Ready or not, p.1
Ready or Not,
p.1
Table of Contents
Synopsis
Praise for Melissa Brayden
By the Author
Acknowledgments
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Epilogue
About the Author
Books Available From Bold Strokes Books
Synopsis
Sometimes wrong is extra right.
Mallory Spencer is in charge. As the face of Soho Savvy, the advertising firm she owns with her three best friends, it’s important that she’s poised, polished, and put together. However, as she watches her friends couple up and settle down, she wonders about her own happily ever after. One thing’s for sure. It’s not going to happen with that blue-eyed bartender from Showplace. It’s irritatingly clear they couldn’t be more wrong for each other...or have more chemistry.
Hope Sanders wants nothing more than to keep her head down and craft a better life for herself running everyone’s favorite nightspot. That means ignoring the groupies that flock to the bar to stare at her all night. However, an uptight brunette has snagged Hope’s attention and she knows a challenge when she sees it.
A Soho Loft Romance.
Praise for Melissa Brayden
Waiting in the Wings
“This was an engaging book with believable characters and story development. It’s always a pleasure to read a book set in a world like theater/film that gets it right…a thoroughly enjoyable read.”—Lez Books
“This is Brayden’s first novel, but we wouldn’t notice if she hadn’t told us. The book is well put together and more complex than most authors’ second or third books. The characters have chemistry; you want them to get together in the end. The book is light, frothy, and fun to read. And the sex is hot without being too explicit—not an easy trick to pull off.”—Liberty Press
“Sexy, funny and all around enjoyable.”—Afterellen.com
Heart Block
“Although this book doesn’t beat you over the head with wit, the interactions are almost always humorous, making both characters really quite loveable. Overall a very enjoyable read.”—C-Spot Reviews
“The story is enchanting with conflicts and issues to be overcome that will keep the reader turning the pages. The relationship between Sarah and Emory is achingly beautiful and skillfully portrayed. This second offering by Melissa Brayden is a perfect package of love—and life to be lived to the fullest. So grab a beverage and snuggle up with a comfy throw to read this classic story of overcoming obstacles and finding enduring love.”—Lambda Literary Review
How Sweet It Is
“‘Sweet’ is definitely the keyword for this well-written, character-driven lesbian romance novel. It is ultimately a love letter to small town America, and the lesson to remain open to whatever opportunities and happiness comes into your life.” —Bob Lind, Echo Magazine
“Oh boy! The events were perfectly plausible, but the collection and the threading of all the stories, main and sub plots, were just fantastic. I completely and wholeheartedly recommend this book. So touching, so heartwarming and all out beautiful.”—Rainbow Book Reviews
Kiss The Girl
“There are romances and there are romances…Melissa Brayden can be relied on to write consistently very sweet, pure romances and delivers again with her newest book Kiss the Girl…There are scenes suffused with the sweetest love, some with great sadness or even anger—a whole gamut of emotions that take readers on a gentle roller coaster with a consistent upbeat tone. And at the heart of this book is a hymn to true friendship and human decency.”—C-spot Reviews
Ready or Not
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Please respect the rights of the author and do not file share.
Ready or Not
© 2015 By Melissa Brayden. All Rights Reserved.
ISBN 13: 978-1-62639-464-3
This Electronic Book is published by
Bold Strokes Books, Inc.
P.O. Box 249
Valley Falls, New York 12185
First Edition: November 2015
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission.
Credits
Editors: Lynda Sandoval and Shelley Thrasher
Production Design: Stacia Seaman
Cover Design By Sheri ([email protected])
By the Author
Waiting in the Wings
Heart Block
How Sweet It Is
Soho Loft Romances
Kiss the Girl
Just Three Words
Ready or Not
Acknowledgments
This final book in the Soho series feels a bit like the end of an era for me. I’ve laughed and cried with these characters, shared their highs and lows, while experiencing highs and lows of my own. I’ll miss them dearly and hope you, the reader, have enjoyed your time spent with the Savvy gang.
First and foremost, I owe a special shout out of gratitude to my editor and friend Lynda Sandoval for her insight, guidance, and humor along the way. She understood my vision for this story, and that’s everything. It’s so nice to know I have her in my corner and it is my hope that we have many more stories to tell together.
I would also like to acknowledge my super-smart copy editor, Shelley Thrasher, and her eagle eye for detail!
Many thanks, as always, to the benches-deep Bold Strokes team, most notably Len Barot and Sandy Lowe for working with me on my hectic grad school schedule, Cindy for having to deal with my disorganized side, and the BSB cover artists for bringing visual life to the world of the book.
Hugs, kisses, and high fives go to Rachel, Georgia, and Nikki for keeping me laughing, and to the countless authors who share their experiences, advice, and words of wisdom with me when I need it. I’m proud to be a part of this writing community.
At the end of any day, it’s the people closest to you that give you a safe place to fall or prop you up when you need it. For me that’s Alan, and I am forever in awe at how we just click. And many thanks for drinking the “research” cocktails I made in preparation for this book.
My family rocks, and I’m lucky to have them behind me! My mother reads every book I write, and what could mean more?
Lastly, I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to you, my readers. I appreciate so many of you taking time out of your day to let me know I made you smile. In all honesty, the feeling is a hundred percent mutual.
In honor of friendship and chocolate lovers everywhere.
Prologue
Mallory Spencer had a feeling her entire life was about to change.
As she sat on the steps outside the business school at NYU, evidence of dusk fell gradually around her. The sun dipped. The sky pinked. The air crisped and the temperature dropped. The outline of the moon loomed faintly overhead as she exhaled, feeling the weight of the thick folder in her hands. Heavy, which was fitting, as it contained the intricate details of her would-be future.
She’d been sitting on those steps for the better part of two hours, watching coeds crisscross the sidewalk, perhaps heading out for dinner or to the library to get in a last cramming session before finals week. All the while, she battled within her own head, vacillating back and forth between logic and risk.
Earlier that day, she’d been offered her dream job, everything she’d been working toward. Upon graduation in two weeks, she would be a junior account executive at Jennings and Sons Advertising Agency on the Upper West Side. This should be the happiest day of her life.
Unless she changed her mind, that is.
Jennings and Sons was an older, well-established firm with a fantastic reputation and, let’s face it, large amounts of money. She’d completed her third interview with them just that morning. By lunch, they’d ushered her into the conference room and presented her with a lush starting offer, one she knew her parents would endorse. And that was important, as her family had standards to live up to. The Spencer name came with a certain set of expectations, not to be downplayed. But for whatever reason, in a move atypical of Mallory, she had this ever-growing urge to go with her gut for once.
As a result, the gnawing in her stomach didn’t seem to be going anywhere, and she couldn’t shrug off the recently formed idea that played constantly in the back of her head any longer. Without giving it any more thought, for fear she might lose her nerve, Mallory flipped open her phone and dialed her friend Samantha’s number.
“Mal?” Sam said upon answering. “Hang on a sec. Just need to…pay for my coffee…so I can live. Thank you. Keep the change,” she heard Sam say distantly. “And
Mallory gulped in a breath and tucked a strand of her long brown hair behind one ear. “I’m here. I need to call a Midnight Chocolate. For tonight.”
A pause. “Whoa. In the midst of exams? This must be important. Yeah?”
“It is. Will you call Brooklyn and Hunter? Let’s meet at my place.” In addition to Samantha, she knew their other two best friends would be there in a heartbeat. Midnight Chocolate was a practice the four of them had stumbled onto their sophomore year of college when they’d first bonded over a late-night dinner of chocolate waffles in the Village. It had pretty much cemented their four-way friendship forever. Late-night discussion and chocolate were a powerful combination, and the girls relied on the coupling to solve any and all of their major life crises. When someone needed to talk something out, Midnight Chocolate was the way to go. No questions asked.
“No worries. I’ll call them right now,” Sam said. A pause. “Hey, you okay?”
Mallory smiled as a series of butterflies flew circles in her stomach. “I definitely might be. And Sam? Come with an open mind tonight, okay?”
“Will do.”
As Mallory walked back to her apartment in the Village, darkness hung in full effect all around her. The night felt like it was bursting with possibilities, and she couldn’t help smiling at the proverbial list. She tucked the envelope containing the job offer into her Italian leather attaché, which her father had purchased solely for the interview, and ruminated on what he’d say if she pulled an about-face now. Regardless of what happened, his opinion mattered to her. She looked up to him and treasured their relationship. He was her mentor, friend, and parent all rolled into one. Would he understand if she set out to do something reckless that just might pay off in the end? She shook her head, unable to consider that right now. As she climbed the steps to her apartment, she evicted the recriminations from her mind.
Her parents had a lot of ideas about what exactly her future should entail. But it just so happened that Mallory had a few of her own.
*
At five minutes after midnight, Mallory sat with Samantha and Hunter on the floor of her small living room, surrounded by chocolate peanut-butter cookies, malted-milk balls, four pre-scooped bowls of vanilla ice cream topped with hot fudge, and an array of awesome candy toppings. She’d opened a bottle of red wine and a bottle of white and had four glasses generously poured.
The three of them waited.
For Brooklyn.
Who they often waited for.
“I love this wine,” Sam said, examining the glass and turning it in a circle against the light. “I wish I knew more about it. I should become a wine connoisseur if I don’t make it my entire profession. I’m about to graduate with a degree in accounting and thereby probably missing my calling as a world-class sommelier.”
Mallory held up a hand. “Before you book a ticket to Paris, listen to what I have to say tonight. Well, listen as soon as Brooklyn gets here.”
And then, like a Tasmanian devil, a blur of wavy blond hair burst into the room and skidded to a stop in plaid pajama pants, a red cami, and hoodie. “Did I make it? Am I on time?” Brooklyn asked, clearly out of breath.
Sam shook her head. “Not even close, Brooks. But we’ve decided to love you anyway.”
Brooklyn grinned, ducked under Sam’s outstretched arm, and nestled into a cozy spot on the floor. Brooklyn was a handful, that was for sure, but it was actually part of her charm. Her blue eyes flashed excitement as she turned to Mallory. “So…what’s all this about? I don’t relish studying, by any means, but I’m fully aware that you do. So this must be a major MC you’ve called.” She settled her elbows on her knees and her chin in her hands. “Okay, Mal, dish.”
All eyes were on her, and Mallory knew this was an important moment in her life. She could feel it. She opened her mouth to speak, but the words she’d hoped for weren’t quite there. That’s when her heart rate sped up and her parents’ authoritative voices ping-ponged around in her head. Was this a mistake? Had she lost her firm and level head? Some sort of graduation crisis maybe? She swallowed hard and caught Samantha’s eye. Sam seemed to take in the distress signals.
“Maybe Mal wants to work up to it,” Sam offered the group.
Hunter passed Brooklyn a glass of wine. “I’ll stall.”
“Thanks,” Brooklyn said, accepting. “You were saying?”
“I’m meeting Elizabeth McMillan at the White Rabbit when we’re done here,” Hunter said. “I thought you’d all enjoy that. I know I do.”
Brooklyn’s eyes moved from side to side as she attempted to rationalize those words. “Elizabeth McMillan is straight. Doesn’t compute.”
Hunter simply grinned at her and looked skyward, all laid-back and gorgeous. Genetics really weren’t fair. With those looks and her undeniable charm, Hunter Blair picked up women practically everywhere she went. It was a gift. “Well, until she wasn’t last night.”
Samantha shook her head, her jaw falling open. “Only you, Hunter. Only you.”
“I’m a little jealous of you right now,” Brooklyn said in reverence. “Not gonna lie. Elizabeth McMillan is all buttoned up and conservative in my management class. It’s hot.” Brooklyn snagged a bowl of ice cream and dropped a handful of chocolate chips on top, her blue eyes luminous as they focused on Hunter. “Teach me, Obi-Wan.”
“That’s kind of why we’re here,” Mallory said, jumping in before her nerves could quell her any further. “We all have unique skills.”
“Like picking up hot girls we all thought were straight?” Brooklyn asked, hooking a thumb at Hunter.
“Kinda,” Mallory said and then frowned. “But no, not that at all. Hear me out. When the four of us came together for the first time two years ago on that film committee for the LGBT Center, we were unstoppable.”
“We were.” Sam echoed her, smiling at the memory. “Like it was ordained or something.”
Brooklyn nodded. “I didn’t know you guys at all, but I did know that we worked together like gangbusters. Like we’d been doing it our whole lives.” She glanced at each of them in appreciation. “I’d never had that kind of chemistry with any other group of people in my entire life.”
This was her chance. Mallory pushed up onto her knees as energy took hold. “Think about it, you guys. With Brooklyn’s big ideas, my project-management skills, Samantha’s money magic, and Hunter’s killer eye for graphics, we cover all the bases.”
Hunter inclined her head to the side. “All the bases for what? I don’t think the larger world needs a film committee.”
“Advertising.” Mallory sat back and let the word resonate. Her friends looked intrigued but definitely not sold.
“Explain,” Sam said.
“I think when we graduate, we should start our own firm in the city.” Eyes widened and the room fell uncharacteristically silent. Not exactly what she’d been hoping for. Brooklyn and Samantha exchanged a glance, but damn it, still no one said anything. “Well, not everyone at once,” Mallory said, gazing at the floor as her confidence fluttered.
Brooklyn spoke first and it was clear she was tentative. “You think we could do that? Honestly?”
Mallory didn’t hesitate. “I know we could do it. I was at Jennings and Sons today. They’re one of the top firms in New York. Huge in size and money galore, but they had nothing on us in terms of ingenuity. Give me you three and an empty room, and we could change the world of advertising. I know we could.”
