Jaded (The Butterfly Memoirs) by M. J. Kane Read Free Book Online

to do would be to enjoy her company. Nothing more, nothing less.
    “Zachariah, how are you?” My mom’s voice disrupted my thoughts.
    “I’m good. I’ve got some good news for you…”
     
     

Chapter 7
     
    No matter how I planned my schedule, I was always late. What was the point?
    I enjoyed spending time with Belinda Givens. Anything I needed to know about fashion and the stores in our area, she answered. She once worked in the fashion retail industry and had a lot of business contacts. Her recommendation could help me build and market my business.
    Dreams. The name said it all. My ideal line of work coupled with fulfilling the dreams of my clients. It could work.
    No, I would make this work.
    In a few more weeks, my business plan would be completed and I would be ready to ask for financial backing. My parents had the money; I needed them to invest in me. Borrowing from them would be much easier than securing a loan from a bank.
    One step at a time. Focus on my goal and be patient. The sooner my current projects were completed, the sooner I could focus on myself.
    The dashboard clock read 6:30 P.M. when I arrived at Ebony’s house. Thirty minutes late…again. At least she’d understand.
    “Hey, it’s about time. Kaity and I nearly finished eating the salsa and chips without you,” Ebony said after opening her front door.
    As always, her home smelled wonderful. Roses, her favorite, were everywhere. Her fiancé kept a fresh bouquet handy at all times.
    “Sorry. I set my purse and laptop bag next to the sofa and gave her and Kaitlyn a hug. “I miss you guys.”
    Both of my friends returned the sentiment.
    “Who knew we’d have to schedule time to see each other again?” Kaitlyn sat on the floor in front of the coffee table where chips and dip, drinks, and a bowl of chocolate sat. “How’s the business plan comin’? I’ve been ready to help, but you don’t seem to need me anymore.”
    I sighed and sat on the floor beside her. “I’m behind. Between the computer issues at work, moving…” I watched her grimace in the corner of my eye.
    “Sorry, that was my fault.”
    I patted her knee. “Life happens; we adjust and move on. I appreciate your willingness to help me. I’ll let you know when things start picking up again.” I surveyed the spread of snacks and selected a few of the chocolate mini bars. “How are things with Luke? Having fun playing house?” A curious burst of laughter from Ebony drew my attention. I creased my eyebrows and looked back and forth between them. “Did I miss something?”
    Kaitlyn shook her head. “The man is a pig. I spend more time cleanin’ up after him than I did behind my two brothers back home. I mean really, how hard is it to put the lid down on the toilet? I nearly fell in the other night.”
    “See,” Ebony chimed in. “You have to train your man. Most men aren’t used to having a lady in the house. It took a few weeks with Brian, but he’s got it now.” She laughed. “At least I didn’t have to worry about the pig part. If anything, he’s neater than me.”
    I smirked. “That’s one of the benefits of living alone. No need to worry about open toilets or picking up anyone else’s mess.” I thought about the disarray of my hotel room. Since moving, I’d banned housekeeping from entering my room. My personal life was off limits when it came to my employees.
    Ebony glanced at her watch. “Brian called earlier and said he’s coming home on time tonight. He wants to go on a date, so…”
    Both of my friends’ attention turned to me. I forced myself not to roll my eyes. For a moment, I wished I had a man anxious to spend time with me tonight.
    Oh wait, I did have a man waiting on me at the hotel, well, two actually; Ben, and his hot twin, Jerry.
    “Okay, let’s get started.” I pulled the laptop out of my bag. “We have two weeks left. It appears the big stuff is taken care of. Your family already has their plane tickets, right?”
    “Yep,