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Zoe's Dilemma
Zoe's Dilemma
Zoe's Dilemma
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Zoe's Dilemma

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On the surface Zoe looks like she’s got it all. She’s fit, beautiful and owner of her own yoga studio, but dig a little deeper and things aren’t as rosy as they seem. 


Her business isn’t doing as well as it appears no matter how hard she works, and she’s hiding a secret or two. When a devastatingly handsome lawyer wanders into her yoga class one day, she doesn’t know what to make of him. Jason is gorgeous and confident, or is it arrogant? Zoe’s not quite sure, and when he offers to help with her problems she’s not quite sure if she should trust him.


Torn between her growing attraction to the mysterious Jason, and her suspicion that he may not be all he seems, can she put her feelings aside and accept the help she so desperately needs?

LanguageEnglish
PublisherBella Frost
Release dateNov 30, 2016
ISBN9781540102959
Zoe's Dilemma
Author

Bella Frost

Bella Frost loves to read, write and spend hours wasting time on the internet. Her characters are fun, feisty and often frivolous. Sometimes goofy and infinitely relatable, they’re bound to become the best friends you always wish you had. Bella always makes time to indulge her other loves: food, fashion and football.

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    Book preview

    Zoe's Dilemma - Bella Frost

    PROLOGUE

    Three Years Earlier...

    Come on, Zoe, let’s go! This place is so boring, wailed Eden, her blond curls bouncing with impatience.

    Zoe looked around the dark room. Eden was right; it was definitely boring. They'd been at the bar for the last hour, waiting to see if Todd and Zander would show up. Where was everybody?

    Rrrright, Zoe heard herself say. Were her words coming out slurred? Maybe no one would notice. Let's get out of here. What about we go to Paradise City? I bet that’s where everyone’s gone. She grabbed Eden by the hand and dragged her off the barstool. She wasn't going to wait around for a guy any more, even one as cute as Todd.

    Heading out to the parking lot, Zoe fumbled around in her purse for her keys. She really was having trouble focusing. Maybe that last cocktail had been too much? Her fingers closed around something metallic at the bottom of her handbag. Finding what she was looking for, she pulled them out triumphantly and turned to Eden. Got them! I knew they were here somewhere. Suddenly she felt herself stumbling and crashing to the ground, sending Eden into fits of laughter. Zoe scrambled to stand up. How did that step get there?

    Wow, get it together, Zoe, said Eden once her laughter had subsided to the occasional giggle. We've got a long night ahead of us. It's only just past eleven.

    Zoe looked over at her and rolled her eyes. As if! I'm just getting started. Someone put a step there while I wasn't looking, that's all, she said, bursting into giggles herself. Now, where's my car?

    She looked around the darkened parking lot; nothing seemed familiar. Zoe leaned against the nearest light pole to steady herself and took a few deep breaths, trying to stop everything around her from spinning.

    Here it is! called Eden from nearby. You can't miss it—not with the custom purple exterior you had them change it to.

    Zoe headed in the direction of Eden's voice and clicked the button on her keychain to unlock the doors, feeling for the distinct beep and flashing lights that signaled it was open. As she got closer to her car, she felt the earth shift beneath her, causing her to pitch forward again. This time, she managed to catch herself on a nearby car.

    Eden, perky as ever, came bounding over and snatched the keys out of her hand. I'm driving! I've been dying to take your Aston Martin out for a spin ever since you got it. Just because your dad said not to let me drive it doesn't mean you have to listen to him.

    Zoe knew her father wouldn't want Eden to drive the new car he'd bought for her, not after she'd backed her last car into a pole at the gates to her family’s estate one morning after a big night out. One more time wouldn't hurt, though, and Zoe had to admit she wasn't really steady on her feet at the moment. Although Eden had matched her drink for drink so far, she seemed to be handling it much better. Maybe it was those little pink pills Eden had taken earlier?

    Zoe settled into the passenger seat of her car, enjoying the soft leather bucket seats. It would be nice to be driven around in her car for once. Eden put her foot down on the accelerator, speeding out of the parking lot toward Paradise City.

    Zoe wound down the window as they drove only slightly faster than the speed limit through the city streets. The feeling of the wind in her face was exhilarating and exactly what she needed to revive her. She leaned over and turned the music up just loud enough so that the people they passed on the streets would turn to look at them. Zoe shook her long dark hair out of its high ponytail, letting it billow behind her in the breeze.

    Hurry up, Eden! I can't wait to hit the dance floor. I bet everyone else is there already, yelled Zoe over the music. She stretched her arms out over her head happily. This was turning out to be a great night now that they'd left that boring bar.

    Eden turned to Zoe, her eyes glinting at the challenge. You want fast, do you? she yelled back. Her foot hit the floor, and the car lurched into action, every last part of the five-hundred-horsepower engine humming in unison. If they weren't already attracting enough attention with her loud, flashy-looking car, the distinctive revs and speed were about to stop traffic, she thought happily. Zoe loved fast cars and had picked this one out especially for its power and handling. Too bad Eden was the one getting to drive it right now. She would have loved to be behind the wheel, gunning it down the city streets.

    Zoe let out a whoop of excitement as they rounded a corner, Eden not bothering to slow at the turn. The car handled it beautifully, and Zoe smiled with the satisfaction that it was all hers, thanks to her father.

    I love this car! yelled Eden over the roar of the engine. How good was that corner?

    Zoe looked behind her to see how far they'd come. Just as she spun back to face the front, she noticed the lights turning yellow in front of them. Take it, she yelled, caught up in the excitement of the night. Dutifully, Eden hammered the accelerator again, and the car leapt across the traffic lights and straight into path of two pedestrians who chose exactly that moment to step out into the road. Eden! she screamed.

    Eden did her best to avoid the two people in front of them, wrenching the steering wheel to the hard right, causing the car to start spinning. Suddenly, Zoe had no idea where she was anymore. All she could sense was the roar of the engine beneath her, lights flashing everywhere, and spinning, endless spinning. It was as though everything was moving at once—and then nothing. Just overwhelming blackness.

    CHAPTER ONE

    Present Day

    Ugh, what is this? said Zoe, wrinkling her nose as she looked suspiciously at the mug in front of her. The earthy aroma coming from the murky black liquid her friend Samara had just brewed was making her feel slightly queasy. Seeing the eager look on Samara's face, she knew there was no way she was going to escape tasting it.

    They were sitting at one of the old timber tables inside Samara's café, Living Earth. The place was rustic, to say the least. None of the reclaimed tables and chairs matched. They were all remnants of other people’s lives that had been found discarded on nearby streets and Dumpsters in the surrounding neighborhood, collected and painstakingly restored and polished by Samara. The effect was eclectic yet somehow comforting. In the corner of the café stood a large, dried-out tree trunk with a few branches still attached that poked out toward the ceiling, a nod to the natural ingredients on which the menu was based. The lighting was sparse and minimal, coming mainly from a few naked lightbulbs that hung suspended from the ceiling. Although the café looked as though it had been designed by a cutting-edge interior design firm, Zoe knew it was the result of a nonexistent budget and a lot of ingenuity on Samara's part.

    It's cold-pressed coffee with cordyceps, replied Samara excitedly. It's the latest superfood trend. It's actually a type of fungus, but it's really good for you. I can't believe you haven't heard of it. It's the perfect drink for someone like you.

    You're serving me fungus? In a mug? I think you might have gone too far this time Samara, said Zoe, sniffing the mug suspiciously. Besides, what do you mean ‘someone like me’?

    Someone highly strung like you, said Samara, teasing her. I know you're a yoga teacher and all, but you know that your facade of calmness and Zen shows cracks sometimes, don't you? Samara followed her quip with a poke in the arm for good measure. Seriously, though, is everything ok? You really don't seem yourself today.

    Zoe sighed. She should have known it was no use trying to hide things from Samara. They'd been friends ever since they'd met two years ago, both opening their businesses in the same run-down block within weeks of each other. It was one of the original buildings in Newport, but like many others in the suburb, it had been neglected for years. That is, until the current owner had subdivided it into smaller spaces, making it perfect for people like Zoe and Samara, who each jumped at the low rent and opportunity to open a business in the emerging hip suburb. It was a far cry from the exclusive gated community Zoe's family lived in, and as far as she was concerned, it couldn't be more perfect.

    The two of them had spent many hours sitting in Samara's tiny café, discussing their plans to create holistic, sustainable businesses, bonding over a shared dream of being able to make a difference in people's lives. Now Samara was well on her way to success; she was an up-and-coming raw food chef, starting to develop a good name with those in the know. Even so, Samara wanted to stay true to her roots in the close-knit community where she'd first started building her dream and allow her business to develop slowly.

    Unfortunately, Zoe hadn't been quite so lucky.

    Her studio, Chrysalis Yoga, was located up a rickety flight of stairs right next to Samara's café. It was Zoe's pride and joy but also the source of a constant stream of worries that often kept her up at night. She'd had no idea teaching yoga could be so stressful. It certainly wasn't the idyllic lifestyle most people imagined. Setting up her own studio had taken a lot of work and dedication. She was proud of what she had managed to achieve, with a schedule of yoga and meditation classes that were becoming more and more popular. Unfortunately, no matter how busy her classes were, it never seemed to be quite enough for her to make ends meet financially. She was beginning to feel as though she was treading water, always one step away from going under, and lately she was really starting to feel that she was at risk of drowning.

    Go on, try it! urged Samara, breaking into her thoughts. She looked keenly at Zoe, unable to hide her excitement any longer. Don't worry, you won't even notice the smell once you taste it, I promise. It's really good for your nervous system. You've been a bit distracted lately, so I thought maybe you could use a boost, said Samara, looking at her with a raised eyebrow.

    There were benefits and drawbacks to being friends with a top raw food chef, and both of them involved tasting food, Zoe thought to herself. She was used to being the guinea pig whenever Samara developed new items for the café menu, and thanks to her friend's skill as a chef, her creations were usually delicious. Occasionally, though, she'd come up with something that Zoe's uneducated taste buds weren't ready for, and she was afraid that might be the case this time. It wasn't that Samara's food tasted bad, and she would tell her friend when her dishes failed to impress. It was just that she wasn't used to the unusual ingredients Samara used. Zoe braced herself, feeling certain this was about to be one of those moments. Cold, fungus-infused coffee didn't sound appealing at all, no matter how good it was for you. Taking a deep breath through her mouth to avoid the strange smell coming from her mug, she bravely took a big gulp.

    Wow. It actually tastes just like coffee. Like a really rich coffee, said Zoe in surprise. She should have known Samara would never serve her anything that was too nasty. She'd come a long way since she'd first opened the café, and Zoe couldn't help but be proud of how well she had done. These days, there would often be a queue forming outside Living Earth before the front doors opened in the morning. Whether by luck or by design, Samara had been one of the first chefs to really embrace the raw food movement, and her desserts were legendary among the Newport locals. If only the yoga studio could find the same level of success, Zoe mused. Maybe then she wouldn't have to worry about money so much.

    Thanks, replied Samara. I'm glad you approve. It's going on the menu for the first time today, so it's just as well. Now, are you going to tell me what's been bothering you? You're doing a good job of acting calm and relaxed, but I can tell when you're troubled. You get that strange, distracted look in your eyes, and you start fidgeting.

    Zoe looked up at her friend worriedly. You don't think it's showing in my classes, do you? she asked. I'm not supposed to feel tense when I teach. Could you imagine doing a class with an uptight yoga teacher? Think of all the negative energy I could be putting out there. Zoe took the welfare of her students very seriously. The thought that the quality of her classes might be deteriorating because of her financial problems was definitely cause for concern.

    Relax, the hatha class I came to the other night was fantastic. You know, as soon as you start teaching, all your problems seem to melt away. It must be the cumulative effect of all that yoga you do. You probably just have to stand next to a yoga mat to feel instantly relaxed, said Samara reassuringly.

    Zoe breathed a sigh of relief that the pressure she was under wasn't coming across in her classes. It's just the usual. Money is a bit tighter this month, and it's preying on my mind, said Zoe. My bills keep mounting up, and I feel like I'm going backward. At this rate, I might as well start paying people to take my classes, for everything it's costing me. They say yoga is transformative; well, it's transforming me into a nervous wreck! she joked, trying to make light of the situation.

    Zoe had started Chrysalis Yoga because she really wanted to help people connect with their bodies and feel better about themselves. She'd been through a lot in her life, and discovering yoga had really helped her through some tough times. But she hadn't been prepared for the stress that came with having her own yoga studio. For one thing, she still wasn't used to worrying about money, having grown up in a world where everyone she knew was wealthy and no one even discussed how much anything cost.

    The truth was, Zoe hated that she even had to think about the financial side of her business, but like most other people, she now had to face the realities of earning a living. She'd been hit with a number of bills that month, and it was going to be a struggle to make ends meet. Her electricity bill was particularly alarming. It was always huge because of her morning hot yoga classes, but for some reason, it had been getting higher and higher each month, even though she hadn't changed her schedule. She had just received her second

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