Thirty days to love

ding hot when it hi

his corner table, designer fabric dr

xt time you'll think twice before ca

ce red with panic. "Lena! O

" Lena untied her apron, hands sh

bably mid-thirties with the kind of sharp jawline that belonged on mag

a who I am?" His voi

m the right to insult people's dreams." Lena

to café customers. The stranger's words echoed in her head: pathetic trash. She'd spent we

that job. Three years of smile-and-take-it while entitled customers treated her like furniture.

e buzzed

ale going?" her

fee on a customer

ena. What

en her ear and shoulder, struggling with her canvases as she walked. "Right to my face,

. But babe, you

ld dread. Rent was due in two days. Her father's medical

king. "Oh God.

out. Maybe Manager will take

arper than intended. "I won't grovel to keep

ng else. There are other

fired for assaulting a customer?

n Sofia sighed. "Come home. W

when her sister couldn't afford her dorm. The elevator had been broken for six months

ling the paintings. One slipped from

shit,

rner. Six hours of work, ruined. She sank o

be today someone would buy a painting. M

rang. Unkn

el

s Elena

Lena,

olitan Cardiology. I'm callin

h dropped. "W

each him, but his phone seems to be disconnected. The balance on his

the phone tighter. "That can't be ri

medications, and monitoring equipment weren't fully approved. If w

"You can't do that. He needs thos

nt deadlines twice already. We need at least half the balance by the e

Nearly twelve thousand

res? Are

unded hollow. "I'll... I

thousand dollars. Plus rent. Plus Izzy's tuition.

ed at the landing, dark hair pulled back in a mes

re you doing

ds. She held up the da

r on the narrow ste

lars." The words felt unreal. "They're going to stop his

s Chr

ad." Lena laughed, but it came ou

e'll figure it out. I can pick up extra shift

xpenses. And even if you got the promotion, we're

s cooking dinner. The smell of garlic and ginger drifte

t. Then: "There are other w

e made Lena look up.

her voice. "I know girls who make good money.

d up abruptly.

it. You're beautif

lling my bo

nionship. Dates. Some of these guys just w

re than dinner." Lena picked up

door. "Okay, okay. I'm sorry. I ju

inst every available surface. Two years' worth of work. Cityscapes, portraits, abs

pensive suit was right. May

abbed the pile of envelopes and b

tement, something for you..." S

ha

nvelope with red letter

She grabbed the envelope, tear

... thirty days late... final notice... 48 hou

dollars. Fort

ace where she'd painted her best work, where she'd dreamed of be

forty-ei

emed to come from far aw

tions. Her father would lose his medical care. She'd

offee at some rich bastard

ough the thin walls, she could hear the Chens arguing about groceries, Mrs.

People who probably didn't have to choose between me

notice. "Forty-eight hours," she read

whispered.

their small living room. In two days, this wouldn't be hers anym

probably getting his coffee stains dry-cleaned, never th

d tried to imagine what

ing she was ab