Page 16 of The B!tch List

Bronte smiled. “I’m sorry but it did only take once for me to get pregnant with Rett, so you’re probably right. I’ll probably get pregnant before you, and most likely have a girl this time.”

“You’re crazy,” Ellie said, folding her arms tightly over her chest. “Two kids eighteen months and under. You’ll never cope. It’ll be a nightmare.”

Bronte shrugged. “Rett needs to go to preschool soon anyways.”

“They have to be potty trained and at least three years old before Ms. Baker will take them,” I informed her. “She’s pretty strict on her rules.”

“No problem. I’ll send him somewhere else.”

“There is nowhere else,” Ellie replied.

Bronte looked at me and grinned. “Why don’t you set up your own preschool. You’d be amazing.”

“Just so you can have another and make Carter an even bigger douche because he’s provided Mom and Dad with their firsttwograndkids?”

“I couldn’t set up my own place,” I protested. “It takes money and time.”

“Didn’t your aunt leave you a sizeable sum when she died a few months ago?”

“How did you…” There was only one person who knew—Shaw. That was because I’d taken the call from Aunt Willa’s lawyer while arguing with him outside Stars & Stripes one night. Shaw had been in there with some blonde girl and every time he shoved his tongue down her throat, he gave me a thumbs up. I was mad that he’d been looking my way while making out with a girl and told him what a douche he was when he followed me outside. Shaw had then got into it with me about how it was my own fault for staring and how I should just admit I was hot for him. The insults were flying when the call came, and he stayed there I guess ready to carry on our fight when I finished. When my call ended in my shock, I blurted it all out.

I knew Aunt Willa had died a month before in an old person’s facility in Chicago, but I wasn’t expecting the call to say she’d left me such a huge sum of money. She was my mom’s much older half-sister and had no family but a houseful of cats and always said she was leaving her money to a cat charity. Which she had, except for what she’d left to me. I don’t think any of us had any clue how rich she was.

“My brother has a big mouth when he’s drunk,” Bronte explained. “I’d been out with Ellie, so shared an Uber with him that night and that’s when he told me.”

“Yeah, he really does have a big mouth.” I shook my head feeling annoyed at Shaw… again.

“I’m sorry, but it’s not like you were his client,” Bronte replied, wincing at the fact she’d probably got her brother into hot water. “And I didn’t tell anyone, not even Carter.”

“I guess it wasn’t a secret.” I was being honest, it really wasn’t. I was just angry that it had been Shaw who’d told her. “You all knew Aunt Willa had died and left me something. I just didn’t say what.”

“I’m positive Shaw wouldn’t have said a word if he’d been sober when he overheard your conversation.”

“That’s small towns for you,” Ellie said with a shrug. “Everyone knows your business.”

Yep, everyone did, especially when they had a mouth as huge as Shaw Jackson’s.

Nancy’s Bitch List for Shaw

Maximus Douchimus

Captain Shitsmear

Shit Talking Cock Womble

“What’re you doing here?” Hunter asked, looking anxious as he ran a hand through his hair. “Weren’t your words ‘I’d rather suck Mrs. Callahan’s toes than enter’?”

I sighed heavily. “Let’s just say the thought of her bunion touching my lips was too horrific. Plus, Carter called last night and threatened to tell Dad it was me who drank his twenty-year old malt last Christmas if I didn’t enter.”

“Good old bribery and corruption works every time.” Hunter looked over his shoulder and then back to me. “You think it’d work on Ellie?”

I looked over to see Ellie arguing with Carter and grinned. I’d finally been ‘persuaded’ to take part in the Dayton Valley Idol, and it was a first rehearsal. With Ellie there at least there’d be some light relief.

“Why he’s making it a singing contest I have no idea,” Hunter grumbled. “A talent show would be much better.” He grinned. “Not that Ellie could show her talents on stage.”

I rolled my eyes. “Really. Do you have to?”

“What?” He shrugged. “I can’t help it if my wife is super-hot and fucking awesome in the sack.”

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