Page 135 of Lucky Laces
I hate that she’s right.
Almost as much as I hate the expression on her face right now—the one that’s resigned and worn down.
Like she’s already given up.
Accepted that the world will turn on her.
“You’re not quitting,” I say.“If there ever comes a time when one of us has to go, that person will be me.”
“No, Huddy?—”
I cup her jaw.“It.Will.Be.Me.”
Her eyes fill with tears and I can’t take it anymore.I drag her out of her chair and into my arms.“I love you,” I whisper.“And I’ve lived my dream.I’m not letting you give up yours.”
“How could I live with myself if you?—”
“It’s not going to happen,” I promise.“Because neither of us are going anywhere.”
“And we actually have an opportunity here if we play it right,” Toni says gently.
Dee pulls out of my arms, sinks back into her chair, and sighs.“I don’t want to have to think about playing things right or wrong.I just want to live my life.”
“Tough shit.”More sharp words from Jean-Michel.
Right.
One sharp rejoinder was bad enough.
A second is two too many.
A third…isn’t going to happen.
“You need to give us the room,” I tell them.“And you”—I hold Jean-Michel’s gaze—“need to watch your fucking tone.”
The girls fall quiet.
Jean-Michel glares at me.
I hear a surreptitious snap and whip my head around, glaring at Stephanie.
She puts her hands up, palms out.“Just in case we want to use that later.”
Toni nods, and I transfer my glare to her.“The protective boyfriend.Those thunderstorms in your gray eyes.Total chef’s kiss.”She glances at Stephanie, who holds up her phone.“If this man doesn’t score a brand deal from this?—”
Brand deals.
Influencers.
TikToks.
Fuck my life.
Yet, even as I’m thinking that, something shifts in my mind and a memory surfaces.Of a very different sort of video by a very different kind of influencer.
And suddenly the pieces start coming together.
I just need to get DeeDee on board.
