up. “Weren’t you in the Army? Isn’t your slogan ‘Be Prepared’?”
“That’s the Boy Scouts,” Thad said. He snapped his fingers and Puddin’ came to stand next to him.
“You got him to follow a command,” Ashanti said. “You’re making progress.”
“Don’t get too excited. We still hate each other,” Thad said. “Nice meeting you,” he said to Evie. To Ashanti he asked, “Do you have a ride to the airport?”
“Puddin’ will need a travel crate,” Ashanti said. “I have extra at the daycare.” She looked at Evie. “Maybe you could bring us in the van?” Evie had a van that she used for making house calls to her clients. “Meet us at Barkingham Palace in an hour?”
“You got it, babe,” Evie said.
Thad left and Ashanti started gathering her things as well. She didn’t want to admit to Ridley that she had not yet packed either. This was all moving so quickly, she barely had time to breathe since getting that email from the show producer yesterday.
“Don’t be nervous, Shanti,” Evie said.
“I’m not—”
“Your hands are shaking,” Ridley said.
She blew out a breath. “This is just… a lot. Podcasts, radio, live on TikTok? And I just realized this is the first time I’ve ever taken Duchess on an airplane. The farthest I’ve traveled with her is the Alabama Gulf Coast for that beach vacation the girls and I took a couple of summers ago.”
Evie walked up to her and captured her shoulders in her hands. “You will be fine. Duchess will be fine. It will all befine, Shanti.”
Ashanti nodded and tried to swallow past the lump in her throat. It didn’t feel fine. It felt slightly chaotic. Couple that with the fact that she had to do all of this alongside Thad and his gorgeousness, and she would need Evie to prescribehersome anxiety meds before the plane ever started taxiing down the runway.
“Trust me,” Evie said. “Everything is going to go wonderfully.” She looked Ashanti in the eyes. “But I do have one request, and it’s an important one.”
“What?” Ashanti asked, alarmed by the seriousness in her tone.
Evie took her by the hands and squeezed them tight. “Promise me that you will spend at least one night in New York letting that man do the filthiest shit imaginable to you.”
“Preach!” Ridley said, throwing both palms up in the air like she’d just caught the Holy Ghost.
“Evie, stop it,” Ashanti said, wrenching her hands away.
“Promise me, Shanti.”
“I expect stuff like that from this one.” She nodded toward Ridley. “Not you.”
