“Yes, sir.”
I hang the phone up and turn my seat around to stare at the landscape of the downtown Manhattan skyline. The different shapes and sizes of the skyscrapers jut and point in a strange pattern which is strangely beautiful. The water in the distance is calm and the blue reflects and shines in the sun. My hands grip tight on the arms of my leather, cushioned chair.
Finally Melinda is in my grasp. I vow she will not get away this time.
Thank you for purchasing Saving Dancer Book 2 of the Savage Brothers MC. I hope you enjoyed it. A Wedding Novella will be out soon entitled Loving Nicole and look for more of Claiming Crusher in the summer of 2015.
TURN THE PAGE FOR AN EXCITING EXCERPT FROM THE AMAZING MAYRA STRATHAM’S NEW BOOK ETCHED IN STONE
April
Excerpt of Etched in Stone, Book 2 of Six Degrees Series by Mayra Statham
Chapter One
Liz
Two Months Later
Edwards Automotive Charity Breast Cancer Gala
Every part of my body aches.
My shoulders are burning from hand rolling the various types of dough for different pastries. My feet are aching from being on them since three this morning. It doesn’t help that I stuffed them into incredibly sexy peep-toe pink sling backs that Lucy let me borrow, because they went perfect with my dress.
My hands feel heavy and are probably swollen, but as I gaze at the table in front of me, all I can do is let the feeling of accomplishment flow freely through me. All the aches and pains are completely worth it as I look at the extravagant dessert table in front of me.
It’s incredibly satisfying to see the fruits of your labor. Being able to mix simple ingredients, like flour and sugar with your own hands and somehow magically they become beautiful pieces of edible art.
The table is beautiful, exquisite really. Better than I dreamed possible.
I admire the long beautiful table draped in expensive cream tablecloths that probably cost more than what I’m wearing, excluding Lucy’s shoes. It made my beauties even more beautiful, they were definitely worth the investment. Tess, my business partner and friend, thought I was nuts spending that much on tablecloths.
Sweet sophistication!
My edible art is sitting and waiting on beautifully colored cake stands arranged at different heights with accent trays in shades of pink and cream. The cream puffs sit in the center of the table, gorgeous and fresh. While some have powdered sugar sifted on top, others are drizzled with chocolate to add a little more sweetness. Some have a dollop of cream and a piece of a locally grown strawberry sitting on top. The cupcakes, I agree with Tess, she had been right to add the iridescent powder that made them sparkle under the soft lighting in the elegant Beverly Hills Hotel’s Crystal Room. Rectangular trays hold a variety of cannoli. Mini strawberry cheesecakes float at different elevations on the expensive pink tinted crystal cake stands. The two employees that will be manning the table are already standing by, dressed in pastry chef uniforms, white and pristine. They are the perfect finishing touch.
I watch Tess chat with Laney, the owner of Ritz Events. Who also happens to be the Gala’s event coordinator and they are both smiling. A huge wave of relief sweeps through me, it is obvious that Laney is extremely happy with the dessert table. Our bakery, Izzy Tizzy’s, is making a name for itself in Southern California.
I love that, at our bakery, we cater to everyone. We appeal to the stay at home mom seeking a moment of refuge, Hollywood celebrities, even to the workers from the industrial side of town picking up their morning breakfast and coffee. However, the obscene price we are paid by the rich and famous makes me nervous. Even after a full year of being in business, I constantly worry that my creations aren’t good enough for the clientele we serve.
Tess and I have Sabrina Miller to thank for a large portion of our higher end clientele. Sabrina, one of Laney’s event planners, referred business to us from the moment she found our shop. There isn’t a week that by that she doesn’t send a new customer to us by. Some come in; others call to place an order, always telling us that Sabrina sent them. We even hired two new bakers, allowing Tess and I an actual day off. There are times when we joke about Sabrina being our business fairy Godmother and one day, we will figure out a way to thank her for everything she has done, not only for us, but our shop as well.