Page 54 of Stunner (Whiskey Dolls 3)

That was the fucking understatement of the century. It hadn’t been difficult or trying, it had been a goddamn waking nightmare. Her cancer was advanced by the time they found it, and the treatment was so aggressive, we were terrified it would kill her if the cancer didn’t. That had been a black time for the Shields family. One I hadn’t been sure we’d get through and one I hated dredging up.

But it was a testament to my mother’s strength, because not only did she fight her way into remission, she was able to talk about it while the rest of us still struggled.

Asher’s face filled with sympathy as she reached across the table and placed her hand on my mother’s. “God, Gloria. I’m so sorry.”

My mom smiled, flipping her hand and wrapping her fingers around Asher’s. “Nothing to be sorry for, sweetheart. It was a long time ago, and I’m doing just fine.”

“Well, good.” She pulled in a breath as she sat tall, and, as if sensing that Hardin and I were struggling with the current topic of conversation, she shifted it flawlessly. “Now,pleasetell me you have some embarrassing bathtub pictures of Owen in that bag of yours.”

Hardin laughed as my mom reached into her bottomless purse. “Oh, honey. Ask and you shall receive.”

24

ASHER

“Look at you,” McKenna teased as Whiskey Dolls rehearsal came to an end. “You’re practically glowing.”

I dabbed at my skin with a towel. “That’s called sweat, Mac. That number you choreographed is a beast.”

She gave me a look and shook her head teasingly. “It’s not that, and you know it.”

Just then, Sloane came up and slung her arm across my shoulders. “It’s all that D she’s getting from her new man,” she proclaimed loudly.

“Amen to that!” Alma shouted from across the studio, and the whole room broke into laughter.

My face burned beet red as I shoved my elbow into Sloane’s ribs. She might have been speaking the truth, but while I loved these ladies like sisters, I felt it was only fair to Owen to keepsomethings secret. Sure, women loved to gossip, and this particular group of ladies could put locker room talk to shame, but a part of me felt that keeping some of the things that happened between Owen and me private made it even more special.

“Ow, damn babe,” she said on a pout as she rubbed where I’d just jabbed her. “Isn’t getting sex on the regular supposed toimproveyour disposition?”

“It has. Things only go sour when you’re being a pain in the ass,” I said flatly before squirting her in the face with my water bottle.

“So, things are still going good between you guys?” Delanie asked, her expression hopeful and sweet. She was a hardcore romantic down to her bones and tended to get mushy whenever her friends settled down with theirOne.

I couldn’t keep the giddy smile from pulling at my lips, expanding so wide my cheeks ached. Owen and I had been dating for a week now, and I was head-first into riding that new-relationship high. We’d managed to see each other every day since our first date, even if it was only for a short period. We’d spent a couple more nights together, but my schedule at the club made it a little difficult to share a bed every single night. On those nights, he’d surprised me by showing up at my front door with dinner.

I was tumbling head over heels for this guy like a damn snowball falling down a mountain, picking up size and speed as I rolled. And it had to be said that the sex wasn’t just out of the world, it wasn’t even in the same galaxy.

I had the best of both worlds with my new man. When we were dressed or in company, I got the sweet, touchy, attentive Owen. But when we got naked it was like a switch flipped in him, and this bossy, dominant, dirty-talking bad boy came out to play. He was the best lover I’d ever had, and I was quickly becoming obsessed with him.

“Yeah,” I answered dreamily, feeling those giggly champagne bubbles in my belly at just the mention of him. “It’s going great. He’s amazing. He’s smart and funny and clever—”

“And hot,” Layla added.

I pointed at her and nodded in agreement. “Yes, andsohot. He makes me laugh harder and more often than I have in longer than I can remember, and when we aren’t laughing, we’re practically ripping each other’s clothes off.”

“Aw.” McKenna clasped her hands in front of her. “I just love the beginning of a new relationship where you’re all excited and feel like you have butterflies in your stomach, and how you want to squeal when your phone rings and you see his name.”

“That’s the best time,” Charlotte said in agreement. “But getting out of the honeymoon phase isn’t so bad either. I personally love that Dalton and I have reached the point we just know what the other person needs. Like, if I had a bad day, he knows to come home with chocolate and wine without me asking, or if I was exhausted from work, I’ll walk into the bathroom and he’s filled the tub with salts and essential oils so I can soak my muscles.”

“Yeah,” Mac said on a sigh, a knowing grin on her face. “That part of a relationship is really great too.”

I had all of that great stuff that came with the honeymoon period, and I loved the way it made me feel, but I was also looking forward to what Charlotte had described. I wanted to see where things went with Owen once we were more stable, once there was a solid foundation beneath us. I’d known the man for a year and a half, but for how well we got along back then, he might as well have been a stranger. I was discovering new things about him every day.

“I love the stage I’m in with him,” I confessed to my friends. “But also, I can’t wait to get into that comfort zone. I never had that with Jackson.” I let out a scoff. “Hell, I never really had a honeymoon period with him either.”

“Have you seen him since he showed up at your door?” Marin asked.

“No, but I think he might have come by when I wasn’t there. I’ve come home and things have been moved around or something’s missing that I can’t find anywhere, but it’s always little things, like my lipstick or pieces of jewelry I favor, never anything of any real value. It just feels like someone’s been there. With how everything happened, I totally forgot to ask him to give my key back.”

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