Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 114263 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 571(@200wpm)___ 457(@250wpm)___ 381(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 114263 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 571(@200wpm)___ 457(@250wpm)___ 381(@300wpm)
I manage a tight grin. “Pretty sure I ordered it that way.”
I returned to Dallas from Hartsville several days ago, but Mom’s been traveling and only arrived back in town this morning.
“Oh.” She turns back to the server. “Well, just to make it easy, why don’t you take both salads back and bring them with all that stuff on the side for us? Thank you.”
I watch, stomach grumbling, as the server whisks away our plates. “You know if you take off the croutons and the cheese and the dressing, all that’s left is lettuce and some radishes?”
“All that dairy and the wheat in the croutons—I’m sure that won’t do your tummy any favors,” Mom says.
I love my mom dearly. She raised me on her own, and even though she worked full-time, she still showed up to every dance recital, graduation, and tennis match—unlike Dad, who didn’t show up to anything. I have nothing but the utmost respect for her.
But goddamn, sometimes I wish she’d let loose a little. I wish she cared a little less about her looks. A little less about keeping up with the Joneses.
“Anyway,” she continues, “this guy owns one of the big oil and gas companies. He’s moving to the UK with his new wife. Apparently, they’re gutting a swanky place in Kensington, right near where Will and Kate live.”
“Ah. Good for them.” I reach for my tea.
“How’d the pop-up go at Georgana’s?” Mom asks, referring to the boutique that hosted Bellamy Brooks’s most recent pop-up here in Dallas.
“It went well—a step in the right direction for sure. We didn’t sell a ton, but I did make inroads with some big fashion influencers. Wheeler and I set up meetings with them.”
Mom grins. “Aren’t you glad Dallas is such a fashion-obsessed place?”
“Totally. I’m not sure Bellamy Brooks could really thrive anywhere else.”
I really do mean that. Pop-up shops like the one we just had at Georgana’s are the lifeblood of our business. Gaining access to their clientele is priceless, and the exposure we get on social media leads to the kind of invaluable brand recognition that will hopefully get Bellamy Brooks out of the red.
It also helps that tons of powerful influencers call Dallas home. These men and women have hundreds of thousands of followers on social media, and if they post about your products, it can significantly boost sales. But you have to get on their radar, and being able to meet them in person here in Dallas has been huge in that aspect.
“I’m proud of y’all,” Mom says.
“Thanks. But speaking of staying in Dallas—”
“Ugh, your father and the ranch. Right. My lawyers are working on it, sweetheart. They agree that the stipulation is totally ridiculous, but we need to give them some time to get it in front of a judge. We’ll get there.” She reaches across the white tablecloth to pat my hand. “Be patient. Focus on Bellamy Brooks in the meantime. You’ll get the money.”
The restaurant, totally full, hums around us. It’s the kind of place where people like Mom do power lunches. And like Mom, everyone is dressed to impress. I love the fashion—lots of long skirts, paired with designer belts and cute tops—and my stomach flips when I think about how great it would all look paired with Bellamy Brooks boots.
That is, if Bellamy Brooks doesn’t go under before we release our next collection, which will only happen if we get a major—major—cash infusion.
Wheeler and I dreamed up the concept for a women’s cowboy boot company when we were seniors at the University of Texas. We wanted to make classic cowboy boots with a girlie, high-fashion twist. Building the company was our side gig for close to five years, until we saved enough money from our corporate jobs to give it a go full-time.
We poured our savings into Bellamy Brooks, and Wheeler contributed some additional money she borrowed from her grandparents.
Mom also made a sizable investment. She’s worked incredibly hard over the years to build her business, and it’s finally paying off: Brown Real Estate Brokerage (Mom went back to her maiden name of Brown after the divorce) is now one of Dallas’s top-tier firms with over twenty agents.
Her making the investment in Bellamy Brooks was amazing, even if she kindly but firmly said that was the extent of her financial involvement.
Altogether, it was enough to launch our first real collection last year. The collection, composed of two boot styles in five different colors, was exceptionally well received. But between manufacturing costs and the marketing campaign we did, Wheeler and I ended up not making a dime in profit.
Thankfully, we had enough extra cash to keep us afloat. That is, until recently, as our expenses continue to outrun our income. Our second collection, which we’ve been working on all year, has to do well if we want to stay in business.