Page 108 of Fiery Romance

“Hot eligible men and a few scammers. I suggest asking for voice messages to make sure they’re at least male. And then, when you’re comfortable, you could try a video call.”

I moan and drop my head in my hands. “Amy, this feels like too much work.”

“You’ll be fine.”

“Miss Amy, did you bring any more gummy worms?” Regan interrupts, hopping down from her desk and taking out her ear phones.

Amy diverts her attention to Regan while I answer my ringing phone.

“Hello?” I mumble, still exhausted from this new world of online dating that just expanded before me.

“Hey, Island.”

My back goes rigid and I shoot straight up. “Nova? Hi!”

My voice is extra cheerful. Nova’s the kind of client that all hair braiders dream of. Quiet. Cooperative. Consistent. And she doesn’t mind taking photos to post on social media.

It helps that her photos gettonsof likes and drum up more visibility for my salons. I should pay her for all the free advertising.

“I have a favor to ask you and it’s a little last minute so I understand if you can’t…”

My head tilts to the side. Nova’s such a classy, self-assured woman. It’s strange to hear her stammering.

“Do you offer braiding lessons and if you do, would you be available this afternoon? We had a traditional Mayan hair braider scheduled for tonight, but she won’t make it and the kids are disappointed.”

“Oh, I… well, I don’t really teach. I kind of just braid.”

“What did she say?” a voice whispers in the background.

“I don’t think she’s going to do it,” another answers.

I freeze, recognizing the voice from all her successful hair commercials and her stint as a judge on‘Girl, But Can You Model?’

“Nova, was that Vanya Beckford?” I wheeze.

“How did you know?”

“Where are you?”

In the background, a spoon clinks against glass. “At a café. Vanya and Dejonae invited me out for chai—”

“You’re havingchaiwith VANYA BECKFORD?”

I’m so loud that both Amy and Regan whip their heads up to watch me.

“Yes,” Nova says. As if it’s just another day. As if she’s not sipping lattes across from one ofthehottest supermodels in history.

Excitement rolls down my back and I can barely breathe. I knew that Nova was well-connected and I figured that, since her boyfriend’s a billionaire and all, he’d probably know some celebrities.

But this is anentirelydifferent thing.

Screw the fact that I don’t teach people to braid.

“Where should I meet you? What time should I be there?” I check my watch and wince when I remember my promise to drive Abe to his play rehearsals. “I have an important appointment at three-thirty, but I’m free after.”

“That sounds good. I think Dawn and Kenya should be finished by then.”

“Thank you so much for helping us out, Island,” Vanya Beckford says.

---