Page 1 of A Hurt So Good

Chapter 1

Arya

“I think this is going to be really good for you,” mom tells me as we drive.

“Just until I get back on my feet. I can’t believe that asshole wiped out my bank account,” I whine a little.

“Not all men are like him, Arya. You’ll find a good man one day and settle down.”

“Like you found Jarrod?” I ask, looking over at her. She smiles and glances at me briefly before looking back at the road.

“He is a good man.”

“What about his kids?”

“He has three boys. They don’t live at the house, though. In fact, I’ve only met one of them since I’ve been living there.”

“Where do they live?”

“Jarrod said mostly with their mothers.”

“Mother’s? As in more than one?” Mom shifts her eyes to me slightly before looking back at the road again.

“He used to sleep around a lot.”

“What? Does he still?”

“No, he doesn’t. That was a long time ago, when he was younger, Arya. And I expect you not to bring it up either.”

“So none of the boys live there then?”

“No. They have rooms in the basement, and Jarrod said when they do come around, they mainly stay down there and to themselves.”

“Are they not close?”

“Yeah, they are. He talks to them often on the phone, but they each have their own lives going on. I don’t think you’ll have to worry about them,” she tells me. I sit back in my seat, thanking God for that. I don’t know if I can handle any man after the hell I just went through with Jason.

Yeah, Jason. That fucker. We lived together for two years. We were saving up money to buy a house. Or so I thought. Turns out, I was a fucking idiot. He had no intentions of buying a house with me or staying with me, for that matter. He put on a good show, though. I believed that bastard. I believed he was with me because he loved me. I was wrong. So wrong.

We built up our bank account together. I would stash all my money in there, and I did it with happiness.

One day, I came home from work, and there was a note on the table. A goddamn note of all things! He didn’t have the balls to tell me to my face because he knew I would have beaten his ass. Or at least tried.

So, the note basically said, thanks for being stupid and handing me all your money. By the way, I didn’t love you. I didn’t know if I wanted to cry or gouge his fucking eyes out. Maybe both. But never the less, I picked my pride up off the floor and called my mom, even though we don’t typically get along all that well. She offered to let me stay with her and her new husband, Jarrod, for a while until I could get back on my feet. It was a nice gesture,although I don’t know how I’m going to like living under her roof again.

I can’t say growing up with her was that bad because it wasn’t. She wasn’t home much, and that left me alone most of the time, which didn’t bother me. I don’t mind being alone. There’s something about silence that just sits right with me.

“What are you thinking about doing?” she asks, interrupting my thoughts.

“I don’t know. I was thinking about taking you up on your offer.” She offered to let me run her online boutique and all her social media. My mom, Julie, is a huge name in the fashion industry. She’s a fashion designer and a damn good one at that.

“Really? You’re thinking about it?” She sounds pleased.

“Yeah, I am. It means spending time at the house a lot, but I’m okay with that,” I tell her. I’d actually prefer that. People and I just don’t click most of the time. And after Jason? I sure as hell am not looking for a new boyfriend.

“I think you’d be great at it. You do wonderful work, Arya.”

“Thanks. I just don’t want to mess anything up,” I admit.

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