Billionaires Dollar Series

Cole steps closer, my eyes in line with the collar of his shirt. The top button is undone, a few dark hairs visible. I know it continues down his chest, darkening and deepening down his taut stomach and further still.

“You went to every single one of my properties,” he says, “except Legacy. Was that another message, Skye?”This belongs © NôvelDra/ma.Org.

“No.” My voice sounds faint, even to my own ears.

“Why didn’t it get the same treatment, then?”

I wet my lips. “It has a pretty facade. I didn’t want to ruin it.”

“Of course. You’re unaffected.”

A rough finger tilts my head up slightly, until I’m forced to meet his burning gaze. Cole looks exactly like he did that night at the Legacy bar. Charming. Powerful. A bit dangerous.

He bends his head softly, until his breath ghosts across my lips. “Liar,” he says. “I haven’t been back to Legacy either, not since that night.”

I’m like a rabbit, stuck in the headlights, unable to end this moment. My willpower is weakening. The part of my body that has been screaming for a repeat is roaring, preparing her arguments. His lips are so close.

“I hate you,” I whisper. “So much.”

He leans back with a sardonic smile. “Oh, Skye. I don’t think that’s true at all.” He pushes the poster toward me. “Keep this. I have about a thousand more where that came from.”

And then he’s gone, striding out as quickly as he came in, and I’m left trying to clear my head. What had he been about to do?

And worse… what had I been about to do?

I push the stool back further, gripping my phone tight. The angle needs to be perfect for this shot.

“Like this?” Karli asks, lifting the book a little bit higher.

“Yes, that’s perfect. And turn it a little bit… yes!” I stand on the stool, maintaining my balance, and take about ten nearly identical pictures. With the beautiful dark bookcase in the background, and the spiral staircase, it’s a great picture of this weeks “Recommended by Between the Pages staff.”

“Can I lower it now?”

“Yes, we got it.”

Karli shakes her arms out. “Wow. I had no clue I was this weak.”

“Tell me about it. I had to run for the bus the other week and nearly fainted.”

She laughs, bending to tuck the stool back into place. “How many pictures have you taken now? You must have a dozen.”

“Nearly twenty.” I favorite the picture I like the most and add it to the album on my phone titled Instagram. “We’re going to become the most followed bookstore in Seattle.”

Karli’s voice is amused. “How many followers does the most followed have?”

“Well, technically speaking, they have fifteen thousand.”

“Fifteen thousand?”

“Should be a piece of cake.”

Karli pushes her glasses back. “I saw the poster you made for the book reading night, by the way.”

“What did you think?”

“It’s great. I’ve made a list with speakers I think would be interested in joining, as well as the author. I’ll give them a call later this afternoon.”

Relief floods through me. Karli has been on board with my ideas from the start, but having her active participation in these things is even better. She has tons of connections in this world, her grandmother’s name opening doors, and it will mean a lot coming from Karli herself.

“That’s perfect. I’ll promote it on our new social media accounts too.” I wave my phone at her, and she grins.

“What’s our current follower count?”

I check. “Three hundred forty-eight. That’s twelve higher than yesterday.”

“Saving the bookstore, one like at a time.”

“Exactly. About that, though… I’ve been thinking about something.” I put my phone in my pocket and curse myself for following Cole’s advice. “We should go over the finances as well, right? The only thing we need to show is that we’re profitable. If we cut down on all expenses, and maybe have a sale on some of the more difficult inventory…”

Karli sits down in the old armchair in the corner with a sigh. “I know. It’s exactly what we should do.”

I take a seat on the stool opposite her. “It’s a lot. I know.”

“It is. And… Well, I haven’t told you yet, but our accountant is quitting.”

“What?”

“Yes. Terrible timing, I know. Greg’s retiring, and I haven’t figured out what to do. Honestly, before the meeting with Porter Development, I was so ready to throw in the towel on the whole thing.”

I reach across and put my hand on hers. “You’re not alone in this. I’ll help you with anything and everything. I know it’s not my place-”

But Karli just shakes her head. “It is. This is our store, Skye. We need as many of your ideas as we can get.”

I squeeze her hand. “So now we need a new accountant.”

“Yes. Someone who can start pretty much right away. Someone who’s okay with only being guaranteed work for two months.”

“Should be plenty of firms around here. I think I could-oh! I do know someone. Chloe. My old college roommate.” I’m already fishing out my phone, scrolling through my contacts. “She’s an accountant.”

“Yes! I saw her just a few months ago at a mutual friend’s wedding. We’re not exactly close, but she was always good in school. Straight As. I could give her a call?”

Karli is smiling at me. “What would I do without you?”

“You’d be getting some peace and quiet, probably. This bookstore would be much calmer.”

She chuckles. “But not nearly as entertaining. Come on, let’s go downstairs and officially open for business today. Did you see what I brought? I put it in the storage room.”

“No?”