Page 125 of The Thing About My Secret Billionaire
There are knowing, silent nods from the audience.
“But you know what?” A warm, broad beam spreads across his face. “Donna and I had never had more fun or done anything more rewarding in our lives.” His voice wobbles on the final words.
Frankie turns slightly away from the audience and brushes away a tear. It’s a tiny, subtle action that most people wouldn’t notice. But I do. And it makes me want to push my way through the crowd, scoop her into my arms and tell her I’ll love her forever.
Sam clears his throat before launching into how to sign up to volunteer or donate. And once he’s wrapped up, Frankie takes center stage again.
“This place gets into your heart and your soul,” she tells everyone. “It was a vital part of my upbringing. And it’s taken a few hard lessons to learn it, but I’ve come to realize that still, to this very moment, it’s the most important part of me.”
Her grandpa takes her hand and pats it between both of his.
Frankie looks down at him before turning back to the crowd. “I hope you take away at least a little bit of it in your hearts when you leave today. Along with maybe a hoodie, or a mug, or even just a pen from our little gift shop over there.”
She points to two tables over to the left where a smiling woman stands behind a display of neatly folded clothing, drinkware and stationery, with a display of tote bags and donkey-centric holiday ornaments hanging on the wall behind her, and waves to everyone.
That stuff must have been what was in the boxesstacked up inside the front door next to the shoes and coats just a few days ago.
Frankie’s merch game is clearly strong. And she’s obviously fired up to make this whole thing work with the same life force, the same survival instinct, that I had when I had to step up and be the family breadwinner.
Seeing that in her gives me a surge of energy. A rush. A high.
Not only do I want to hang out with her, laugh with her, sleep with her, I also want to respect the everloving shit out of her.
If I don’t give begging for forgiveness one last shot, the biggest shot of my life, I will regret it for the rest of my existence. Even if she says no, which she has every reason to, at least I’ll know I tried.
My pulse races and my heart pounds with desperation for everyone to get the hell out of this barn so I can get on with the trying.
No one has opened my eyes to my own life the way she has—made me see that it’s not wrong to pause to smell the roses or the donkey dung, made me realize that the sky doesn’t fall in if I’m away from the office, that I can solve a toilet shortage crisis and a soccer player-selling dilemma from anywhere, and shown me that it’s more satisfying to achieve things with love than with revenge.
“Thank you so much for spending your Thanksgiving Saturday with us,” Frankie says. “Please enjoy the rest of your time here, getting to know the animals, playing some games, grabbing a hot drink and a pastry, knowing thatevery creature who comes here is protected, appreciated, and loved.” She clasps her hands over her heart. “This is a place where every animal can come into its own, live its best life,and be itself.”
“And it’s not only animals this place does that for.” I’m as surprised I said that out loud as Hockey Jersey Woman is.
She turns to look at me. As do the people around her. And some of those sitting in the back rows of the seats.
Fuck.
Okay.
I hadn’t planned to do this publicly.
But I guess I…am.
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
MILLER
There’s definitely a lot of staring at me going on.
Heart battering my ribs, I step around Hockey Jersey Woman and take off my cap.
Frankie goes rigid, her unwavering eyes fixed on me.
It’s impossible to tell if her expression is one of horror or delight, but whichever it is it definitely has a healthy dose of suspicion thrown in. I just have to make sure that by the end of this she’s totally on the side of delight.
“Sorry to hijack the talk,” I say, fighting a wave of nausea as I head down the center aisle of the seats. There’s no going back now.
“But it’s important to know,” I say to everyone in the room while my eyes never leave Frankie and hers never leave me, “that this magical spot that’s filled with love and caring can changepeopletoo.”
