“The men hated Tammy,” he announced.“They hated the onesbefore her that they knew.And they didn’t hide it.Part of me was pissed at ’em.Those relationships weren’t working and the way theguys treated the woman in my life, it didn’t help.”
I didn’t like to think of how even one of them not liking mewould feel.
Fortunately, I didn’t have to.
“But Igottaadmit, they wereright,” he went on.“I should have ended things.Lookin’back,havin’ you, I see that now.But they alreadyknew it.They knew I didn’t have what I deserved.Now I know, and they know Ido.With that, do you think, the minute they meet you, Ma and my sisters won’tfeel the same way?”
I loved what he was saying to me.
I loved that he found it in him to say it to me.
I still knew I needed to win over the women in that house,not for me.
For Mo.
But I leaned into him and replied, “I’m glad you now knowwhat you deserve, honey.And I hope I always give you that.”
“I don’t hope it, I know you will,” he returned, came to me,kissed me hard but closed-mouthed, and pulled away.“You ready?”
I was not.
I nodded.
He let me go, shifted to open his door but turned back tome.
“I help you out.”
“Right, okay,” I whispered.
It was then Mo nodded.
It felt funny sitting there, waiting for Mo to help me fromhis truck, but it felt nice when he did.
Like I was what I was by Mo—loved and looked after.
We were halfway up the walk when the front door was openedby a blonde woman who was tall—not as tall as Mo, but really freaking tall, andbuilt—not like Mo, of the feminine, curvy variety.
She took one look at me and shouted, “Holy crap!Thatdress!”She then turned her head back toward the house and kept shouting.“I’mgoing on a diet immediately!After crab cakes, of course.And meringue cake, ofcourse again!”
With my dress, I’d gone black.I only had clingy because Ionly did clingy.It was sleeveless and halter neck with a racer back.It wasalso mid-thigh with a small slit on the left side.
It was me.
And I thought they should know who I was, no matter hownervous I was about it.
The woman at the door turned back to us as we walked up thethree steps to the porch then immediately back to the house she yelled, “She’steeny!And she’severything.”
Oh myGod.
I wasn’t exactly teeny.
But I was beyond thrilled she’d taken one look at me anddescribed me aseverything.
Before I could feel the fullness of this relief, Mo ordered,“Marte, quit shouting.”
“Mo, get her in here,” Marte ordered right back.“Momwouldn’t let us touch the hors d’oeuvres until Lottie arrived and she mademini-corn muffins and smoked salmon sandwiches.You know Taylor isn’t intofancy food, but he’s into eating, and since he hasn’t since lunch, he’s gettingcranky.As for me, if I don’t eat something soon, I’mgonnakill somebody.”
“Right then,” Mo returned, and now we were standing on thewelcome mat in front of her.“Youwannaget out ofthe door so we can actually come in?”
