Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 22860 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 114(@200wpm)___ 91(@250wpm)___ 76(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22860 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 114(@200wpm)___ 91(@250wpm)___ 76(@300wpm)
Logan just rolls his eyes.
“Okay, I get it. You’re saying that you’re a strict taskmaster who’s quote-unquote ‘old school.’ Well, lady, everything has its expiration date, and I’m sorry to tell you that this is a new day. Bullying will not be tolerated, and your reign of terror is over. Thanks, goodbye.”
Ursula makes one last attempt.
“Please,” she whispers. “Just give me another chance. This is all I’ve done for the last twenty years. I have no other marketable skills.”
Logan shrugs.
“That’s not our problem. That’s your problem.”
But then Ursula gets belligerent.
“Do you have any idea how hard it is for a woman in her forties to date?” she demands, suddenly changing topics. “You can’t kick me out of the Circle because how will I meet men otherwise?”
Logan guffaws.
“You were meeting men through the Circle? No offense, lady, but most guys I know weren’t banging shriveled up chicks like you. We like them young and juicy, and frankly, the only way you were even still in the group is because of an unfortunate administrative oversight.”
“Not to mention your bad attitude,” I chime in. “What guy would want to be around that? Maybe you should try a dating app or something. At least no one can tell what a bad personality you have from just a profile.”
Ursula looks positively horrified.
“A dating app?” she squeaks. “I would never! That would be beneath me, not to mention utterly humiliating. What Miss Millbrook goes on a dating app?”
I shrug.
“Hey, Paulina Porizkova uses dating apps, and she’s a supermodel. Besides, you’re not exactly Miss Millbrook anymore. Let go of your reservations and see what happens. Besides, forty-something may be old for the Circle, but it’s hardly over the hill. You’re acting like you’re ancient with no prospects whatsoever.”
Ursula’s practically hyperventilating now.
“You’ll learn someday, Rocky,” she spits. “You’re young and beautiful now, but eventually you’ll be just like me.”
I shake my head while backing away. “I will never be like you, Ursula. My body may change, but my personality won’t. I will stay kind and caring, because I want to be the type of person who has integrity. I want to comport myself with dignity without bullying younger women whom I perceive as so-called “threats.” What you did was despicable, and I don’t know how you can live with yourself.”
Ursula stares at me, opening and closing her mouth like she wants to respond but instead, she just looks like a dying fish.
At this point, my hands are shaking and I feel exhausted. I hate confrontation, and some of Ursula’s neighbors have turned on their lights to see what all the commotion is about, making it a public spectacle. Meanwhile, Logan senses my internal retreat and slings a big arm over my shoulders.
“Come on, baby,” he rasps. “Let’s go. She doesn’t deserve more of our time.”
Then, we melt into the darkness, leaving Ursula still gasping on her doorstep. I shudder as I get into the car because even as relief washes over me, that was a nasty incident. I’m grateful that this chapter of my life has closed for good, and I’m ready to move on to bigger and better things now.
CHAPTER 10
Logan
I convince Rocky to come home with me, and our cars pull up in in tandem before my mansion. Then, without speaking, we enter the big house, which is empty, silent, and dark. I switch on the foyer light, and Rocky looks up at me with glossy eyes. She clenches her fists to keep them from shaking. Immediately, I pull her into an embrace.
“I can’t believe that just happened,” she murmurs.
“I know sweetheart. That was a total shitshow, and I’m sorry. I had a feeling Ursula wouldn’t respond well, but I wanted to confront her as soon as possible, and I thought you’d want to be there.”
She nods before exhaling in a shuddering breath.
“I am glad I was because the opportunity to confront someone like that is priceless, even if it’s scary. Thank you so much, Logan. You know how nervous I was about her threats.”
I nod, kissing her hair.
“No worries, honey. Like I said, I promised to fix things for you, and I did. You can bet your bottom dollar that that witch will never set foot in another pageant, nor will she ever work in the beauty pageant circuit again,” he adds. “I know a lot of people, who also know a lot of people. Oh yeah. Ursula will be hurting for a good long while.”
Rocky frowns then.
“I feel kind of bad for her, actually. She really is going to lose everything all because she chose to be a villain instead of a hero.”
I shrug.
“It’ll sting for a while, but she’ll land on her feet. Ursula is canny and resourceful. Who knows? Maybe she’ll turn to stripping.”
That makes my sweet girl half-laugh, half-choke.
“But who would hire her?”