During the end of our first year, Dad got really sick. I flew back home to be with him, continuing my projects online. Dad gave us that first company to reach out to. With him dying in the hospital, I didn’t want to be states away, so I deferred the rest of my program, pitched the idea to my cousins, and we decided to give it a shot. Marketing for large companies, working with artists to create one-of-a-kind material agencies couldn’t find anywhere else, and connecting them with other businesses that aligned with their ideas took off like a forest fire.
Family Farms was our first company out of Minnesota that we signed. That check allowed me to get the acreage for Dad outside of Shadowbrook, but closer to Faith, Minnesota. And set up our small hub in ruralNew York, so we could keep our connections and grow within a large marketing location. When Dad passed, I didn’t need to fly back and forth to Minnesota anymore, so I went deep into gaining clients.
We set our sights on California to find small up-and-coming companies that wanted to invest in themselves and us. I worked around the clock, hiding from my grief and building our empire into what it is today, but it became exhausting. Alester and Ryder wanted our next location to be closer to where we all grew up. Faith, Minnesota, is too small of a town for a marketing company, but there are plenty of cities nearby for our work to succeed. I knew I needed to face my dad’s ghost of memories, so here we are. Building a base near where it all started. Faith is where Ryder and Alester’s families are. About two hours from Shadowbrook. It’s a small town where everyone knows everyone, and you could spend the day walking through downtown enjoying all the small businesses. It’s full of sympathetic smiles when they see me, so I’ve avoided it for the last eight years as much as possible.
Lost in my head, I shake myself out of my thoughts and glance from the window to my computer. I shoot a couple of more promising applications over to Ryder and Alester as we pull up to the club.
How did so much time pass already?
I close my computer and slide it into my bag, ready to get this over with.
The bass from inside the building is vibrating thevehicle. I rub my hands over my eyes and glance up at Thomas. “I won’t be long. Stay somewhat close, but get a nice dinner.”
He chuckles at me as I slide out of the vehicle, not giving him a chance to come around, and make my way inside. He never listens to me about the dinner, but I wouldn’t mind. I could always go for a long walk to clear my mind. Stop thinking about work for half a second.
Sometimes that scares me, though, because if I’m not thinking about work, I’m probably going to start thinking about one of the hardest days of my life.
CHAPTER 3
Alexandra
Ashlyn is barrelingthrough the door before I can get it fully open. You’d think she was the one being cheated on with how hard she shoulder-checks my door. Her silver dress with heels clicking across my floor promises trouble.
“I can’t believe the nerve of that asshole!” she roars. “Who does he think he is? He’s not even that good looking to be going after more than one woman at a time!” She flings her hand behind her. “I picked up Jaz on the way.”
She’s rambling, so I lean against the counter and let her have it.
“We’re all going out.” Ashlyn continues. “I’m calling in the 6-1-1. No excuses. You go where I say.”
The 6-1-1 is a rule we made up when we became friends. In case of an emergency, one friend can call uponthe code, ensuring the others follow, no matter what. It works best when dealing with introverted friends.
Jaz hangs back, leaning against the wall near the doorway while holding the bottles of wine I had requested. Her black hair hangs in loose curls down her back and almost matches her leather jacket and jeans. Black is her signature color, and she looks damn good in it.
I look down at my oversized hoody and yoga pants with fluffy socks, feeling underdressed. Especially since I am ready to binge New Girl in my room with my best friends given the couch is untouchable.
Ugh.I loved that couch. Now I have to go shopping for a new one. My head snaps to the ceiling as I wonder how I got so lucky to have to deal with this shit.
I glance back at Ashlyn and sigh when she snaps her fingers at me. “Fine, whatever,” I say. “I’ll go under two conditions.” Before she can jump in and say the 6-1-1 allows for no conditions, I continue, “One, we get rid of this plague-infested couch first. And two, I’m not changing.”
Their heads swivel between each other and back to me with wide eyes.
“I’m going in this. I don’t need to attract attention tonight like you.” I flourish my hand towards Ashlyn’s entire being. “With your gorgeous body in that glittery silver thing you call a dress with those insane heels. And you,” I point at Jaz, “looking all cool and mysterious. I’mjust going to have a drink or five and forget the name Taylor.”
Jaz is shaking trying to hide her laugh behind her hand, while Ashlyn looks at me with a devilish grin that makes me groan internally. “Who said we were going to a bar?”
“Oh no,” I groan. “Not the club.”
Ashlyn comes over and squeezes me tight, then looks at me with puppy dog eyes.
Ugh.“Fiiine. Let me get my shoes.”And get out of these fuzzy socks…No one wants sweaty toes.
Jaz’s chuckle echoes from the doorway. “Cool. Well, I’m going to do a round in your building, see if there’s any guys walking around I can talk into moving that thing.” She nods at the offending couch. “I don’t want to mess up my nails.” She slides the bottles on the counter before heading out the door.
I raise an eyebrow at Ashlyn, but she shrugs. “You know she’ll find someone. She always does.”
Fifteen minutes later, three guys are sliding the couch into some guy’s first-floor apartment. I refused to touch the thing.
Jaz made it halfway down the hall before running into a group of guys carrying a case of beer and a couple pizzas towards an apartment a few doors down. One of those men knew a guy on the first floor who’d just moved in after his first semester of college. Dorm life supposedly didn’t suit him. I told him it was free as-is, and he didn’tquestion it. Not my job to tell him other things happened on it.
