Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 71110 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 356(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71110 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 356(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
“Really?” Charlotte glanced toward the pool where a big group of kids were shouting and laughing. Erin Taggart was sitting out there with MaeBe and a woman named Avery who Daphne had recently met. Charlotte poured the rest of the margaritas into a big pitcher. “I don’t know a lot of college boys who would fight for custody of a kid.”
“Oh, he wouldn’t have cared. He didn’t show any interest in Lou until she was older,” Daphne replied. “It was his parents, specifically his mother. She would have bankrolled any kind of lawsuit.”
“But you get along now, right?” Serena asked. “Lou told Bri that her grandparents pay for her school. Sorry if that’s a nosy question to ask, but I know Hanover is like for the ultra-rich.”
“Like for crazy-rich people who write best-selling books and are married to a tech genius?” Charlotte asked, her nose wrinkling.
Serena shook her head. “Oh, we had that talk. Adam wanted to give private high school a try, and Tristan put his foot down.”
“Do you think the private school would be better for his education?” She was genuinely curious about their opinions since both women were of obvious means and both had chosen the local public schools.
Serena seemed to think about it for a moment. “I think that Tristan’s old enough to argue his point. They’re not babies anymore. They get to choose some things in their lives. The school is good, and I like the fact that my kids aren’t insulated, you know? They go to school with a wide variety of other kids, not just ones that are in the same financial position they’re in.”
“Oh, Lou would be that person in her school.” It was something she worried about a lot. “Everyone else has rich parents. She’s got a wealthy grandmother with excellent connections. She’s also the youngest. But I’m trying to give her the best shot she can have.”
“If she’s happy and well-adjusted, then she’s in the right place,” Serena said with a smile. “It’s hard to make these choices, to know what’s the right thing to do for our kids. Far too often—especially if we had a rough childhood—we tend to do the opposite of our parents. Or we fall into the same mistakes they made. I think listening to our kids, raising them to know how to advocate for themselves, is the most important thing we can do.”
Was Lou happy? She was today, but what about at school? When was the last time she’d sat down and asked her daughter what she wanted? If she was happy where she was?
She didn’t ask herself those questions, so how would Lou know she had that right? The right to question where she was, to make choices that could make her happier.
“I’m worried about dating.” She didn’t have anyone to talk to. She couldn’t get too close to her employees, and she certainly wasn’t talking to her mother-in-law about this. “I’m worried if things don’t work out, Lou could get hurt. She loves hanging out with your kids, but she won’t be able to if things don’t work out with Boomer. I’m worried I’m setting her up for some awful heartache. I think the reason I let myself get close to him was the very fact that I thought he was taken. I’m so worried about making a wrong move and hurting her.”
“Kids are resilient. They’re far tougher than we think they are. Tasha…” Charlotte seemed to push back whatever emotion she was feeling. “My daughter Tash is one of the strongest people I’ve ever known. She went through hell at such a young age it should have taught her to never trust again. Her parents were killed by government agents and she was shipped to an orphanage and all records of her were destroyed. I still don’t know everything that happened to her then, but today she’s open and happy and honest. She’s compassionate and kind and wiser than her years. Lou lost her dad, but she’s like Tash. Her heart is open and willing to embrace the world around her. I think she would trade some heartache for a shot at her mom being happy.”
“And I don’t know a man who deserves more happiness than Boomer,” Serena said. “He’s special, and I mean that in the most sincere way I can. He has the biggest heart but the worst luck with women.”
“Why? I don’t get it. He’s incredibly sexy and he likes animals and kids and he doesn’t mind cooking.” She was honestly shocked he wasn’t married.
“He’s had a couple of girlfriends over the years, and they inevitably break up because they don’t see him as a serious partner,” Charlotte replied. “They view him as good for sex and a fun time, but not much else. I mean, you know what I’m talking about, right? He’s nice to look at but he doesn’t have a lot going on upstairs.”