Page 3 of Plus Size Player

“Oh! A lecture!” Her eyebrows flew up and a flash of confusion crossed her face. “That sounds… fun.”

Laughing, I shook my head. “I don’t date him for fun. I date him for what I can learn from him. We teach each other things and I enjoy that.”

“The way you’re dressed, I was expecting something else. But I think a lecture sounds nice.”

“Yeah, Tyrell is my smart guy,” I replied, pulling my phone out of my bag.

“Is that the one you went race car driving with last month?”

My lips curled into a smile as I reflected on that date. “No, that was The Fun One.”

My mom’s eyes lit up. “The Fun One? What does that mean? And who is this mystery man?”

I rolled my eyes again. “Russ is The Fun One. And he’s not really a mystery man. He just doesn’t live locally.”

“Ohhh, yes, I remember! I liked that you enjoyed yourself with that one, but I’m partial to the one who took you to that French restaurant in the city. Very romantic.”

“Dru is very romantic, and I like that. Tyrell is incredibly smart, and I like that. James is hilarious, and I like that. And Russ is so much fun, and I like that a lot,” I explained.

“I understand fun, but the race car driving was a dangerous date—especially for the first date,” she complained.

“It was our second date,” I corrected.

She quirked an eyebrow. “I see that look in your eye. But don’t discount the romantic. I didn’t, and look how lucky I am.”

“Yes, but you also don’t go on dates anymore.”

Mom’s head fell back, and a laugh erupted from her. “The dates may have slowed down, but the romance hasn’t. Wait until you find you a man who gives you everything you’ve ever wanted andneeded. That’s when you settle down. You’re young. You’re only thirty. You have time.”

“What if I don’t ever want to settle down?”

She put her hand on my arm. “Then don’t. When you find exactly what you want, you will want to and it’ll feel like home. What I found with your father when we were twenty-five is rare. It happens when it happens and it’ll happen for you, too. But in the meantime, live your life for you first and then find someone who fulfills you like life fulfills you. Don’t worry about settling down. Worry about settling in.”

“Settling in?”

“Settling in to your life.” Her smile widened. “Enjoying what God has blessed you with.”

On cue, my dad appeared in the doorway with a handful of cash.

“Now take this”—he counted two hundred dollars—“and make sure you can pay your own way.”

“Aw, thank you,” I replied. “But I don’t need it, Dad.”

He stuffed it into my hand anyway and then smiled at me. “Take it. Keep it. And if you need to, use it.”

I smiled.

Michael Ford always made sure his girls were good. I never had to worry about anything because if I let him, he’d handle it. One thing about my dad was that he didn’t just take care of me, he taught me how to take care of myself. I loved and appreciated him for it—even when he was being extra.

Shaking my head, I accepted the crisp bills. “Thank you.”

“And here’s something for you,” he said, handing my mom a note. “While I was back there, I made reservations at Chez François for us—tonight at seven, my queen.”

My mom giggled. “Michael!”

The giddiness and lovestruck looks on their faces made me smile. My fifty-eight-year-old parents were a youthful couple, and the way they made each other light up was the most beautiful thing. They found a home within one another. If I ever settled down, it would have to be in a relationship like the one those twohad. And since what they had was rare, I was content being fulfilled in other ways.

Speaking of…

---