Cosmopolitan: A Happy Hour Series Standalone Read online

  Cosmopolitan

  A Happy Hour Series Standalone

  Kristen Hope Mazzola

  Contents

  Introduction

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Epilogue

  Did you enjoy what you just read?

  About the Author

  Also by Kristen Hope Mazzola

  Cosmopolitan

  Copyright © 2019 Kristen Hope Mazzola

  Published by Kristen Hope Mazzola

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, including electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return it to the seller and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author’s work.

  Published: Kristen Hope Mazzola 2019

  Cover Design: Kristen Hope Mazzola

  Formatting by: Kristen Hope Mazzola

  Editing by:

  C. Marie: [email protected]

  Created with Vellum

  Introduction

  From bestselling author Kristen Hope Mazzola, comes a brand-new standalone romantic comedy series! Come hang out with a group of girlfriends as they sip their way through the trials and tribulations of the ever-complicated dating world. This quirky, fun and laugh-out-loud series will leave you gripping your sides and flipping pages feverishly. Pull up a bar stool and raise your glass to cheers The Happy Hour Series!

  Don’t miss out on the first three standalone romantic comedies in The Happy Hour Series:

  Manhattan

  Gin & Tonic

  Dirty Martini

  Sometimes people are afraid of falling in love, because it sometimes comes in a way we never expected.

  -Terry Mark

  Chapter 1

  Change Sucks

  Sitting in an uncomfortable, squeaky plastic chair with the backs of my legs sticking to it, I squirmed to fix the skirt of my dress. The old air-conditioning unit struggled to keep up with the muggy Georgia heat, and Mother Nature was definitely winning the battle.

  I hate waiting.

  I hate change.

  Where is this guy?

  Glancing around, it wasn’t lost on anyone that all the teachers of Garrison Elementary were getting antsy. The new principal was running late—really late—to our meet and greet. Also, it was barely a month into our school year, making a change in administration that much more galling.

  The room was buzzing with whispers and speculation as the vice principal addressed us quickly. “I know Mr. Hartigan is on his way. Please sit tight everyone.” Mrs. Nightingale’s pudgy cheeks perked up as she forced a smile, glancing around the room. “I know you’re all going to love him. We had a wonderful meeting this morning, and I am tickled with optimism for all the fresh ideas he is going to bring to the table.”

  “Have you hear anything about this Mr. Hartigan?” Shirley asked under her breath, fanning herself with a manila folder clutched in her tiny hand as sweat beaded around her hairline.

  I pursed my lips. “Not a thing.”

  “That’s so strange, isn’t it?” She sighed, leaning farther back in her chair. “You’d think he’d want to make a better first impression than this. We have lives, too.”

  Dramatically rolling my eyes, I started to agree with her when a huffing, well-dressed man rushed into the room.

  “I am so sorry I have kept all of you waiting.” The man wheezed as he darted to the front of the cafeteria. “I parked in the wrong lot and got completely turned upside down.”

  Excuses, excuses. Is this guy for real?

  It was shocking to me how young he looked. In my brain, a principal was typically a graying, wise, Dumbledore kind of person, not a Calvin Klein model lookalike in a thousand-dollar suit.

  “Good afternoon, everyone.” The new guy waved quickly. “I’m Blake Hartigan, and I am extremely excited to be taking over for Mr. Alton. I know I have big shoes to fill, but I am up for the thrilling challenge.”

  He dabbed his forehead with the back of his hand before continuing. “A little about me: I was a teacher in Dallas for ten years after graduating from the University of Dallas, where I got my master’s in education. I know I am a young buck when it comes to administration, but don’t let that fool you. I am here to support you, the students, and the parents to make this the best elementary school in the area.”

  His Texan drawl wafted through the large room, echoing throughout as we all sat there frustrated. Garrison Elementary had taken a hit when Mr. Alton suddenly fell ill over the summer, but we had rallied together, drawing on the intimate kinship we shared.

  “What is your plan to bring in more sponsorship funds?” Mrs. Crenshaw hollered out from behind me before the newest member of our staff could even finish with his long-winded introduction.

  Mr. Hartigan nodded tersely. “Excellent question. I have spoken at length with Mr. Alton and Mrs. Nightingale about that very issue. I know the coffers are low, and I have been brainstorming ideas to fix that problem swiftly. I want to make it very clear that we are not in as rough of shape as some of you might think. With a little tightening of the purse strings, we’ll be back on track in no time at all.”

  “That doesn’t answer the question.” Mrs. Crenshaw didn’t miss a beat, squinting her eyes at him through her thick glasses as her hands flew into the air. She pushed her graying hair away from her face, adding, “Did we get a politician or a principal?”

  The murmurs of agreement hissed as everyone started nodding their heads, and a few even clapped.

  “I assure y’all the allocation of funds is at the forefront of my agenda, and yes, I do know how political that sounds. In fairness, being part of administration does mean there is a tiny bit of a political element in the job description that has to be dealt with accordingly. I know the bake sale is a huge draw for parents and brings in a good chunk of money. Unfortunately, it just isn’t cutting it anymore. We have talked about implementing a mandatory parent volunteer program that will help alleviate some of the financial strain on the school, along with encouraging more parents to be involved in their children’s education.”

  “What about working single parents?” Shirley barked out. “We have to take that into consideration.”

  She had a solid point.

  Blake’s steely eyes darted in our direction. “I have taken that into consideration. The number of hours parents will be asked to complete yearly will be very minimal, but we will want to inspire those parents who can spare more time to do so. Parental involvement is not just about lowering costs—it will be to the benefit of the students in countless ways. We just have to make the parents see that.”

  I did have to hand it to the man—he was good under pressure.

  Mr. Frederick stayed true to form, raising his hand to ask a question.

  “Yes?�
� Blake pointed to the mousy, bashful teacher in the front row.

  “What about annual raises? We heard rumors that they will not be happening this year.” Darren Frederick was one of the sweetest, more dorky humans I had ever met in my life. He was one of the only people under the age of seventy who carried a handkerchief and regularly used a pocket protector.

  Mr. Hartigan fidgeted with his tie. I watched as he swallowed hard. “The board has put a salary freeze in place for the time being.”

  Gasps and whispers erupted instantly.

  “I promise I am going to do everything in my power to find a way for this restriction to be alleviated.”

  As I watched the newest member of our team get pummeled with question after question, I couldn’t help but feel bad for the guy. He was coming into a family unit, as most of us had worked together for at least five years already. It was never easy to be in the hot seat getting chewed out for things that weren’t your fault.

  I shot up out of my seat, turning to look at all of my coworkers. “This was supposed to be a getting-to-know-you session. Cut the guy a little bit of slack. I am sure there will be plenty of time to hammer Mr. Hartigan about all this later. It’s hot, and we’re all on edge. This is not the time to work ourselves up into a tizzy.”

  Crickets.

  Everyone just sat there blinking at me like I had six heads.

  Shirley cleared her throat behind me. “Caroline is right. I brought coffee and cookies. I think this is a good place to break for the evening.”

  Mr. Hartigan mouthed, “Thank you,” over to us before running his hand over his face.

  As the youngest principal in the school’s history ambled over, I felt completely conflicted. I hated that Mr. Alton was leaving our school. I hated that he had been forced to retire suddenly because of medical issues. I hated change. I also wanted to give Blake Hartigan the benefit of the doubt and wanted to like him, but there was a cockiness about even his gate that instantly rubbed me the wrong way. From his expensive suit to the Rolex he continually flicked on his wrist all the way to his chiseled jaw and perfect teeth, it just didn’t add up.

  “Rough crowd,” Blake remarked once he was standing with Shirley and me.

  Shirley shot him a kind smile as she scoffed, “They only bark. There’s no bite behind any of it.”

  “You’ll get used to them, trust us. We were the new kids until you came to town.” I couldn’t take my eyes off his ostentatious watch as I tried my best to be comforting.

  “How long have the two of you worked here?” he asked with a little chuckle.

  “A little over five years,” Shirley responded while rubbing her baby bump. Shirley Porter was probably the most adorable woman I had ever met: petite, smiley, and all-around jubilant. Add in that she was so cute as a pregnant woman and I just wanted to pinch her cheeks constantly. We had been partners in crime since day one, and I was so thankful that we had been hired together.

  “Man, I hope it doesn’t take that long for these guys to let me into the club.” Mr. Hartigan exhaled a long breath, peeking around the room over my shoulder.

  I waved my hand dismissively. “You’re already off on the right foot because you didn’t crack under pressure. They will respect that.”

  “And bring in donuts every once in a while,” Shirley added.

  “Is that what Mr. Alton did?” Blake asked, genuinely mulling over bribery as a way to win his staff’s affection.

  I couldn’t help but laugh. “Shirley is on a donut kick right now,” I explained as my friend started to blush a bit.

  “What baby wants, baby gets,” she stated matter-of-factly.

  Mr. Hartigan was about to keep up with the banter but he was pulled away by a gaggle of senior staffers with more badgering interrogations.

  “He’s hot as hell,” Shirley remarked once he was out of earshot.

  I cocked my head harshly to the side as I scrunched my nose. “Not in the slightest.”

  She gripped my forearm, turning me to get a better look at our new administrator. “You don’t have to admit it if you don’t want to, but that man is sex on a stick, and you need to jump on that for all us married women who can’t. If not for yourself, do it for us. We haven’t ever had eye candy like that around here.”

  Being the only single woman in the school came with so many pitfalls. Everyone thought they were the world’s best matchmaker and tried their hand at setting me up with any single man within spitting distance. It seemed like the only criteria was that he had a pulse. I was looking for a little more substance than that, and a man who dripped money and arrogance wasn’t high on my list of viable suiters.

  “And I think that is my cue to run away.” Swinging my bag over my shoulder, I said goodbye to Shirley quietly, hoping to duck out of the meeting in time to make it for happy hour with my girls.

  “Miss Water?” Blake’s low voice called over to me just as I got one foot out the door.

  I spun on my heels, nearly crashing right into his wide chest. “Yeah?”

  “Do you have a few moments to talk about career day?” Mr. Hartigan was chewing on the inside of his cheek as his gaze darted away from me.

  “Sure.” I followed him to an empty corner of the room as the other teachers mingled in small huddles.

  “You’re the one who is organizing it this year, right?” he started.

  I crossed my arms over my chest as I nodded.

  “I think we are going to have to cancel.” His head hung as my jaw dropped.

  “What? Why?” I snappishly spit out.

  His voice was soft as he explained, “We just don’t have it in the budget right now. We’re all going to have to make sacrifices for the time being.”

  “But the parents are all lined up. I have guest speakers coming in, and it isn’t costing the school that much money. I’m right on budget.” I was rambling, and I could feel my entire body getting hot. “The kids are all excited about it. How can we disappoint them like that?”

  “I’m sorry. My hands are tied.” He started to fumble with his black silk tie again, and I saw red.

  “You can’t do this,” I shouted, my voice louder than I had intended.

  “Please keep this between us until I can figure out a way to break the news to everyone. I know you have already worked extremely hard organizing it, and I felt the need to give you a heads-up before an announcement was made.”

  “I am not going to stand for this. I am sorry. I know money is tight, but that is no excuse to hinder the education of our children and let the entire school down.” I pulled my purse higher up on my shoulder and stormed away from my new boss. I blew past all of my coworkers who were still clustered around as they whispered to each other and stared at me. I didn’t care if I was causing a scene. If I had spent one more minute talking to Blake about him canceling career day, I might have punched him, and that wouldn’t have been good for anyone.

  Chapter 2

  Happy Hour

  Fighting back aggravated tears, I slumped into my seat at Drum and Quill, where my group of girlfriends were already waiting for me.

  “Caroline?” Annabelle asked, putting her hand on my arm right away. “What’s going on?”

  Harper waved over to Waylon, pointing at me. Before I could even get the words out, my drink was being set down in front of me by Annabelle’s sweet fiancé.

  “Thanks,” I muttered to Waylon as he smiled down at me.

  “Looks like you could use one,” he remarked before rushing back to help his busy bartenders.

  “Out with it,” Sawyer bayed at me.

  I sucked in a sharp breath. “I hate my new boss.”

  “Oh, that’s right. You met him today.” Harper leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms over her chest.

  All three of my best friends were staring at me, waiting for more of an explanation.

  “He’s canceling career day.” I sighed before chugging down my entire cosmo in one hefty gulp.

  Annie gasped. “But
that’s your baby!”

  “I know!” I bellowed, throwing my hands over my face. “I can’t even believe it. It’s all because of stupid budget cuts. We keep losing funding every damn year, and it is really starting to take its toll on the school. I don’t know what to do. It’s only two weeks away.”

  Harper tapped her index finger on her lips. “What if the funds for it were donated?”

  I shook my head. “I am not a charity case.”

  “But the school is,” she continued. “I bet I could get the bigwigs at the firm to throw some money at it. Tons of parents itching for divorces, free advertising—sounds like a win-win in my book.”

  “Is that really an option?” I asked as I gaped at my friend from across the table.

  “I can’t promise anything, but if I pitch it just right, I might be able to make this work. I would obviously have to participate.”

  “I’d love to participate too,” Annie added. “I could even bring a couple of horses to the school and really get the kids excited about it. No one realizes equestrian studies is a real career anyway, so it might be the perfect opportunity to help change that a little bit.”

  “I can probably get Rhett in on it too. I mean his nephew is one of the students there. It wouldn’t be too hard to twist his arm.” Harper started typing notes into her phone as she shamelessly offered up her husband’s services without consulting him. “I really think we can get this to work out very well for everyone.”

  Sawyer raised her hand quickly. “I want in. Let’s blow this career day out of the water. I’m going to be a parent soon, so might as well start getting used to being around kids now.”