Page 50 of Surprised By Love

I roll my eyes.

“No, I’m serious. You look great. Becca, get to doing her makeup. She is going to be a smoke show when you’re done,” Vicki says.

“What’s a smoke show?” Amelia asks and Jenna giggles.

I look at Jenna. “You know what a smoke show is?”

She nods and giggles some more.

“Okay, smartypants. What does it mean?” Becca asks her daughter.

She tilts her head and rolls her eyes at her mother. I hold in a laugh. Damn, she is a Miller girl, all right.

Jenna let out a huff. “It means she’s so hot she’ll set off the smoke alarm.”

Becca, Vicki and I laugh and then Amelia says, “Oh, well, I know that. My momma is hot. All the guys say so.”

Shocked, I look at Amelia, but before I can say anything, Vicki asks. “All the guys? What guys?” I’m just as curious to know what guys my daughter has been around to hear that.

Amelia looks between us as if she’s about to get into trouble.

“It’s okay, you can tell us, sweetie. I want to know.”

“The guys at the diner. I heard them say you’re hot,” Amelia says.

“What guys?” I ask, my curiosity peaked even more.

She hugs Oggie closer. “Sometimes when I’m at the diner after school sitting in the booth colouring. I hear guys talking. I’m not sure who they are, but I’ve seen them there a lot.”

Vicki looks at me, her eyebrows raised. “See, we’ve been telling you, you’re hot.”

“She’s right,” Jess says, taking a sip of her coffee. “We’ve been telling you for years, but you don’t listen.”

“Jenna, can you take Amelia downstairs and get you both a couple of cookies and some milk?” Becca breaks in before we begin this conversation. One we have had many times before.

“Sure momma. By the way, Auntie Sam, I really like the red dress in your closet.”

I smile at her. “Thank you, sweetie. It’s one of my favourites.”

We hear Jenna and Amelia’s footsteps hit the stairs when I say, “It’s ok guys, we don’t need to talk about this.”

“Yes, I think we do,” Vicki says.

“We don’t care how many times we have to tell you. This time you are going to listen because now we have sexy men to back us up.” Becca adds. “Now sit, so I can do your makeup.” She pulls the chair away from the vanity and I take a seat. Waiting for the lecture to start.

Jess begins. “We don’t care what Derek has told you in the past. This is now and you need a new start. Getting you to believe what we say is only the beginning.”

I look through the mirror at the reflection of Jess on the iPad.

“She’s right, ya know,” Becca says as she dabs on some concealer. “Yes, you may have had some self-esteem issues because of the jackass that shall not be named but it has to stop now. There are sexy firefighters talking about how hot you are. So now you have to believe us.”

Vicki takes a seat on the bed, off to the side so Jess can still see her. “As soon as she said the booth and after school, I knew she was talking about the firefighters that come in after their day shifts.” She laughs. “If Josh finds out his brother and his coworkers are talking about how hot you are, he’s going to lose his shit.”

“Then it’s a good thing we’re not going to tell him,” Becca says, powdering my face.

Becca finishes my makeup. It’s a little more than what I’m used to, but I will admit I like it. She squeezes my shoulder. “I’m going to head down and check on the girls. I will leave Vicki to do your hair.” She turns to the iPad. “Wish you were here with us, Jessie. Love you.”

“Love you too. And I’ll be home soon.”

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