Page 62 of Scoring with my Bestie's Ex

“You’re not the sort of man who will accuse her of taking advantage, I know,” Ellen continues. “You’re also the polar opposite of what she’s come to expect from men.”

“I know Steven did a number on her.”

Ellen shakes her head. Her expression is remorseful and angry all at once. “Her father was just like Steven. Mean and selfish. The sad thing is, Bella’s self-confidence has been torn down her whole life.”

Ah. That explains a lot.

It’s hard to build your confidence when people are always telling you that you have nothing to be confident about.

That doesn’t change one thing, though. “Bella asked me not to reach out to her until she’s reached out to me first. I’m not going to ignore her wishes.”

“I know. And I know Bella knows that, too. She’s so busy with this show and doubting her abilities that she’s driving us both crazy.” Ellen frowns. “But she’s also constantly talking herself out of reaching out to you, even when she wants to.”

Mike curls her hair around his finger. “Why?”

“She feels like she’s taking advantage.”

Surprise ripples through me. “But I told her I’d always be honest with her. I wouldn’t ask if I could help if I felt like I couldn’t.”

Ellen gives me the patient look that used to drive me bananas. “Just because she isn’t taking advantage of you doesn’t mean she doesn’t feel like she’s taking advantage of you. Bella, you must remember, is used to being made to feel like a burden.”

I release a slow breath. Yes, I have to remind myself of that.

It occurs to me that I know little about her upbringing.

My own childhood was full of support and happy memories. But what Ellen is showing me now is that Bella’s wasn’t.

That has to have an effect on a person.

“So what do I do?” I ask helplessly. “How can I show her I’ve got her back without pushing against the boundaries she’s put in place?”

Ellen winces. “That’s where I’m not quite sure.”

“A grand gesture?” Mike suggests.

“What sort of grand gesture?”

He shrugs. “I really don’t know. She has her fashion show coming up. Maybe you could invest money into the company to start her own line?”

“That’s grand for me,” Ellen says, shaking her head. “For Bella, a grand gesture has to be much more low-key than that. I’m not sure. But I’m going to get her to this charity dance, even if it’s only for . “

A grand gesture. That sounds like a romance novel trope.

But as I’m sitting there, an idea comes to mind. The more I think about it, the better it sounds.

I grin. “I know exactly what to do.”

Chapter twenty-three

Bella

It’s midnight.

I need to sleep.

Tomorrow is the last day of my preparations, though. Then I’ll have mere hours to make sure everything is ready.

I stand back, inspecting my last design from all angles. It’s a masculine-cut suit jacket with floral embroidery on the lapels.

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