Chapter 10 #2
“She also created an independent mentorship program. Look.” He clicks on another link, which opens a page titled Leading the Future. “Seems like she’s selecting a handful of promising start-ups in BC every year and investing in their growth.”
“That’s a lot of work,” Lola says.
“ Leading the future ,” I scoff. “Gotta love how humble she is.”
Lola rolls her eyes while James types her name into the search bar. When he hits Enter, hundreds of articles populate. One after another, they describe the projects she’s led since joining the company, and not only in BC. Thailand, Indonesia, Morocco. She’s been everywhere.
“Wait, scroll back,” I say.
He does, and one article in particular grabs my attention.
I lean in closer, squinting at the small print. “I didn’t know her dad was nearing retirement. Do you think she’ll take over?”
“She’s briefly mentioned here, but the journalist is floating other names as well. Hard to say. But she’s family. It would make sense.”
I hum. So she could be in the running to take over for her dad. And, conveniently, that’s happening at the same time she’s trying to get her project off the ground here. It’s just all… too coincidental.
“Looks like she got a degree in social science,” Lola says. “Wonder how that led her to what she does now.”
“Okay, fine.” I pick up the saucepan and take it to the sink. “She might not be as terrible as I originally thought, but I’m still not sold on her intentions in Pine Falls.”
Lola whirls around, brows furrowed. “But—”
“ However ,” I cut her off. “I’ll admit that it’s hard to be sold on something when I don’t know what that something is.
And it’s my fault we don’t have the details.
She deserves to be heard.” The guilt is back, a dull ache in my chest. “But I don’t know how to go about it now that the whole town hates her guts. ”
James clears his throat. “There might be a way that could also benefit you.”
Before I can ask him what he means, Daphne bursts into the kitchen, dressed in her flower-covered pajamas. “Did you make my hot cocoa?”
I slide the mug to her. “Here you go. Extra whipped cream.”
“Thank you.” She wraps her fingers around it and takes a sip. When she puts it down, a little white mustache spreads over her upper lip. “Lola, do you want Matt to make you one too?”
“Thanks, Daph.” She jiggles her beer. “Already set with mine.”
“Okay.” Without another word, my sister takes her hot chocolate to the couch. A second later, the faint sound of the TV reaches us.
“HGTV?” Lola cocks an eyebrow.
“That’s all she watches. Gardening shows every night.” I take another sip of my beer and turn to James. “You were saying?”
“Factually speaking,” he starts, pushing his glasses up, “you’re a pillar of our community.
Your store is thriving, and everyone knows and loves you.
You’re very respected. You could… help Zoey get a second chance to advocate for her project by using your positive influence on the people of Pine Falls. ”
“Okay… And how do you suggest I do that? I can’t force people to listen, and I won’t go around trying to convince them like I’m some kind of spokesperson. I won’t do the work for her.”
“No, but you can show them that you’ve changed your mind.”
“How?”
James stares at me, unblinking.
I’m growing impatient, ready to tell him to get to the point, when Lola sucks in a breath. “Oh, yes .”
He shrugs. “It’d work.”
“It could absolutely work,” she agrees. “I can’t believe you were the one to come up with the idea.”
Annoyance rolls through me. “Can someone fill me in? Please .”
Lola gestures for James to go ahead.
He draws a slow sip from his beer, taking his sweet-ass time. Eventually, he sets it down and narrows his focus on me. “You could pretend the two of you are dating.”
My stomach lurches. “Absolutely not.”
“Why not?” Lola exclaims. “As a romance bookstore owner, I’m an expert in the subject, and if I say it works, then it works.”
“Actually, Matt, it could benefit you as well,” James says, more pragmatic.
He tips the bottle to his mouth. “Maybe she’d accept you into her mentorship program.
I’m sure she gets hundreds of applications every year.
There’s no way she can go through all of them herself.
Request an in-person interview at their office.
Bypass the pre-selection process but still plead your case.
This could be exactly what you need now that you’ve lost your investment opportunity. ”
This is what I meant when I said James thinks about everything. He’s always ten steps ahead of the rest of us. I don’t love this plan, but it’s hard to deny that it makes sense.
I retrieve the school invoice from my back pocket and drop it on the table. “I got the bill for Daph’s tuition fees today.”
Lola unfolds the paper and winces. “Ouch.”
“Yeah.” I blow out a breath. “Three months to settle it.”
“That’s a lot of money, man.” James exchanges a look with Lola, then snaps his fingers. “Hey, you know who could help? Zoey.”
“She’ll never get on board.” Not after tonight.
Lola shakes her head. “I disagree. And it’s the two of us against one. That means you have to try. Group rules.”
My chest tightens. “I can’t fake date that woman.”
Can I? The pressure of my precarious situation is forcing me to consider it. But is making it happen worth putting my integrity in question? Worth fooling the people I love? Could I get close to her and live with myself, knowing who she is?
I suppose I wouldn’t be bound to anything. Neither would she. And I already know the chemistry is there. It wouldn’t be hard to sell it, though I’d need time to work past the mental hurdle that comes with the knowledge that she’s Oscar’s daughter.
We’d need to set clear boundaries. No crossing any personal ones, and Daphne is obviously one of them.
Fuck. I’m actually considering it. As if I need something else to make my already overcommitted days more complicated.
Before I entertain the idea of lying to the folks of this town, I have to know what Zoey’s plans are for Emile’s land. But other than that?
If being seen with me is enough to change people’s minds, if I have this much sway and influence, if her project really would benefit Pine Falls, then why the hell not? If it means securing the future of Daphne’s Wildflowers, thus allowing me to pay for my sister’s tuition, what do I have to lose?
“I don’t think it’ll be the solution to my problems.” I smooth back strands of hair that have escaped my bun. “But I don’t have any other grand ideas for how to come up with the money, so might as well run it by her.”
“It may not be a solution,” James counters. “But it’s definitely an opportunity for the store and for you.”
I look at the price of Daph’s tuition again. It’s an inescapable reminder that I don’t get to be picky. “Chances that she’ll agree are as high as the likelihood of the Cleveland Browns going to the playoffs.”
Lola tilts the whipped cream bottle to her lips again. “I don’t know what that means.”
I huff a laugh. “Nonexistent.”