Page 29 of My Forbidden Billionaire
And it actually feels … homey.
Either that, or my outlook on this situation has changed for the better.
Lately, I’ve been wholeheartedly embracing this new “chapter” and looking at the bright side. Because at the end of the day, I have a roof over my head and food in the refrigerator. And that is a blessing, in and of itself.
“Wait until you hear this!” Emmy explodes before she even makes it through the door. “You won’t believe what happened to me today at the makeup store.”
“Oh, no … is it your boss again? Is he giving you a hard time?” I can’t decide whether I should laugh or be genuinely concerned.
“He’s more likely to hit on Emmy than to give her a hard time,” Larisa replies, setting three bottles of Prosecco on my dining room table.
“That is a lot of alcohol.” I laugh. “Are you planning on getting us all drunk?”
“And what would be the problem with that?” She rolls her eyes. “Do you have anything better to do?”
“As a matter of fact, I do. I have some papers to grade,” I reply, still grinning.
“Perfect! The Prosecco will make grading papers much easier—and much better, I might add,” she says matter-of-factly. “Do you have any idea how many times I wished that my own teachers back in school would have been drunk while grading my papers?” She laughs.
“That’s just because you were an absolute nightmare in school, Larisa.”
“You take that back, Josephine Andrews. Just because you’re an instructor at the fanciest, snobbiest private school in America, does not mean—”
“Yes, yes it does,” Emmy interjects. “And let’s be real—you absolutely were a nightmare in school, Larisa. You were much more interested in boys than homework.”
“You’re not wrong. But I was just trying to find my soulmate! Because unlike you, Emmy, I’ve yet to find mine…” her voice trails off.
“What?” Emmy guffaws. “What’s that supposed to mean? I’m single, I don’t have a soulmate.”
“Girl, you and your best friend Evan were made for each other. I don’t know why you can’t see that,” Larisa declares.
“Evan? No way. I told you guys. We are just friends. Now why don’t you sit down and have a piece of cake and a glass of Prosecco.” Emmy grins.
Completely at peace now, Larisa accepts the food offerings and finds a place directly on the floor. We huddle around my quaint coffee table, cozying up on throw pillows.
“So, tell us, what happened at the makeup store, Emmy?” I ask.
“Okay. So, this woman comes in, right? She asks me to give her a makeover and she’s going to film the whole thing and put it on TikTok.”
“What kind of makeover?” Larisa leans in, sipping some Prosecco.
“Well, she wanted a bold, dramatic look,” Emmy replies, grinning mischievously. “So, I gave her just that. I’m talking glitter, shimmer, bold red lips—the whole shebang.”
“And how did it turn out?” I ask.
“Amazing! She loved it. But that’s not even the best part. She has over three million followers on TikTok.”
“Three million followers?” I exclaim.
“Yes! I suppose I’ve gotta wait and see, but I might end up becoming a TikTok star overnight.” Emmy laughs. “And if that happens, I might finally be able to quit my job at that awful store and become a full-time, freelance makeup artist … or at least a TikTok makeup artist!” She wiggles her eyebrows.
“Wow … that’s super exciting! I guess I’ll have to download TikTok if that happens,” I reply, taking a bite of cake.
“I mean, isn’t TikTok for teenagers to dance on, or whatever?” Larisa asks. She’s not a huge fan of social media—though she does have an Instagram for her photography business.
“C’mon, I’ve told you girls—TikTok is so much more than just dance videos. There’s something for everyone. Fitness tips, makeup tutorials—heck, I’ve even learned finance tips there!”
“Something tells me TikTok is not where you should be going for financial advice.” I laugh.