Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 95147 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 476(@200wpm)___ 381(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95147 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 476(@200wpm)___ 381(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
She stepped back like I was holding a rattler about to strike. “You know bright colors make you look bigger, right.”
“Who told you that bullshit? Look, you obviously bought it because you liked it, let me see it on you, and I’ll let you know.” The look in her eyes was a mix of excitement and terror, which made me secretly promise to fuck over her ex and his mother even harder.
STEPH
“Girl, have you heard the news?” Nat asked as soon as I answered the phone. No hello, good morning, nothing, and from the excitement in her tone, I knew it must be good.
“What news?” I’d just sat down at the breakfast table across from Mace, about to dig into the strawberry pancakes he’d drowned in maple syrup, when she called.
Yesterday had been a hectic one but a fun one. True to his word, Mace had picked me up from work and dragged me off to shop. I was today years old when I learned how fun it was to have a man shop for me.
I was a bit embarrassed at first, especially when he wanted me to try on everything for him to see right there in the store, but by the third or fourth time, I was as excited as he seemed to be. It’s been a while since I enjoyed shopping for myself, and I realized that attitude has a lot to do with making the experience a fun one.
I think the fact that Mace had ignored all the appreciative looks thrown his way from the saleswomen and other shoppers had gone a long way to making me feel as confident as I did. He didn’t even seem to notice any of them, his eyes only on me, and that made me feel all kinds of special.
There were a few instances where some of the women were bold in their approach, but each time he’d shut them down without even being rude or aggressive, which only made his actions seem more sincere. Then he’d taken me back to some of the places he’d gone to before, and the women had gushed over me, even going so far as to ask if I’d liked the things he’d bought when he introduced me.
He could have no idea how that made me feel. It’s like he’d gone through the luxury mall and picked out the women he knew wouldn’t look down on me because of my size; because of all the stores we went in, those women made me feel the most comfortable. I did balk at some of the prices until Mace told me to shut up since it wasn’t my money but his that was being spent, and he could do what the hell he wanted with it.
It was me who jumped him raw dog as soon as we made it back to the house after the steak dinner he’d taken me out to after all that shopping. There were just a few slip-ups, but I couldn’t help comparing him to my ex, and even though I hadn’t said it out loud, my face and my reactions had given it away. So, when he asked, I’d been honest about some of the things my ex had said and done to undermine my confidence in the past.
He hadn’t said much about it, for which I was thankful, but I still needed to work on bringing that up all the time because it was getting old even for me. I cut into the homemade pancakes and closed my eyes at the taste of pure ambrosia when she continued. I’ve been neglecting my friend a lot here of late; not like she wasn’t busy herself with her own relationship, but we’ve never gone this long without staying in touch.
We usually talk on the phone at least three times a day, and that’s on the days we’re going to see each other and more on the days we’re not. Lately, we’ve just been checking in. I’m gonna have to do better. “Oh gross, are you having sex?”
“No, I’m eating pancakes.”
“They must be damn good for you to moan like that.”
“You have no idea; now, what were you talking about?”
“Somebody attacked he who should not be named.”
“What? When? What happened?”
“I don’t know all the details yet, but from what I heard, he mouthed off at some guy in a bar and got his clock cleaned.”
“Really?” I shoved another forkful of delight into my mouth all ears.
“Yup, apparently, he said some off-colored mess about you, or I guess it was you he was talking about, and the guy told him that’s no way to talk about a lady. Then the twat-waffle buckled down and started raving about something or the other, and the next thing anyone knew, the other guy said something that no one heard, and twattie threw his drink in the guy’s face, and all hell broke loose.”