Hard for the Money (A Bangers Book)

by Sarah Bale

  Turning to me, she asked, “Are we still going to Dallas in two weeks?”

  I nodded and she squealed. One of our favorite things to do as a group was to travel to Dallas for the weekend. We loved going to the “Big D” mostly because we discovered a source of entertainment that most definitely couldn’t be found in our own city. And I loved every last sinful moment spent there.

  “Is that smart, considering the deadline?” Jeremiah questioned, which momentarily brought me down to earth.

  I stuck out my tongue and said, “Talk to me after your date with Treadmill.”

  He held up his hands in mock surrender. “Ouch, you got me.”

  Depending on how his outing went, he just might join us on the trip. If that were the case then he’d be singing an entirely different tune. I kind of hoped he came with us. We all tended to laugh more when he was around.

  Wednesdays were my loneliest days. I know it sounded crazy to have a day that seemed lonely, but I did. The world rushed by in a blur, except for me. Luckily my favorite writing spot wasn’t busy and I found my own personal haven.

  Carrying my coffee to my table near the window, I sat down. Sunlight bathed the area in morning warmth. Hazelnut drifted into the air and I inhaled deeply. This was bliss.

  Since my deadline loomed over my head, the employees at the cafe had seen me around a lot and had my drink ready to go when I entered the building. In about two hours they’d bring me another beverage made to my liking. It was a perk of my job.

  Opening my laptop I resisted the urge to click on my Internet browser. Advanced copies of my book were now in the hands of reviewers. This meant there was potentially comments about my book out there somewhere. And a writer knew to never read the comments.

  A lesson learned the hard way I eventually had to stop reading reviews. I’d never please everyone. Though most of the reviews and comments were good, the bad ones could set my world into a tailspin. Not only did they hurt my feelings, but they also made me question myself. And I didn’t have time for that.

  Plus, the people on my marketing team watched out for me. They would let me know if a reviewer’s comments were something I truly needed to worry about. So far there hadn’t been anything to be concerned over.

  So, instead of opening the Internet, I turned on my playlist and began working on my new book. Different than anything I had done before this book felt so right. I became lost in my words, letting them tell the story I dreamt about.

  When someone touched me on the shoulder, I jumped and yelped at the same time. Luckily no one else witnessed me embarrassing myself.

  “Sorry, I didn’t realize you were in the zone,” Lori apologized as she sat across from me. “Cindy asked me to bring your coffee over.”

  Cindy, the barista, obviously knew that I had been in the zone and sent Lori over for safety reasons. I’d knocked more drinks out of Cindy’s hand than I cared to admit. Grinning, I took my coffee from Lori.

  “What are you doing here? Please don’t tell me you got fired.”

  “What? No. I just interviewed the bull rider for my article. We ended up meeting in person instead of doing it over the phone. I came here to finish my notes. The office is just too loud today.”

  She had a look on her face that I couldn’t describe. There was more to this than she was saying.

  “And how was the interview?”

  “It was… he was…” She paused and then said, “He is amazing. And he was cute - cuter than the picture even showed.”

  I smiled. “Sounds good. Go on.”

  “He wasn’t like most bull riders. He was so down to earth and real. Not like my Daddy at all.”

  Wow. She really liked him. I couldn’t remember the last time she showed this much interest in a guy, especially a cowboy. That was saying a lot.

  “Did you get his number?”

  Her cheeks flushed as she replied, “Of course I did. I have to contact him when the article comes out so he can let his team know. He actually gave it to me before I asked, though. Weird, right?”

  I held back a smile. If he had a team of people working for him then she could’ve easily left her information with them. I didn’t point that little fact out, though. She was getting out there and meeting new people, even if it was work related. Sometimes I thought we were all too comfortable with the way things were.

  “And then he asked if I’d call or text him to let him know how the article was coming along. Or just to say hi…”

  “That sounds promising.”

  She took a sip of her drink and grew silent. Finally, she said, “Yeah, it does. I’m not going to get my hopes up, though. We all know my track record with guys.”

  I hated that she thought that way about herself, but I also knew how she felt. When rejections were all you were used to it was hard to get excited about anything related to the opposite sex.

  “Well, just see how it goes with him.”

  She smiled. “Thanks. Amy thinks I’m crazy for even thinking about talking to him. She’d die if she knew what I was really thinking, though. Stace… he’s really hot and I can’t stop imagining what it’d be like to kiss him.”

  I knew that Lori looked to Amy for advice and support, and vice versa. The only problem with this was they each had such strong opinions on things that they often clashed. And their approach toward men fell under the clashing list. Amy was a firm believer that romance would happen on its own, where as Lori didn’t mind putting herself out there.

  I said, “Look, don’t get all worked up over nothing. Just take it easy and see where it goes.”

  She nodded. “You’re right. He’s just so… different that it’s hard not to get excited.”

  I knew the feeling, but didn’t say anything. I had a tendency to fall for guys who would never like me back in return. My “curse” was almost comical, except for the pain it put me through. I sighed softly. All I could do is hope my luck would change one day, though I wasn’t holding my breath.

  About the Author

  Sarah Bale's family always knew she was destined to write romances when they saw the elaborate stories she created for her Barbie dolls as a child. Throughout middle school the writer inside Sarah began to bloom. At fifteen she penned her first book, which will never see the light of day if she has any say.

  When Sarah isn't writing she enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She resides in Oklahoma and doesn't plan on leaving any time soon.

  www.SarahBale.com