Page 90 of Never the Best

“You made some bad decisions,” I murmured, “happens to everyone.”

He chuckled in self-deprecation. “You know, you are one of the nicest people I know. Most people would call someone like me who hurt them their whole life a loser for failing, but you don’t.”

“What would be the point?” I asked, genuinely puzzled. “I don’t think there’s anything good about kicking someone when they’re down. I doubt anyone thinks that.”

He leaned over and took my hand in his. “Like I said, one of the best people I know.” He played with my fingers and added, “I don’t know how to fix what I messed up, Pearl. I’m a total failure.”

“No one is atotalfailure,” I immediately shot back, gripping his hand in mine. “No one. And don’t you dare say that about yourself, especially when the girls are around, Cash William Beaumont.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he drawled, amused.

Then, almost without thinking, I added, “Talk to Rhett.”

Cash looked at me, surprised. “Rhett?”

“He runs a finance consulting firm.” I shrugged, removing my hand from his and putting it on his arm. “He knows how to turn things around. If anyone can help you, it’s him.”

Cash seemed to weigh my words, his pride warring with his desperation. Finally, he nodded.

“Alright,” he agreed quietly. “If you trust him, I will as well.”

When Rhett returned with Alice and Maddie, each eating a lemon bar, probably not their first, I stood and met him halfway across the porch.

“Cash wants to talk to you.” I smiled at him to let him know everythingwas fine.

Rhett looked at me, then at Cash, and nodded. “Alright.”

“Girls, wanna see some trout?”

The girls were old enough to know that I didn’t want them to hear their father’s conversation with Rhett. They agreed, and we went to the pond, giving Rhett and Cash the privacy they needed.

“Aunt Pearl.” Alice looked at me, her eyes serious, when we sat in the gazebo. “Do you think you could talk to some of my friends?”

“About what?”

She looked uneasily at Maddie.

“About eating disorders,” her sister chimed in.

“What?” I was more surprised with this request than seeing Cash at my doorstep.

“It’s actually quite a common thing among teenagers,” Alice explained. “And we don’t understand the long-term consequences of body image issues. I think talking to someone who has gone through it will help us young women.”

They wanted me to open myself up and talk about the worst parts of me with others? That was a batshit crazy ask.

“The thing is, I think girls my age?—”

“And mine, too,” Maddie interrupted.

Alice sighed and continued, “Girlsourage will benefit from talking to someone brave like you. They’ll learn that…you know, no matter what we go through as a teenager, we can grow up to be successful like you. High school drama shouldn’tdefine us.”

They think I’m successful? That I’m brave? Well, fuck!

“Ah…look?—"

Alice hugged me then. “Please think about it. And we can wait until you feel better.”

When she released me, Maddie peered at my face. “Willyou think about it?”

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