Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 95049 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95049 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
I wince at his words.
“I can’t tell you what to do,” he says, turning me so I’m facing him. “But I’m begging you not to go to work. Let Matteo catch this bitch, and then you can do whatever you want.”
I swallow thickly, tears pricking my eyes. I know he’s right. It’s not safe for me to leave the condo. But …
“I need to make a living,” I whisper.
It’s not just about being independent. It’s about not counting on anyone but myself. I know Lorenzo can afford to loan me the money, but I can’t do it. I can’t take a dime from him.
“I know,” he murmurs, tipping my chin up and kissing me softly on the lips. “And I will never try to clip your wings, baby, but this is life or death, and if you’re not alive …” He shakes his head. “I don’t want to live in a world where you don’t fucking exist, Vanessa. So, please …” He takes a step back, and I immediately miss his touch. “Please think about what’s important. Money or your life?”
He smiles sadly at me and then walks out the door, leaving me to make the decision myself. And even though it’s going to mean losing out on thousands of dollars, I already know that I won’t be going to work tonight.
“Hey.” I step into the living room, and Lorenzo looks up at me from the floor, where he and Leo are playing with his puzzle.
“Hey.”
“Mama!” Leo shrieks, making my heart swell in my chest.
Since he refuses to understand that I’m Vanessa and not Mama, we’ve given up on correcting him.
“Hey, Monkey.” I lift him into my arms and sit on the floor across from Lorenzo. “I was thinking since I’m no longer working nights, you could teach me how to cook. Might come in handy when I’m back in Seattle and don’t have you as my personal chef.”
Lorenzo’s shoulders visibly drop several inches. “Thank you.” He pulls me into his arms, and Leo squeals since he’s pulled along with me. “I can teach you to cook, but I think you’ll be too busy working.”
I snort out a laugh. “Did I get hired remotely somewhere that I don’t know about?”
“Actually, I was thinking you could work for yourself.”
Lorenzo’s eyes light up in excitement, and I quirk a brow, needing him to explain.
“Hear me out,” he says. “I’ve been thinking about it, and you have dozens of outfits that you’ve made, sitting in the closet upstairs, doing nothing. Online shops are huge right now. I have a website developer on retainer, and she can help you set one up. You can use the images the photographer took and put them on the website, and my marketing team can help you run ads. Your items are damn good quality, and with the right exposure, you can make an entire living from right here, selling the clothes you make.”
My jaw drops at what he’s saying, and as I wrap my head around his idea, trying to come up with a reason why this wouldn’t work, I can’t find a single one. Because he’s right. I have dozens of outfits I’ve made in various sizes—from infant attire to adult clothing. I can create an online closet and put them up for sale.
I glance at Lorenzo, who’s waiting for me to respond, and it hits me that instead of giving me the money to pay for school, he came up with a solution that would allow me to keep my independence while offering the resources he had at his disposal.
“Thank you!” I throw my arms around his neck. “You have no idea what this means to me. This is my dream, and I thought I had to graduate before taking the next step, but you’re right. I’ve been making and selling clothes for years, so why not take it to the next level?” My brain swirls with so many ideas—what the online shop will look like, the pricing … I’ll have to order cute packaging and set up a shipping area in my sewing room.
“What will you call it?” Lorenzo asks.
“The name on the label for my adult clothes will read Vanessa Baker, but the shop will be called …” I think for a moment, and then the perfect name comes to me. “Wild Card Trends.”
The second the name is out of my mouth, I love it.
“Wild Card Trends,” Lorenzo repeats with a grin.
“A wild card is unpredictable, just like clothing trends. I create whenever and whatever the mood strikes, so my inventory will vary.” I glance at Leo, who’s back to playing with his puzzle. “And the children’s clothing line will be called Monkeying Around.”
Lorenzo chuckles. “I love it. I’ll reach out to Glenda, my website developer, so she can get in touch with you.”