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“Well, he’s eaten three slices of cheesecake since yesterday so Ithink we’re okay.”

“Four,” Dad said, taking the phone back. “And I have no issueowning it. Will we see you this weekend?”

“I’ll be by on Sunday.”

“Great. Your Aunt Jodie will be here with her new boyfriend, theone with the unfortunate piercings, and we were thinking of cooking out. I’llget your favorites.”

“Oh, you don’t have to go to a lot of trouble.” This was a losingbattle, but it felt better to protest anyway.

“I do, too. You’re my kid, and I want to. Oh, and Papa got ahaircut you just have to see. I actually can’t wait.”

“Too short?”

“Way too short. I’m taking lots of photos to commemorate theoccasion. Hey, do you want those ice skates in the garage? We’re trying toclean out the space as much as possible.”

She definitely did. Who knew when one needed last-minute iceskates? “Yep. I’ll take them with me when I’m there.”

“Perfect. I love you, Sunshine.”

“Love you back. Give my love to Papa.”

“I’ll tell him.”

She clicked off the call that was like so many others with herdads, upbeat and a little all over the map. The shorthand was everything. Itwas how they communicated best and she wouldn’t change their relationship foranything. She glanced around her office at the many pieces from Spencer Adair’snew line and felt the excitement bubble all over again. She punched the air afew times, channeling her inner Rocky, shuffling her feet, and dodgingimaginary blows like a pro. Yessiree. Things were definitely on the upswing,and Hadley wasn’t about to lose momentum now.

* * *

The line at Jamba Juice was insane, but then it was inching closeto lunchtime, which had everyone out and about in the sunny LA weather. Spencerdidn’t care about the wait. She’d had a fantastic meeting with Hadley Cooper,and Silhouette, of all places, was interested inher. Whether she thought the store was thebest fit or not, this was a lot to take in. Her phone buzzed in her frontpocket.

“Hey, Mama.” She smiled into the phone, her excitement from theearlier meeting still spilling over.

“You didn’t call,” her mother said, worry in her voice. “Is themeeting over?”

Spencer smiled. “Yes, ma’am. It went well. The assistant managerthinks I have a good shot at receiving an order.”

“On Rodeo Drive. My baby!” Spencer held the phone away from herear momentarily and smiled at the customer in front of her. “My mom,” shemouthed. He offered her a halfhearted thumbs-up and turned back around.

Spencer chuckled. “We’re not thereyet, but things are looking up. Just thefact that they’re interested in me is flattering. Treating myself to asmoothie.”

“Of course it’s flattering! When I get home, I’m going to bake youa pie. This is a big day.” Her mother worked as a successful real estate brokerwho’d actually held her own in the housing crisis a few years back and lived totell the tale. In addition to knowing everything about LA real estate, she alsoknew everything about making the perfect pie. Spencer felt this was a winningcombo and had always looked up to her mother on both counts. Business andbaking. To say she and her mother were close was an understatement.

“I don’t know that I have time for pie, Mama. Got a lot of ordersto fill once I get back to my apartment.” The move to retail would be a hugeone if it happened, but she couldn’t forget her bread and butter, the one thathad her packing a lot of boxes for her vast customer base on her online store.As a one-woman shop, she’d done a remarkable job, handling every aspect of thebusiness without having to spend money on extra help. She’d always pridedherself on being a go-getter, and maybe this time it was about to pay off.

“I’ll eat it in your honor, then. Gonna go with apple spice!”

“My favorite. You’re the best, Mama, but I gotta go. It’s almostmy turn to order.”

“Call me as soon as you hear something and not a minute beyond.”

“Yes, ma’am.” She clicked off the call.

“Welcome to Jamba Juice! What can I get you?”

“I’ll take a cucumber orange cooler with a vitamin D boost,please,” she told the counter guy who had welcomed her about three times sinceshe’d entered the store.

“Coming right up,” he said with gusto, and bounced away to makeher drink, like Tigger of Jamba Juice.

She’d say one thing for the place, they had the market cornered onperky. She thought back on her meeting with Hadley Cooper, deciding that she’dprobably do great at Jamba Juice herself. Blond hair well past her shoulders,piercing blue eyes, and a bundle of vivacious, welcoming energy. But it wasn’tput on. At least not that Spencer could tell. Hadley came off as kind andgenuine, both on their initial phone call and at their one-on-one. She boughtHadley’s excitement surrounding her designs, and that felt kind of…contagious.But she wasn’t one to judge someone so early on. She’d been burned enough inlife, especially in the fashion industry, which was pretty much eat or beeaten.