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of her quirky style and unique personality, and Tina being Tina, probably

would have raised her middle finger proudly and told Arabella to go fluff

herself and not been bothered in the least.

“I noticed that the animal shoes are always sold out,” Arabella continued.

“It was a limited run, so that makes sense. I’m not sure if it was a trial, or

how it was structured, but I checked a few of the suppliers and those shoes

were best sellers. I think maybe, if it’s a possibility, it might be good to look

at expanding that line. Possibly making something for kids. I know there

aren’t any kids’ shoes yet, but the demand for them is huge. The suppliers I

called to ask about the shoes all said they had huge demand for children’s

sizes. Everyone from fourteen to people in their nineties are buying these

shoes, which is incredible. I’m not very far into this and I could be more

than wrong, but I sketched a few quick designs and ran some numbers, just

to see how the children’s line would work out.”

After Arabella’s sketches were produced, they were passed around the

table and everyone hummed over them. June could have groaned. So far,

Summer seemed to be very wrong about her sabotage theory. Arabella

moved in like a thunderstorm and took everyone by, well, storm. There

wasn’t a singe person around the table who wasn’t already under her spell.

June wasn’t sure what to think. She was on her guard, but only because it

was Arabella. If she’d been anyone else, June would have been beyond

impressed. Arabella stated everything humbly, but with a quiet confidence.

Was it her intention to charm everyone and take over that way?

After a lengthy discussion on a children’s shoe line, which they had

talked about before, but briefly, the meeting came to an end. June let

everyone else leave before her. She even took the time to straighten the

chairs at the table before she left the room. Her hopes that she wouldn’t run

into Arabella were foiled when she spotted her laughing in the hallway just

up ahead with Tina. June couldn’t dodge out of the way or turn back. She’d

already been spotted. She just stood there, feeling awkward, until Tina