Page 80 of Call Me Mrs. Taylor

Finally, she mutters, “I still know you said it.”

A smile tugs at the corner of my mouth. “You don’t give up, do you? Go play.”

With the stankest eyeroll she can muster, the hellion turns and runs toward the swings, and I can’t help but feel the tiniest shred of respect for her.

The Corolla gets me home in one piece, but I’m sweating like a pig when I get there. Ace’s text comes through just as I’m walking in the house.

My man, my man, my man

See you tonight?

The words make me warm all over.

Not tonight, babe. Had a bad day

But I have to turn him down. As much as I wanna see him, you have to tell men no sometimes. Stress their asses out.

Call me later

I leave him on read. I have a message from Aunt Tori, too, letting me know she’ll be here tomorrow.

Smiling, I slip my phone in my back pocket and head straight to Daddy’s room to check on the old man.

He’s staring out the window, as usual. Stale air surrounds us, and that same hint of antiseptic cuts it.

I’ll be glad when I can move out of this house.

He doesn’t acknowledge me at all, which is fine. I stare at him, tilting my head, wondering if Tori’s right, if he’s hiding a secret. He’s sneaky enough. He’s conniving enough.

I take a step toward him.

“Hey,” I say softly. “Tori told me something about you.”

At that, he turns those glassy yellow eyes on me.

“That got your attention, huh?”

Nothing.

“Tori thinks you can talk,” I say. “That you’re justpretendingto be mute. What do you think about that?”

His response is a slow blink.

A breeze rustles the curtain, and I shiver. I feel exposed all of a sudden, something I haven’t felt in a long time.

I shake it off, squaring my shoulders as I back away from him toward the door.

“You’re useless,” I mutter, turning on my heel. “But you already knew that.”

I slam the door behind me.

After a quick snack and shower, I wrap myself in my black satin robe and set up my ring light. I smile when I open my TikTok. 1,038 followers.

Finally broke a thousand.

I gather my tools and stare into the mirror, taking note of how different I look. That glow people say women get when we’re happy, or at peace, or pregnant (gag)—I have it.

It’s not because of Ace, at least not directly. I’m happy he knows he’s my man now, and that we’ve been enjoying each other, and all that good shit, but no man could ever truly make me happy. I’m not even sure they’re supposed to. Happiness has to start from within, and that’s when you glow.

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