Page 74 of The Cupcake Cottage

“He always got a kick out of your pageant strategies. Especially when they worked.”

Myles had spent years humoring her with appropriately timed grunts and nods. She never realized Maverick had been listening.

“He admired how you researched the judges ahead of time and asked around. You figured out the hot buttons and then avoided them. You were always muttering speeches under your breath. He thought it was adorable.”

“I was just preparing,” she said, feeling slightly defensive.

“He predicted you’d go somewhere big and great.”

“Yeah, well. That didn’t happen, did it?”

Myles gave her a strange look. “Aren’t you in charge of some important stuff with the Dragons?”

“Yeah, but that’s easy.” It didn’t feel real. Although the criticism Miranda got for Daisy-Mae’s work and lengthy expense list did.

They were silent for a long moment.

“I got that job because I told some people off. I told them how to treat the players, and especially Maverick. And then he told them to give me a job. I haven’t even been to college.” What had they all been thinking?

Myles laughed. “I heard about that.”

“When will I learn to shut up?” She’d ended up in this masquerade with Maverick because of her big mouth. She should have waited, pressed slowly into something that would have a chance to grow strong and lasting.

“Please don’t ever learn that.”

“But it’s—”

“It’s needed. Remember that time the protesters disrupted that pageant and you marched out there and told them their ideas were antiquated?”

She groaned. “That was awful.” They’d shouted and blocked access to the event, and she’d taken them on without a thought. It could have gotten really nasty.

“How was it awful? You saved the pageant from being shut down. You informed them of all the ways these contests weren’t anti-feminist.” Myles spoke softly, tugging her hand away from her face. “For example, the bathing suit portion had been removed. The contests led to an increase in volunteerism. Fundraising was part of the effort, and scholarships were given to winners.”

True, but if she started believing she was a crusader who opened her mouth and good things happened, then what?

For all the good, she’d also missed a lot of opportunities, too. She’d won thousands in scholarships but none of it had gone toward post-secondary tuition. She’d been stuck then and was stuck now. Stuck forever.

“What?” Myles asked.

She shook her head. “Nothing.”

“Tell me.”

“Myles…”

“We’re still friends, aren’t we?”

“Of course we’re friends.”

He waited a beat as though ensuring the validity of her words.

“So? What’s bugging you?”

“Why didn’t I ever go to college? I won all of those scholarships.”

“There were always bigger needs,” he said diplomatically.

That was true. He’d heard her complain many times about the pageant costs from wardrobe and travel to things out ofher control such as car repairs and leaky roofs. The money was always gone before she could go anywhere or do something with her life.

---