Page 107 of Love Thy Neighbor

“You sold out.”

River’s words snap me from my fog.

“Huh?”

“You. Sold. Out.”

“I…did?”

She nods enthusiastically. “All of them. Gone. I just did the count. Checked it three times. Congrats, you’re officially a sellout!”

Cooper occupied my mind so much today, I paid little attention to my designs on display. Didn’t fret over it. I thought for sure when River started hanging my stuff on the rack, I’d have a panic attack, but nothing came. I was too busy trying to figure out how a man who’s never once lied to me before could suddenly do it so effortlessly. How he could betray me without flinching.

But hearing that I sold all thirty pieces? For the first time today, I feel something other than the dull ache in my chest.

I was so scared I’d fail if I put myself out there that I never really considered flourishing, and that’s exactly what happened.

“See?” she says, bumping her shoulder into mine. “I said you’d kick major ass, didn’t I?”

I blush. “You did.”

“And can you believe that lady boughtsixpieces?” Maya squeals, giddy about the day. “That’s like a whole wardrobe! We killed it!”

In addition to me selling out, we sold over half of our inventory and got a ton of foot traffic with promises to visit the full shop.

“We really did, and I’m so proud of us,” River says. “But I just have to say, we owe so much of today’s success to the lady of the hour…” She looks right at me when she says it. “I have no doubt it was your display out front that encouraged so many to come into the truck.”

“No way,” I argue. “It was a group effort.”

“Sure, but we couldn’t have done as well as we did if we didn’t have such a strong attention grabber.Youattracted those sales.Yourdesigns did that. You totally saved us last minute.”

“We’d have done amazing even without that.”

“Stop arguing and just be proud, dammit!” She laughs, then reaches across the counter and squeezes my hand. “Because I sure am. I’m thankful you took a chance and put yourself out there. I know it was hard for you to do, but I’m beyond grateful.”

“Ditto,” Maya says, nodding and smiling.

“Nowdo you believe me?” River says. “You totally killed it. You deserve a spot in the store full time.”

I balk, and she laughs.

“Okay, okay. Maybe you aren’t ready for that just yet, but what about putting a few pieces up on the website? I was thinking of launching them next month for our anniversary.”

“Next month? Already?”

“Hell yes already. I want to keep this momentum going, baby. I don’t want to chance you losing your confidence and changing your mind. You’re on fire—let’s keep it that way.”

Iamfeeling good… “How many are we talking?”

“Hmm…let’s say five styles? Various sizes on each, of course. Is that doable?”

I grin. “I think I can do that…although, you know, Idohave a full-time job and my boss is a little bit of a hard-ass sometimes.”

“Yay!” She claps her hands together. “We’ll talk logistics on Tuesday, get a contract hammered out and whatnot. Oh! Speaking of…” She shuffles through the various binders in front of her, pulling out a financial one. She scribbles on a check, then rips it out and hands it my way. “Your commission.”

My throat constricts as the check slips into my grasp.

Tears begin to well in my eyes, but I blink them away, not wanting to cry in front of them.

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