Page 106 of Biker Orc Baby Daddy
I smile. She smiles. Orry beams between us, dimple on full display.
Cameras flash.
Colum jogs alongside the float, megaphone blaring. "That's right folks. Family values. Financial stability.Sparkle."
"I'm definitely killing him," Cecie says.
But she's laughing.
The demo at noon is somehow worse and better than expected.
Colum's built us a small stage. There's a chair for Cecie's makeover station. A table for my "financial corner." Orry's playpen sits between them, positioned for maximum visibility.
A crowd gathers. Easily fifty people.
"No pressure," Cecie mutters.
"None at all."
Colum introduces us with the energy of a game show host. "Cecie Newman, owner of Sparkle Beauty. Gunther Ridgeway, financial wizard. Together they're proving that family and business can mix beautifully. Let's see them in action."
Cecie's volunteer is a teenager who wants "something bold." Cecie works quickly, confidently, transforming the girl's face with sharp wings and jewel-toned shadow. She narrates as she goes, explaining techniques, recommending products.
She's magnetic. The crowd leans in.
I'm supposed to calculate something impressive.
I pull out Clarence. Set up a whiteboard. A man from the audience volunteers his salary and savings goals.
"Let's talk compound interest," I say.
It should be boring. Spreadsheets and percentages. But I make it a story. Show him the numbers. Chart the growth. Break down how small changes now create security later.
People actually nod along.
"You make math sexy," someone calls.
Cecie snorts.
Orry chooses that exact moment to grab a lipstick from Cecie's kit and wave it overhead like a trophy.
The crowdmelts.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Colum announces. "The next generation of Poplar Springs excellence."
We finish to applause. Actual applause. Cecie looks stunned. I probably do too.
Afterward, people linger. Ask questions. A few want financial consultations. More want makeup tips. Several just want to coo at Orry.
One woman wearing a sharp suit, kind eyes, approaches while Cecie's packing up.
"I run the women's business network," she says. "We'd love to feature you both. Maybe a panel on work-life balance?"
Cecie blinks. "Me?"
"You're exactly the kind of story we want to highlight."
"I. I'll think about it."
