Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 22169 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 111(@200wpm)___ 89(@250wpm)___ 74(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22169 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 111(@200wpm)___ 89(@250wpm)___ 74(@300wpm)
“Is something the matter, Fox?”
“Just a mild worry about what I’m supposed to do next. That ring is paid for and all, but it’s wiped out my savings. I’m going to have to figure out what’s next for me as a career soon.”
She giggles. “You’ll be fine, I’m sure.”
“Yeah, I know you’ve always got your support. That’s without question. Just I got a bunch of scattered skills. I know how to build cabins and homes. I know how to manage the money behind those projects. But I’m not really sure what I can do with what if I don’t have my old man’s references and connections.”
She smiles my way. “Maybe you should start your own business. Maybe with Bear and Hunter. They’re good woodsmen and carpenters. The three of you could build something really special, something that helps Evergreen Valley instead of stealing its charm.”
I stare at her, and for the first time in my life am slightly annoyed by her beaming optimism. “That sounds great and all, Tabitha, but you need money to start a business. I don’t think the three of us can just spontaneously make something like that happen, especially since the other two have blossoming families.”
And that Tabitha and I may soon be joining them. The anxieties keep coming.
“Oh, you have money. You’re about to marry into some.”
My eyebrow raises, still incredibly confused by the situation.
She giggles. “I guess it’s about time I come clean about my own little secret.”
“Your little secret?” I have no idea what she could be talking about. I’m just staring at her confused and slack-jawed.
“That I’m a trust fund baby?”
My bizarre face doesn’t really change. “You? You’re a trust fund baby?”
“Is it all that surprising to you?”
I nod. “When I think of some girl living off her trust fund, I imagine some girl driving around in some sports car that she has no idea how much it costs, with a little yapping dog in her hand purse. And she threatens to call Daddy whenever something even mildly goes wrong for her.”
She shrugs. “I do call my father often when I need advice. I haven’t called him Daddy since I was eleven though.”
We climb into the truck, and sit down side by side. She just dumped something major on me, so we’re not going anywhere yet, simply enjoying the cool night sky and one another's company.
“We’re kinda the same, really,” Tabitha explains. “Most of my family grew up poor. Except instead of getting into crime, my grandfather managed to get a freak promotion at his company. Some eccentric billionaire wanted new ideas, and promoted some low level employee to get them. That’s grandpa. Everything changed from there.”
I stare at her in disbelief. She may as well have told me her family won the lottery with how much of a likely tale it was. I believed her though. Tabitha was never one just to make up lies just for a joke at the moment.
“After college, I got entrusted with a wad of cash. Payments will come in every week for the rest of my life. Enough that I never have to work if I don’t want to. Enough that my children don’t have to work, and maybe even their children. Can’t say I’ll know how things will be going in the twenty-second century then.”
“And so you didn’t.”
She throws up an interrupting finger. “Oh, I work. I work on my passions. My clothing designs, my jewelry, my art. And I try to make it a legitimate business that functions on its own money, beyond my initial investments. I’ve worked hard in making it work on its own, and I take great pride in that it is.”
I smile and nod. “Sorry, didn’t mean to imply that it didn’t actually work for you.”
“It works, but it’s not enough to invest in those I love. But the trust fund? That lets me do more than my art business could ever do. I can help you, Fox. You can build something beautiful, something truly special for yourself, for us, for this community.”
I lean back in my seat, and run my hand through my hair. “I’m a bit shocked. Why didn’t you bring it up sooner?”
“Didn’t seem relevant. And I guess I keep it quiet. Never wanted to marry someone who saw me more as my money than as a person. Sugar mamas are just as much a thing as sugar daddies, you know.”
“Yeah, apparently I have one now.”
She shoves me playfully from the side. “Hey, you’ve proved you wanted me for richer or for poorer. You’ve proven your manliness many times over with me, Fox. You’ve taken care of me, and now I want to take care of you.”
I look up into the night sky. It’s beautiful out tonight, and it’s the beautiful start to the rest of my life.