Page 28 of Bonus Daddy
Cheeks warming, I turned away, draping the towel on the oven handle to distract myself.
She waited patiently until I was finished, then turned mearound and tipped my chin up so I was forced to look at her. “The boobs, you were born with. But that ass? I take credit for that.”
Frowning, I twisted, checking out my butt in my stretchy black yoga pants. It was bigger than I would like, but she was right: it was defined, thanks to years of yoga.
“True,” I admitted.
“Thank you.” She crossed her arms. “No one talks about yoga ass, but it’s a thing, I swear it.”
“Girl, I know.”
“Anyway,” she went on. “You are beautiful. And more importantly, you’re fucking awesome. Funny and interesting. No matter how hard Ken tried, he did not drain the life force from you. You’re just as energetic, glowing, and hopeful as ever.”
“I don’t want to be hopeful. I want to be a badass.”
“You are. You can be both, you know. Badass comes in many flavors.”
Sighing, I leaned against the counter. Deep down, I wanted to believe that. I wanted to have the kind of confidence that Lana oozed.
But I’d been hurt too many times.
She’d been pushing me to date since my divorce. But I had yet to feel ready for that step.
I didn’t have time, working multiple jobs and raising my kids on my own while dodging legal issues Kenneth threw my way and then losing both my parents.
The few times I’d downloaded dating apps, I’d ended up deleting them within hours. There were so many creepy dudes out there, and the thought of getting all dolled up so I could attempt to convince a stranger I was worth spending time with made me queasy.
Head hung, I toed at the fancy tile beneath me. “I’m not sure I can do this all again.”
“I think you should try,” she said, taking a step closer. “Brian was one of the good ones. The best. Sounds like he still is.”
“I’m not sure yet,” I hedged.
She hummed. “The evidence is solid. And if he’s interested and wants a chance, why not give him one?”
“Who said he wants a chance? I don’t have a good picker,” I reminded her.
“Kenneth wasn’t a bad pick. You got two amazing kids out of the deal.”
“Yes.” My chest warmed at the thought of my girls. At the sound of their laughter from the next room. “But,” I argued, “I don’t have good instincts. I let him walk all over me. And it took me way too long to realize he’d been cheating.”
She cupped my cheek. “Because you’re trusting and hopeful. Because you want to see the best in people. That’s not a flaw. It’s a wonderful asset. You are wonderful.” Her dark eyes were intense. “Shitty people have taken advantage of your kind and generous nature. And yes, that’s awful, but you’ve learned and grown and are healing.”
Her words hit me square in the heart. She was right. I might have been older and squishier and more jaded these days, but I’d fought hard to heal and grow.
“You deserve good things.” She wrapped her arms around me. “It’s time you started believing it.”
Chapter 10
Jess
“Imade you something. To say thank you.” My words were stilted as I forced them out. This was dumb. I should have walked straight upstairs and collected my kids. But as if pulled by an invisible string, I found myself here instead, drawn in, and not by the massive cat curled up on the file cabinet.
Brian stood. “You don’t have to do that.”
“I do.” I fidgeted with my phone. “I thought about sending flowers. Or whatever the guy equivalent of flowers is. Fruit? A beef jerky gift box? But I’m broke, so I made you a playlist.”
His eyes lit up as he rounded his desk. “A playlist?”
