Page 26

I scoff.
“Oooh!”
“Abe, look at you!”
The exclamations drag me out of my thoughts. I notice the boy called Abe on screen, smiling and shoving a yogurt carton toward the camera.“Good for the tummy and really, really yummy.”
“Oh no.” Real Abe groans into his hands.
The commercial fades to black.
“I love it!”
“Fantastic!”
“You’re the next movie star, Abe.”
Abe blushes hard as his friends and family ply him with compliments.
I watch it all with a sloppy grin. The connections between these people might not be clear to me, but I know one thing for sure—there’s nothing but love in this room.
Well, except between me and Cody.
There’s definitely zero love there.
* * *
While everyone hovers around Abe,Nova steals me away.
I look up at the taller woman, admiring her meticulously applied makeup and expensive earrings.
When will I ever look so put-together?
I shake the thought. The work I do doesn’t require me to look pretty or elegant. There’s no use comparing myself to these women who have the money and connections to buy designer pantsuits and fancy jewelry.
“Thank you for staying,” Nova says.
I smile shyly.
“Island’s been keeping us up to date on the construction.” Nova hands me a glass of champagne with delicate fingers before grabbing one for herself.
“I really shouldn’t drink.”
“This is non-alcoholic.” Her lips curl up. “I really shouldn’t drink either.”
I accept it from her and take a sip.Bubbly.
“I hear your Do More Project is open for business,” Nova says, watching me carefully.
“It is.” I bounce on my toes, genuinely excited. I love what I do. It might not be the flashiest job in the world and it might not have the best pay, but it’s extremely rewarding. “Thanks to all”—I gesture to the living room—“the generous donations, we were able to move up our timeline and build this year.”
“What about the interior?” Nova’s eyes are steady and her gaze business-like. I feel like I’m an employee giving a report.
“We spent most of the investment on the property and construction, so we rolled up our sleeves and painted the walls ourselves. We got the stalls donated. And we’ve already begun testing our first five kiosks.”
Her eyebrows hike. “Already?”
“We’re motivated.”