Read Online Standing By: A Knight's Tale #2 by Claudia Y. Burgoa - Free Book Online
Authors: Claudia Y. Burgoa
Tags: Fiction
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However, the disturbance to that peaceful space I created doesn’t seem… intrusive? Until of course, he chuckles. “Other than that you can’t cook even if your life depended on it.”
“Mel—Dad’s first wife—and I baked all the time,” I explain to him without going much into the detail of how I spent more time with my father’s first wife than my own mother, because as of right now, I’m not sure why that happened. “My first memory is of us in her kitchen making Christmas cookies for Santa. She always said that Santa loved sugary things, and my goal had been to make him happy. We started to try new cookie recipes, then we graduated to cakes and by the time I turned thirteen I could make a lot of French pastries. She paid for several classes, from frostings to decorating. When the time came to choose a career, I rebelled. If Parker was able to do whatever he wanted with his life, why not me?”
“How did they take it?” He takes my hand and pulls me to the trail where the sign says boathouse. We come face to face with a one-story brick building sporting a green roof and iron tables. I think we’re eating here but instead we walk around it to the lake where several boats are being rowed by couples or families.
“I don’t think I’ve ever done that,” I point at the closest boat.
“Me neither,” Mitch confesses. “We’re renting a boat, then we’ll head to dinner. So you were telling me about how they took your rebellion.”
“They didn’t think much of it at the beginning. All my years of high school, I had tutors,” I explain. “They prepared me to reach the perfect GPA and test scores, which I did. I refused to apply to any school, to which Dad justified it by believing Mom burned me out, and I needed a break. She didn’t like it but let me wait a year before I started my college applications. By then, I had enough money to rent my own place, which I did. I moved to a studio on the West Village, close to Willows . She didn’t like that I took a lot of her tight-fisted control away. While I made a plan, I continued working for Parker, and when I found the perfect spot, I presented Dad with my idea. A complete business plan, it had a name, cost, flavors, production—you name it. Mel bought the building and had rented it to me since day one. Fair price, before you think she was giving me some kind of discount for being me. However, Dad refused to lend me the money, because of the absurdity of the business .”
“He has enough money to take that kind of risk,” Mitch states. “The law firm he heads is one of the best in New York and Welsh Industries, the company he inherited from his father is considered a Fortune 500 company.”
“Thank you for that fact, sir.” I stare at a pigeon who’s eating some crumbs from the ground. “He’s where he is because he has a degree and invests his money on pursuable ventures. That’s what he told me back then.”
“You’re doing great, Hayl.” He sound like an encouraging teacher; his words include a pat on the shoulder. “And your cupcakes are an excellent product.”
“You say that but everyone is waiting for me to fail and go back to school.” I press my nail hard into my arm; as exciting as my five-year plan sounds, things will cool down, and I’ll end up where they want me, with a debt I shouldn’t have incurred from the beginning. Not only that, they’ll say, “ I told you so ”. “I take it one day at a time.”
“Come on, Muffin. Let’s take one of those old boats for a spin,” Mitch says, pulling me towards the rental site. “I think I like you; I might just adopt you.”
I look at him sternly trying to decode what he means by that.
“I’m not a puppy or a stray, Mitchel,” he frowns. “However, if you’re nice, I might become your friend… that includes zero nicknames.”
Chapter 8
Mitch
“R epeat after me,” Hayley says. “‘ This is good’ , or if that’s too hard for you, try to say: ‘Not
“Mel—Dad’s first wife—and I baked all the time,” I explain to him without going much into the detail of how I spent more time with my father’s first wife than my own mother, because as of right now, I’m not sure why that happened. “My first memory is of us in her kitchen making Christmas cookies for Santa. She always said that Santa loved sugary things, and my goal had been to make him happy. We started to try new cookie recipes, then we graduated to cakes and by the time I turned thirteen I could make a lot of French pastries. She paid for several classes, from frostings to decorating. When the time came to choose a career, I rebelled. If Parker was able to do whatever he wanted with his life, why not me?”
“How did they take it?” He takes my hand and pulls me to the trail where the sign says boathouse. We come face to face with a one-story brick building sporting a green roof and iron tables. I think we’re eating here but instead we walk around it to the lake where several boats are being rowed by couples or families.
“I don’t think I’ve ever done that,” I point at the closest boat.
“Me neither,” Mitch confesses. “We’re renting a boat, then we’ll head to dinner. So you were telling me about how they took your rebellion.”
“They didn’t think much of it at the beginning. All my years of high school, I had tutors,” I explain. “They prepared me to reach the perfect GPA and test scores, which I did. I refused to apply to any school, to which Dad justified it by believing Mom burned me out, and I needed a break. She didn’t like it but let me wait a year before I started my college applications. By then, I had enough money to rent my own place, which I did. I moved to a studio on the West Village, close to Willows . She didn’t like that I took a lot of her tight-fisted control away. While I made a plan, I continued working for Parker, and when I found the perfect spot, I presented Dad with my idea. A complete business plan, it had a name, cost, flavors, production—you name it. Mel bought the building and had rented it to me since day one. Fair price, before you think she was giving me some kind of discount for being me. However, Dad refused to lend me the money, because of the absurdity of the business .”
“He has enough money to take that kind of risk,” Mitch states. “The law firm he heads is one of the best in New York and Welsh Industries, the company he inherited from his father is considered a Fortune 500 company.”
“Thank you for that fact, sir.” I stare at a pigeon who’s eating some crumbs from the ground. “He’s where he is because he has a degree and invests his money on pursuable ventures. That’s what he told me back then.”
“You’re doing great, Hayl.” He sound like an encouraging teacher; his words include a pat on the shoulder. “And your cupcakes are an excellent product.”
“You say that but everyone is waiting for me to fail and go back to school.” I press my nail hard into my arm; as exciting as my five-year plan sounds, things will cool down, and I’ll end up where they want me, with a debt I shouldn’t have incurred from the beginning. Not only that, they’ll say, “ I told you so ”. “I take it one day at a time.”
“Come on, Muffin. Let’s take one of those old boats for a spin,” Mitch says, pulling me towards the rental site. “I think I like you; I might just adopt you.”
I look at him sternly trying to decode what he means by that.
“I’m not a puppy or a stray, Mitchel,” he frowns. “However, if you’re nice, I might become your friend… that includes zero nicknames.”
Chapter 8
Mitch
“R epeat after me,” Hayley says. “‘ This is good’ , or if that’s too hard for you, try to say: ‘Not
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