Page 112 of Make Us Yours
All my friends have a purpose in life, a goal, a dream. Morgan has her own interior design company. Cecilia and Emma now have their rapidly growing foundation. Even Aubrey has been saving up for the past few years to open her own bakery. She has the whole five-to-ten-year plan written out and already has a book filled with her own recipes for when she finally opens it.
And then there’s me. Me, who has no idea what she’s doing with her life. Me, who’s never had a goal or a dream, a path she wanted to follow. And I hate that. I want to be excited about something. I want to have a purpose like they all do. I want a job that brings me joy and makes me smile knowing I’ll get to do something I love every single day.
“Hey… what’s that sad look in your eyes for?” Noah watches me as we stop at a red light, his hand coming to my thigh and squeezing lightly. “What’s going through your mind, Kitten? Are you worried about Victor?”
Hearing his name used to make my skin crawl, but now that I have Noah and Gabe, it doesn’t have that same effect anymore. I feel safe with them, and I guess knowing we’re constantly being followed by Julian’s men helps a bit, too.
I shake my head. “No, it’s not that.”
“Then what is it, Kitten? I can tell something’s bothering you.”
I sigh as he turns his attention back to the road but glances at me every few seconds, letting me know that I still have his attention. “It’s just that seeing Ceciliaand Emma so happy with what they’re doing kind of makes me feel…” I trail off.
“Unfulfilled?” he finishes for me.
I rest my head against the seat. “Yeah… They all have these great plans and accomplishments. And I just have… nothing. I don’t even know what I’d want to do if I had the opportunity.”
“Hmm,” he hums, not saying more for a minute. “What is it you like doing, Veronica? Even if it’s simple, what brings you joy when you do it?”
“I don’t know. Being with you and Gabe makes me happy.” I smile when he does.
“You make us happy too, Kitten. But that’s not really something you can do as a career. Although I would pay you to stay with me forever.” He chuckles. “Tell me, do you like what you’re doing right now? Working for us, I mean.”
“I guess, yeah. I mean, I’ve always liked cleaning and keeping things neat, but I prefer the organizing part. I really like doing those things for you guys and making it simple and easier to use. There are so many different ways it can be done, and the finished product always makes me smile. It’s crazy how even the messiest place can look beautiful once it’s well organized.”
When I gaze over at him, he stares at me with wonder. “You see what just happened there? You lit up talking about that. If it’s something you enjoy doing, why not make a career out of it? You could start your own business. Doesn’t have to be big or take up all your time. It can just be a small thing that you do for fun and get paid at the same time.”
That piques my interest but also makes me a bit nervous. “I wouldn’t even know how to start a business, and I don’t know many people like you guys do. How would I even get customers?”
He smiles but keeps his eyes on the road. “That’s simple; we can help you with getting it started. You could even ask the girls for help since they’re all involved in the business world,” he suggests.
“And when it comes to customers, ear-to-mouth is always the best way to start, but having a website always helps too. You could take pictures of the things you’ve done in the penthouse and use them to show off your work. Then we’ll all help spread the word and get you some customers,” he finishes as his thumb caresses my thigh.
“Is there even a clientele for that kind of business? Do people really hire others to organize their stuff for them?” I have a hard time believing there’s such a thing.
Noah snorts. “You’d be surprised at the number of rich people who hire people specifically for that simply because they’re too lazy to do it themselves or want to make it look like they have their shit together. Trust me, Veronica, you’d have manyrequests.”
“Okay, and how much would I charge for my services? I don’t even know what people in that line of work charge.” I nibble my lip, a thousand questions and thoughts popping into my head.
“One thing at a time, Kitten. We’ll do research on it and everything. I’m not telling you to start right now, but if it’s something you think you’d like to do, then it’s worth exploring. Just take your time and think it over.” He takes my hand and brings it to his lips, kissing the back of it.
“Okay, yeah. I’ll think about it.” I smile when he looks over at me, feeling like I’m finally moving in the right direction.
“But you do know that you don’t need to work, right? Gabe and I can easily take care of you if you’d prefer. We don’t have a problem with that. You could even stop taking care of the penthouse if you wanted, and we’ll find someone else to do it. We just want you to be happy.”
I squeeze his hand with my fingers. “I know, babe. But I’ve lived most of my life depending on someone else, first my parents, then Victor. But these last few years, it’s been just me, and I’ve gotten used to taking care of myself. I don’t want that to change. I don’t want to become dependent again.”
“I get that, and I admire you for it. Just know that we’re here for you.” He releases my hand and brings his to the back of my head, pulling me in to kiss my forehead. “Whatever you want, Kitten.”
“Thank you.” I smile, then rest back in my seat with a giddy feeling inside of me. “Damn, who knew I’d end up so lucky? Not one, but two sugar daddies. That’s a pretty big win if you ask me.”
A melodic laugh bursts from Noah’s lips, everything about him softening as the happiness takes over. This time, I’m the one to lean in and grab his chin, tilting his head to the side to kiss his smiling lips.
God, I’m crazy about these men.
We arrive at the care facility thirty minutes later, ready to chat Trinity’s ears off. But the moment we make it to the nurses’ station and see Jannice and Everly carrying a sad smile, we know things aren’t going to go as planned.
“Hey, Noah… I was just about to call you…” Jannice stands from behind the desk.
