Page 64 of Break Me Like a Promise (Oak Valley)

He’d made it clear this was where they ended, and she drew the line.

Besides, he was leaving Oak Valley. It gave her a somewhat clean slate to finish building her life here, at least for the foreseeable future.

“Ruby?” Olive cleared her throat. “You good?”

“Yeah, why?”

Her friend chuckled. “I know you, and given your questions earlier, clearly something happened with Colt. So if you need someone to talk to, I’m here.”

“Thanks but I’m good. Anyway,” Ruby placed her laptop between them so they both could see the screen, where she had a slideshow presentation set up. “Here’s what I was thinking, and obviously I can’t promise results but I can promise I know what I’m doing and I have a lot of contacts. You create some sort of Valentine’s Day dessert so we have pictures, and over the next few weeks I’ll reach out to my contacts and try to hook you up with a feature in a wedding magazine. I’ll work the traditional angle — press releases for events you work, features for magazines and websites,” Ruby said, moving through the slideshow.

“But I have some things you could do to help bring people in. An easy one would be to find a space in here to put a photo wall — so when people do come in, they want to take a picture. You could even set up mini-layouts, where patrons can prop their awesome baked goods and take photos for them to share. If they tag you, obviously share. I checked out your socials, and they’re good, though a bit inconsistent. It’s also very static — all photos, and very few signs of people. I recommend having more life, plants or even a hand in the frame. Content can get up to 70% more engagement if you show a person. You could also consider having a baking show or giving baking tips. And for holidays, really come up with something special, if you’re able.”

Olive took over scrolling through the screen as a call came into Ruby’s phone.

“One minute,” she told her friend, answering the unknown number across the shop.

“Hello?”

“Hi, Ruby?”

“May I ask who’s calling?”

“Oh, yeah! So sorry, this is June Beaumont,” her voice chipper.

“Oh! Hi, how’s it going?” Ruby remembered June was close with Dragan and therefore Colton, but had no idea why the sunny blonde would be calling.

“It’s going. I saw Dragan the other night and he told me you worked in marketing, is that right?”

“Yeah, when I lived in New York City and up here I’ve picked up a couple local jobs. Is there something I can help with?”

Ruby caught the past-tense of her life in the City, but the pang of missing it wasn’t as strong as it’d been.

June was quiet for a minute. “I hope so. I don’t know what you charge, but as you probably know, my family runs The Little Prince Bookstore. I’m taking it over from my grandparents soon and want to revitalize it.”

“I love The Little Prince. I’d love to give a free consultation, what’s your schedule look like?”

Ruby vaguely remembered June’s family owning the store, and her parents tragically dying when they were kids. She genuinely would love to help and while she didn’t always want to give free consultations, she really wanted the bookstore to stick around. Plus, helping a fellow female business owner was what Maven Media had been founded on, and a principle engrained in Ruby from her time there. They swapped schedules and settled on a date, post-Valentine’s Day Festival, and Ruby hung up.

Sitting down at the table, Olive was almost in tears.

“Oh no, is it bad?” Fear gripped Ruby — it couldn’t bethatbad, could it?

“Ruby… Are you kidding, this is amazing. Not only did I not think of those things that I can do, but there’s no way I’d be able to have the reach you do. This could literally change our lives.”

Ruby breathed a sigh of relief and laughed. “You scared me, Olive. And please, don’t oversell. Let’s just see how this goes, but it will help increase your visibility. Especially since I think both of us should work on distribution.”

“What do you mean?”

“If you could sell your baked goods online — especially while simultaneously working weddings and having articles published about you — you’ll have limited supply, high demand, and low overhead. You can charge what you want and have enough to expand.”

“Oh my god.”

Ruby smiled. “I know, right?”

“You’re a genius, free hot chocolate from me for life!” Olive jumped up and started pouring their drinks.

“Right, because I don’t already have that perk for being your friend?”

---