Page 206 of Story of My Life
“That’s what I thought. He’s gorgeous and very protective of you.”
“We’re just…having fun,” I insisted.
She nudged me with a well-moisturized elbow. “Is that what you want?”
“It’s all I can handle. I didn’t exactly prove to be great at relationships.”
“There you go, being small again.”
“Mother, I don’t need you kicking me with your stilettos when I’m already down,” I complained.
“I didn’t say anything when you married Jim, but I’m sure as hell going to take the opportunity to say something now. Stop accepting less than what you’re worth, less than you want.”
“I’m not like you. I can’t flit from relationship to relationship.”
“Why not? Life is messy, and it doesn’t always look good to others on the outside. But going after what you want is more important than making strangers more comfortable. If all you want is some satisfying sex, then by all means, keep going. But if you think you could have something real with this handsome farmer?—”
“Contractor,” I corrected.
“With this handsome contractor, you owe it to yourself to go for it. Decide what you want. Be relentless in your pursuit of it. Because no one in this world is going to hand you what you want, no matter how much they love you or how well they know you.”
“What do you want, Mom?”
Her smile was dreamy, her lipstick still perfect. “That’s easy. I want to be adored.”
I took a long, noisy slurp of wine.
She gave me a playful slap on the arm. “Oh, don’t be disappointing. It’s not up to you to approve of my wants.”
I snorted. “It’s a good thing.”
Her grin was bright and beautiful, and a half dozen happy childhood memories I’d buried flashed through my mind.
“What if I want more from Cam and he isn’t willing to give it to me?” I asked. “What if I want to write this book and no one wants to read it?”
“Then you keep living and falling in love with whatever comes next,” she advised.
“It sounds like a lot of work.”
“But it’s so much fun.”
The front door opened, and in walked a freshly showered Cam. Even in my bamboozled state, I could still appreciate just how attractive he was. He nodded at my mother, then turned his attention to me.
“You okay?”
“I just aired my dirty laundry to the entire town that I failed with my harebrained scheme that could have seriously injured people. Everyone is going to hate me forever, and I’m going to have to move to a new town until they start to hate me. I might as well invest in one of those mobile tiny homes so I can just pick up and drive away the second I start disappointing people.”
Mom patted my knee. “She’s fine. Just a little dramatic.”
Cam flopped down on the couch next to me and put his feet up on the ottoman. “You didn’t fail or injure anyone. This was the first battle, not the entire war. And airing your dirty laundry in front of the entire town is a rite of passage in Story Lake.”
“The handsome contractor is right, though I’m taking his word on the injuries,” Mom agreed. “And now that I see that you’re in good, capable hands, I need to return to my honeymoon. Stavros sent a helicopter for me.”
She pressed a kiss to my cheek and got to her feet.
“Oh my God, Mom. If you see a bald eagle anywhere near that helicopter?—”
“Keep an eye on this one. She seems a little dehydrated,” Mom said to Cam as she headed for the door.
