Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 56247 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 281(@200wpm)___ 225(@250wpm)___ 187(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56247 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 281(@200wpm)___ 225(@250wpm)___ 187(@300wpm)
“He doesn’t cook.” Parvati batted her gorgeous dark eyes at me when she passed by. She was a couple inches taller than me and had a slender, feminine body that caught all the eyes.
“No,” he laughed. “I could never cook like you.”
“Oh, I know,” she laughed over her shoulder as she made it to the grill. I could smell the roasted tomatoes and fresh mozzarella she was using for her signature bruschetta. I could have melted.
“Dad, listen, I know you worry, but you don’t have to. I’m doing just fine here. I love that I get to work with you and see you all the time.”
He had me ready to tear up. His creased bright eyes and that grin that said I know you aren’t happy were just staring back at me. What was I supposed to say?
“You need me to run this tray out?” Parvati called back to me.
“No, I’m coming.” I hurried up and grabbed the tray. In the process, I shot my dad a simple smile, and that time it wasn’t forced. I knew he felt bad that he couldn’t pay for my education, but he didn’t realize how bad I felt for him. My dreams and goals were all I’d talked about for the previous two years and all it did was make him aware that he couldn’t give me the life I’d always wanted.
I was an adult, though. I was determined to get myself to Yale, and after I would graduate and start my own business; I planned to make sure he never had to work another day in his life.
Back in the café, I delivered the Patterson’s brunch and took the new customer’s order. It was almost ten, which meant I would have a quiet moment to myself before long. I started a fresh espresso for my latte, and a moment later, my dad came out from the kitchen.
“Beetle, I’m headed back over to the Inn. I’ll see you at home later.”
“Sure thing, Dad,” I told him just before the espresso machine popped and sizzled out some steam.
“Add the water,” he said as he headed out the door.
“I know. Add the water.” I rolled my eyes. You’d think I could make a decent latte without forgetting something as essential as water.
“Girl,” Parvati’s voice stabbed my ears from behind. I jumped and spilled the water from the cup before I even had a chance to pour it in the machine.
“Shit!”
“Sorry!” She laughed at me—like usual—and within seconds, I started to laugh too. “I want to show you something.” She came and took my hand. Her eyes scanned over the café as the last customer got up to leave. “Come on.”
We were in the kitchen before I could ask her what was so important that she couldn’t wait two seconds for me to make my espresso. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and began scrolling through a few things before glancing up at me. Her eyes scanned over my face for a pause, and it made me want to laugh at her, but before I could, she turned off her screen and shoved the phone into her back pocket.
“Okay, first of all, you know I love you, right?”
“Yeah,” I answered slowly. Where this was going, I didn’t know, but I was totally starting to get butterflies in my stomach.
“And you know I only want the best for you.”
“Okay, what’s going on?”
Parvati stared me down for another few seconds before caving.
“Alright, alright, I just don’t want you to think I’m crazy.” She tugged her phone out of her pocket and unlocked the screen.
“Do you remember when my friend Lucy from culinary school came to visit last month?”
I nodded along.
“She was telling me about her friend back in the city. She got a job working for a sugar daddy.” Parvati’s voice quieted at the end as she went and looked through the little window of the kitchen door. No one had come inside, or we would have heard the bell over the front door ding. But talking about a sugar daddy was reason to be cautious. “She made ten thousand dollars every month!”
“Ten thousand?” Okay, I couldn’t believe any job would pay that much, but I was all ears.
“You’d have all the money you could need for Yale, and it would only take you the summer. Jourdanne, you can attend in the fall like you want.” Parvati’s eyes softened as she touched my arm.
She was like the sister I never had. We’d been so close for so long, ever since the year when she moved to town. She always cared about and looked out for me.
“But what exactly is a sugar daddy?” Sure, I had heard the term tossed around a little. An older guy who pays for everything for a younger woman. Right? But why would he do that? Out of love? Not exactly.