Page 24 of Indecent Ventures

Yes, my mom and I are open about sex. When you have two single women in a house, and your mom is a young one, it tends to happen.

“Meh. It’s been a while since it’s been truly great.” About four years.

She scrunches her face. “Me too.”

We both giggle. She rubs my leg. “What are you up to this afternoon?”

“I’m supposed to go shopping with Melissa, but I’ll cancel if you need me.”

She shakes her head. “No, it’s great that you have that time with her. You’ve definitely adopted her sense of style.”

Melissa dresses right off a Paris runway. She always wears high-end clothes. Always. When she takes me shopping, the boutiques fall all over themselves to make her happy.

“That’s quite a compliment.”

She smiles. “I meant it as one.”

“It’s nice to have another tall woman to go shopping with. Finding long clothes isn’t as easy as you’d think.”

“I know. I shopped for you for many years. It’s good that she can help you find things to wear to work and all the fancy events you’re invited to with your family.”

I have a pang of guilt. It’s true that in the past four years I’ve had a huge uptick in my lifestyle. It’s not just me making more money, it’s everything that comes with my new family.

They’re incredibly wealthy and equally philanthropic. There are always black-tie charity events. Jackson flies us all over the country in his private jet. He takes us on vacations. Melissa has a bottomless bank account and never hesitates to do or buy nice things for me.

I scrunch my nose. “Mom, you’re okay with me spending time with Melissa, right?”

“Oh, sweetie. I’m sorry if I made you feel bad about it. I’m thrilled that you have a nice relationship with her.” She smiles. “I’m happy you don’t have an evil stepmother.”

“I don’t, but what I do have is a crazy father.”

She lets out a laugh. “Yes, you do.” She holds up her coffee cup. “God bless Melissa for dealing with him and managing him the way she does.”

I meet her cup with mine.

* * *

“Ooh,Jade, that looks gorgeous on you.”

It’s a designer-fitted pink pantsuit. I love it. I look down at the price tag and bite my lip. I shouldn’t spend this much on clothes.

She clearly notices. “It’s my belated twenty-second birthday gift to you.”

I put my hands on my hips. “You got me a diamond necklace for my birthday.”

She thinks for a moment. “Umm, that was from your dad. This is from me.”

I let out a laugh. “No, it wasn’t. This is too much. I can’t accept it. Thank you, but no.”

“It’s not too much. I have to bribe you to make sure you continue to go shopping with me. I’ve never had a fellow tall shopping buddy, and I never had a daughter.”

It’s remarkable how much I resemble my stepmother. I maybe have an inch on her, but we otherwise look the part with blonde hair and blue eyes. She’s stunningly beautiful. She looks like a young Kim Bassinger despite being in her mid-fifties.

I roll my eyes and she nods to the saleswoman that we’ll take it.

I sigh. “Melissa, it’s not right. I can’t accept this.”

“Jade, please. I can’t bring my daughters-in-law to this place. Cassandra doesn’t have time. She has a woman come to her office to fit her for her clothes. Jessica wears scrubs all day and is barely five feet. And Kylie is a kindergarten teacher. These clothes don’t exactly work for her lifestyle.” She rubs my arm. “I truly think of you as my daughter. It genuinely gives me pleasure to buy you nice things. Let me spoil you. You deserve it.”

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