by Karen Gordon
♪ ☺ ♥
Step 1: Deliver the truck full of stuff to Robert and Todd
Step 2: Fly to New York to meet with Randy and Amber
Step 3: Present their business plan and ask Randy for the money to finance it.
Step 4: Rent a truck and get MG’s stuff from school
Step 5: Drive to St. Louis
Step 6: Put a down payment on a house and MG start their business while Steve keeps his job.
Step 7: Live happily ever after.
MG added the last step in case they ever forgot when they were having a fight.
They lay in bed on their last night on the road. MG’s head was on his chest as she was making notes on their business plan.
“Wedding receptions.”
“Ewww.”
“I know, not my favorite either, but there is a lot of money to be made there. None of your sorority sisters are married yet. If even a few of them hired us …”
She grabbed on to his train of thought. “That’s true. And we’d probably get some good press if we did their receptions or engagement parties, or bridal showers, or baby showers, or …”
“Exactly. Robert does a lot of that press stuff. He and Todd are always working on getting interviews or photo spreads about their work. We could do that too.”
They were going to open an event planning business together. It was the perfect combination of their talents and skills. Between them they also had a huge potential client list in St. Louis, New York, and maybe even a few in LA. They had listed out start-up costs and a rough budget for the first year. The only thing missing was a name.
“Ulrich-Shrader?”
“Shrader-Ulrich?”
“Shrad-rich?”
He rolled his eyes and laughed at her. “That’s not working. We need something that says it’s ours, but is easier to remember.”
MG turned her head to look at him. “You’re my best friend and the love of my life.”
He hugged her closer with the arm he had draped across her stomach. “Same here, babe.”
“And we’re selling … fun … parties.”
“Parties for friends?”
She sat up and turned around and smiled at him. She had it.
“Parties for Friends and Lovers.”
It was perfect. Because it was them, and it was theirs.
Chapter 33
MG had chewed the cuticle on her thumb to the point it was bleeding. This meeting with Randy unnerved her to her core. Not only did she not want to make him mad, but her whole business plan with Steve hinged on them using her college money to start their business.
Randy pulled her thumb away from her mouth and held her hands under his on the table top.
“Talk to me.”
She glanced over at Steve who was sitting next to her. He silently cheered her on with his eyes.
“I want to quit school.” She said it quietly and to the table.
Randy breathed in a calming breath but didn’t let go of her hands.
MG mustered the guts to look up at him and face his possible anger. She had never had to do this before—stand up for herself and defy a parent. It felt both scary and bold and she never could have done this without Steve. He’d made his stand for himself, now it was her turn to do the same.
“What are you going to do? I’d tell you that you can come work for me, but I don’t want to offer you that and make quitting easy.”
She pulled her right hand from her dad’s and opened the notebook—the one with the business plan that she and Steve had created together. She turned it to face Randy and pushed it across the table.
“We,” she reached for Steve’s hand, “are starting a business together.”
Randy stopped scanning the page and looked up at MG and Steve. He couldn’t suppress a smile at the united front he was facing. He continued reading. MG and Steve sat in silence, watching him carefully read each page. When he was finished he shut the notebook.
“Someone knows how to write a business plan.” He smiled at them, “even if it is in pencil.”
MG beamed with pride at Steve. He had been the one to give her detailed instructions on what to write, and the order, and format to put it in. Then she giggled when he actually blushed a little, but quickly recovered and looked back at her father with a serious business face.
Randy scrubbed his hands down his face. “Fuck.” He shook his head. “Sometimes I really wish you were less like your mom and me.” He flipped through the notebook pages again. “I’ll tell you what, I’ll give you half.”
“Half the money we need?” MG’s tone implied relief, but also a need to clarify and possibly negotiate.
Randy laughed out loud, it was like working out a business deal with himself. “Half the money still in your college fund. I want to keep one year’s worth in there in case you change your mind” One look at the united front across from him and he knew that was a very unlikely scenario.
“Half, including room and board?”
“OK, room and board money too.” He laughed harder. “But that’s it … for now.”
♪ ☺ ♥
They had kept the start-up costs in their business plan low, with a total of only eighteen thousand, two hundred and fifty-six dollars. Randy was offering them sixty-five thousand dollars, with possibly more to come later. She wasn’t about to let his “for now” statement go unnoticed.
MG let herself sink into Steve’s arms and hugged him tight. The tension and fear she had built up before this meeting gave way to relief and joy. This was huge. Not the money, the event. This was the start of their life together. Instead of a big white dress and vows, they had start-up capital and a business plan, but it worked for them. They had always been a little off the beaten path.
MG called her mom to tell her the good news while Randy ordered a round of burgers and beers.
They talked more about their plans while they ate—potential office space, possible clients, and the house they wanted to buy in St. Louis; which turned into the three of them reminiscing and sharing stories of all their favorite places there. It was a fantastic, laid-back evening for MG with her two favorite men in this world.
Steve held her hand as they walked out of the restaurant and into the chilly spring air. They watched Randy drive away in his silent, little electric car and waved to him. Before he opened the car door for her, Steve pulled MG into a hug, inside the warmth of his jacket and looked up.
It was a clear night with a million stars visible. He stood silently for a moment, then smiled.
“What did you wish for?”
He leaned his head against hers “I didn’t.”
“Then what were you doing?”
“I was saying thank you to our lucky star.”
If you loved Steve & MG’s story….
And you haven’t read the first book in the Burnouts series, get ready to fall in love all over again.
Suburban Love Song
Burnouts book 1
Ben & Carrie’s story
Click HERE to start reading now!
Ben Gorman and Carrie Gould live in different worlds, right next to each other. For Ben high school is good grades, Jr. ROTC, and a steady girlfriend. For Carrie it’s sex, drugs and rock and roll. But on Carrie’s sixteenth birthday they cross the lines to meet in the middle over cake, then a church picnic, then a game of strip poker, until finally the lines are blurred and they can’t remember why they never connected before.
A clever, cheeky, romantic, gritty and fun story of first love, neighbors and opposites attracting.
They both need what the other has to offer—“You keep me safe I’ll make you wild.”
And …
Coming July 14, 2016
fearless flying
The Vivienne Series-book 1
Vivienne Ramsey is fearless at work and in love. She gives 110% to everything she does, sure that she can always reach her goals by sheer will and determination. But life can surprise you, plans change, a
nd all her over-thinking skills can’t bring back the man she loves or make her future more predictable. She needs a new plan, new dreams and the right people around her to help her (if she’ll let them).
She’s the boss babe you’ll cheer for as she rises to the top of the all-boys club of private jet sales in this innovative chick lit series. Vivienne represents every woman working to push past the glass ceiling, balance work and home life, and find love with a man who’s her equal.
I want you to get to know Vivienne so I’m offering you aFREE copy of “Fearless Flying”. Click here or go to KarenGordonAuthor.com and tell me where to send your book.
✈✈✈
Let’s Keep in Touch
I’ve got a fantastic free gift for anyone signed up for my mailing list when the Vivienne series is released, so sign up here . You will only be contacted when a new book is released, you address will never be shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Contact me.
Website: karengordonauthor.com
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @joiedemidvivre
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Burnouts Series - Karen Gordon Author
Pintrest: Karen@joiedemidvivre
Google+: Karen Joie de Mid Vivre
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank so many people who have helped me bring this story to you. I have to start with Kay, Marybeth, Jackie and Denise who made my high school years worth remembering and worth writing about. Dave, who inspired so many great stories (from so many girls). My sorority sisters, who were my partners in crime for too many lame-brained schemes.
The Beta Babes (Kay, Marybeth, Chrissy, Christine, Chris, Margaux, Megan, Natalie, Denisha, Rita and Lindsey) who read the rough draft for me and point me in a better direction when I’m lost. Chrissy Hooker, Editorial Goddess, who tirelessly rereads and then listens to me prattle on about marketing and reviews and the next book(s). Alex Stargazer, the only other member of our writers gang (we still need a gang sign) who is letting me share this cool indie publishing adventure with him.
To my fantastic cover designers Kitten at Deranged Doctor Designs (Popstars, Friends & Lovers: a dreamer’s tale) and Rebecca Berto from Berto Designs (Catch You If You Fall). Thank you for making me look so good and bringing Steve and MG to life.
A special thank you to Kristen Noel from Pretty Little Pages for all her encouragement and support of me as an indie author. To Whitney G, the best mentor an indie author could ever dream of—I’m going to name a kid after you, I swear. To all the Pay It Forward authors, you are my tribe, my peeps and I couldn’t do this author/business thing without you.
Finally, TY to the three amazing, sweet, kewl, cute geeky guys who are the reason I do everything. I love you Doug, Beau and Cole.
About the Author
Supporter of strong, sexy women in fiction and in life.
I was born and raised in the suburban paradise of St. Charles, Missouri, just outside of St. Louis. Growing up there started my love of extraordinary stories about ordinary places and people, finding excitement in the mundane. I currently write romance and chick lit but you never know what I might do next. In all my stories the women are smart, sexual and strong and you’ll never find a woman-hating “bad boy” hero.
I currently live with the loves of my life, three very kewl, geeky men and one perfect puppy, just outside of Memphis, TN.
