Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 77220 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 386(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 257(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77220 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 386(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 257(@300wpm)
There was no doubt she was going to have to pay for abandoning me when I needed her most, though. And I knew just how to dangle her like a puppet on a string. I had something she needed. I knew her well enough to know that if it was a personal need, I would not have a bargaining chip. But anything to do with her kids was a different matter altogether. She needed money for the computer lab, and I was going to see to it that I made her work for every goddamn last penny.
I slung a towel around my hips while my laptop booted up. I smiled with satisfaction at the prospect of what I would do to make Savannah grovel.
8
SAVANNAH
“I legit thought we were going to have to send for the fire brigade! Like seriously, he looked as if smoke was going to come out of his ears any moment.” Stacey scarfed down a sandwich after the Monday debriefing committee session was over and there was only Monica, Stacey and me left in the room.
“Were they fighting over you?” Monica asked wide-eyed, as she reached for a soda.
“Don’t be so silly,” I muttered. “They are enemies from a long time ago.”
“I don’t know about you, but I think he’s still carrying a torch for you. I saw it in his eyes.”
I shrugged as I reached for another sandwich. “That torch is called hostility. He was incredibly angry with me. He thought I should have stood by him.”
Stacey opened her mouth and I raised a hand. “Look, I really don’t want to talk about Max right now.”
“Got it.” Stacey grinned. “You have to admit that it was a great day, though. I see this fair as just the beginning of bigger and better projects we can take on for the school. I mean, this time around we’re renovating the computer lab. Next year we can take on something else and so on for the years to come.”
“Speaking of alum, Savannah, how did we do with the profits and pledges? Did we reach our target?”
I sighed. I hated to be the bearer of bad news. After Saturday night, I had spent a good portion of Sunday calling the pledges I’d been given. Sad to say, many of them were not donating as much as I had anticipated. “We are twenty-seven percent away from our target.”
“What about Max’s promise?”
I looked at Stacey sharply. I’d told her what Max had pledged, but I was hoping that we could work with what we had and do a partial renovation and raise the rest of the funds another time to finish the project. I did not relish the idea of taking Max up on his offer.
“What promise?” Monica raised her eyebrows curiously.
I felt as though I could throttle Stacey, but I was being childish. Of course, my feelings must take second place. “Max offered to pick up whatever shortfall we have.”
Monica’s eyes became as round as saucers with excitement. “Whoa! That’s amazing. So, what’re we waiting for? We just need to tell him how much to make his check for? Right?”
I hesitated and she repeated herself. “Right?”
“I… um. I don’t think we should get all our hopes up just yet. Suppose his offer was not genuine? The shortfall is close to a hundred thousand dollars, you know.”
“A hundred thousand?” Monica scoffed. “If we’re talking about Max Blackstone, the software genius, believe me, he won’t feel that.”
“True. But⎯”
“There’s no ‘but’, Savannah. He offered. We need it.”
I turned to look at Stacey. Her eyes were focused on me and it gutted me to see the hope shining in them. I took a deep breath.
“Fine, but we’ll need Arthur to do the official figures and give us a detailed breakdown of what the renovation will cost in terms of equipment, material and labor, and how much of it we already have. I don’t want to approach him with incomplete figures. This way he will see that we are legitimate and we are not asking for more than we need.”
“How soon can Arthur do that report?” Monica shot back.
“As soon as I give him our final figures. Some pledges have asked for a few days to honor their commitment. So, hopefully the latest should be by Friday and I will have the final figures for Arthur. I should be able to approach Max by next week. If he’s good for his word, I project we will have a brand-new lab ready for the new school year.” I smiled tremulously at the thought of the feat we had undertaken coming to fruition.
Monica stood and opened her arms to both of us. There were tears in her eyes. “We did it. We really and truly did it!”
It was as though the reality finally hit us and we all hugged tightly in a group hug. Then Monica had to run and Stacey and I were left alone.