Total pages in book: 154
Estimated words: 144628 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 723(@200wpm)___ 579(@250wpm)___ 482(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 144628 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 723(@200wpm)___ 579(@250wpm)___ 482(@300wpm)
Lexi raised a brow and looked her friend’s way. “Are you serious? You do know that my mom suffered through a whole lot of that crap. She got run out of town over gossip and rumors. I know a lot about it, too. I live in Deer Run, Texas, and I’m married to two men who kiss each other in public.”
“And yet you also seem shockingly normal.” She understood what Lexi was doing and agreed wholeheartedly. “Slut?”
Lexi chuckled. “Slut. Skank. All of the above.” She sobered. “I thought it was best to get it out in the open. I know who you are and what they say about you. I won’t talk behind your back, and I won’t consider anything the press says to be true. They’re writing stories, and you make a good character.”
“Yeah, I’m the villain.” She was owning that these days.
“Oh, but I happen to know that it’s all about POV. Sometimes the villains are the best characters of all,” Lexi said. “If you need anything, even a friend to talk to, let me know. Are you a hugger?”
She was already half in love with this woman. No one—no one—simply said the truth, acknowledged what she was going through in a forthright way. They smiled and talked behind their hands. They pretended the elephant wasn’t there. Or they were rude and asked her to leave.
She opened her arms and hugged the other woman, blinking back tears.
“Welcome to The Club, Vanessa,” Lexi whispered. “You get to be whoever you want to be here. Don’t forget it. And if anybody gives you trouble, I’ll sic my boys on them.”
She stepped back. “Thank you.”
Shelley leaned closer to Lexi. “Do you mean Aidan and Lucas or your mob of chaos and destruction?”
Lexi winked Vanessa’s way and then started for the door. “Definitely the boys. Lucas doesn’t fight so much anymore, and his face is too pretty to risk. And don’t count my daughter out. Daphne can be mean when she wants to be.”
She watched as they walked out of the locker room.
“Vanessa.” A stunning woman with dark hair and a brilliant smile strode up to her. She was dressed in a miniskirt and a white corset that set off her tan skin and toned arms. Tessa Santiago worked at the same company Michael did.
The same company as Kyle Hawthorne, her soon-to-be brother-in-law.
That little fact brought Vanessa back to reality. She’d floated along for days, thinking of nothing but Michael Malone and how it felt to be in his arms. She was reminded that she had a job to do, and it didn’t matter that she so wanted to make friends. “Hello. Thanks for coming in early to show me around. I’m sorry. Dani was supposed to do it, but she got held up.”
Tessa nodded. “Yeah. I heard her youngest caught a bug, and she had to pick him up from school.”
“And now Finn’s down, too.” She’d talked to Dani earlier, and it sounded like the stomach bug was going to make its way through the whole Lodge-Taylor household. Well, with the exception of Julian. She doubted a stomach bug would ever dare to attack him. “I offered to cancel tonight and help her out, but she insisted.”
“I talked to her, too. She said something about you meeting with a big client, and she didn’t want you to look like death warmed over.” Tessa shook her head. “All of this makes me happy David and I are taking some time before we discuss the whole kids thing. The good news is my mother-in-law still has teenagers at home, so she’s not pushing. Now my mom, on the other hand, is a totally different story. You know how moms are.”
Mean. Cold. Unwavering.
You’re such a disappointment. I don’t care how much money you made. I’m ashamed to be your mother.
Vanessa forced a smile. “Sure. Anyway, thanks again. Michael said someone had already stocked my locker. He bought me some fet wear.”
Though he hadn’t shown it to her. He’d said he wanted it to be a surprise.
Tessa turned and started down the hall. “Of course. Michael has some very specific likes when it comes to fet wear. I think you’ll find all of the tops do. Nothing too crazy, but it could take some time to get used to a corset.”
“Oh, I’ve worn plenty. I did a couple of historicals. Spent at least a year of my life in one of those suckers.” She wasn’t going to mention the raunch com she’d done where she’d played an actual hooker who had to save a bunch of idiot bachelor party guys from the mob. Although it had been a funny film. But she’d learned people respected her more when she talked about the two period pieces she’d done.
“Oh, yeah. You were in that movie about life as one of Anne Boleyn’s ladies-in-waiting. David loved it, though you should know he can point out all the historical inaccuracies,” Tessa said as she walked along. “I wouldn’t mention the Robin Hood thing you did.”