Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 22860 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 114(@200wpm)___ 91(@250wpm)___ 76(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22860 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 114(@200wpm)___ 91(@250wpm)___ 76(@300wpm)
I merely smile ruefully.
“Well, at least your family has money that you can tap. Me? I have no idea how I’m going to pay next month’s rent on this place.”
My friend stares at me.
“What do you mean?”
I shrug.
“Pageants are expensive, you know? I spent pretty much every penny I had to compete in Miss Millbrook, and now I have no idea how I’m going to pay my bills. I mean, there were the entry fees which were not nothing, and then all the dresses, shoes, make-up, fake glittery jewelry, yada yada yada. You know,” I say.
Elodie stares at me. “Yes, but you have savings, right? I’m sure you can pay your rent with that for a while. Plus, aren’t you a nurse?”
I bite my lip. “I was, but I quit to prepare for the pageant. Plus, I pretty much emptied my bank account getting ready for the damn thing. It felt stupid to do it half-assed, so I went all out.”
Elodie gasps, her brown eyes wide.
“OMG! I had no idea, Rocky. But why?”
I merely shrug.
“Again, it seemed lame to half-ass things. I mean, I knew I wanted to win, so I decided to go for it and spent a ton as a result. It’s worth it though. I don’t regret it, and now I have that two-foot tall monster in my possession,” I say, nodding at a huge, glittery crown currently displayed on the mantelpiece.
Elodie giggles.
“Okay, yeah, that thing is kind of garish. Do you think you could sell it to get your hands on some quick cash?”
I guffaw.
“Elodie! You must be joking! This thing isn’t made of diamonds, it’s just paste. Besides, I signed a contract saying I wouldn’t.”
“Seriously?” she asks, looking confused. “I swear there’d be someone on eBay willing to buy the crown, just for the novelty factor.”
I roll my eyes.
“No, I can’t sell my crown. I just won it, so they’d kill me if I did. But yeah, I have no idea how I’m going to come up with next month’s rent at this point.”
Elodie’s quiet for a moment before looking up.
“Do you need a loan?”
I shake my head before she can even finish the offer. “I can’t take money from you.”
My buddy merely shrugs.
“You’d really be taking money from my dad, not me, and it’s not like he’d notice. He’s got boatloads of it because you know the whole mayoral thing is just a hobby for Darnell. My family’s actually in real estate, remember?”
I nod because it’s true. It seems the Niehauses own half of Millbrook sometimes. But the thing is that I really don’t want to take charity from my friend. I just won a fucking beauty pageant for crying out loud! Why do I have to act like a pauper now?
I shake my head again. “No, it’s okay. I’ll figure something out. You don’t have to worry about me.”
Elodie shoots me a skeptical look. “Are you sure?”
I laugh.
“Yeah, totally! I’m serious, I’ll be fine. Besides, I should be able to monetize my win somehow, right?”
Elodie shoots me another skeptical look.
“But how?”
I merely pat her knee soothingly.
“That’s for me to know, and you to find out.” With that, we start chatting about other things, even if inside, I’m wondering how I’m going to pull myself out of this conundrum. After all, I need to get my hands on some cold hard cash fast, but the question is from where? Time is running out, and there don’t appear to be many options at the moment.
CHAPTER 2
Rocky
I spin around before the mirror, looking critically at my reflection. Perfect. My brown hair falls in tousled waves down my back, and my dress is dark blue with a modest neckline. The hem comes down to my knees, and I’ve got matching blue pumps that elongate my legs. Then, I grab my clutch, as well as a plain canvas bag which contains a glittery mini-tiara. This thing is key because during public events, people like to see me with a crown on, and I obviously can’t parade about wearing the foot-long on my mantelpiece.
After all, visiting sponsors, politicians, community organizations, and schools is part of my job as the newest Miss Millbrook. Every Miss Millbrook has to make the rounds after her win, and it’s tiring, but also part of the job. In fact, I understand that pageants at the national level require even more from their girls. Those women are locked up in an apartment in NYC, and then forced to attend community events for an entire year. That would be sheer hell, if you ask me.
But today, there’s only one meet-and-greet on my agenda, albeit a significant one. The pageant organizers are taking me to pay our respects to Logan Michaelson, one of the biggest sponsors of the Miss Millbrook event. Evidently, he’s a billionaire property developer who also sponsors the Millbrook Hospital, as well as the Millbrook Museum, the Annual County Fair, and of course, said pageant. I’m expecting the usual. A handshake, a smile, and some light conversation in the billionaire’s office. We’re there to show how grateful we are, and to pay obeisance to a rich man because such is how the world works.