“Men are jerks. Well, not all of them. Not even most of them. But the ones who are—lord a mercy, girl, they really make you want to scream.”
Kayla knew Chloe’d had a bad relationship before, but she didn’t know how bad because Chloe hadn’t said. To her way of thinking, Chloe had one of the good ones now. Ryan Callahan was a Navy SEAL, like Alexei, and he was so totally in love with her that it would have made Kayla jealous if she didn’t like Chloe so much.
Besides, Ryan wasn’t the SEAL she wanted. The one she wanted mostly treated her like she was his little sister.
Except for that one time.
Once, Zach “Neo” Anderson had let down his guard and lost his famous control. It had been the most glorious sexual experience of Kayla’s life, being the focus of all that gorgeous male attention and skill. She hadn’t known what she’d been missing until that moment. All heat and fire and pleasure so intense she’d wanted to sob with it.
But when it was over he’d gone right back to treating her like his little sister. Worse, he’d treated her with more distance than before. Maybe it was her fault for running away the next morning, but she’d panicked. She’d awakened in his bed when the sun was just starting to peek over the horizon, her nipples aching from how much he’d sucked them, her pussy still throbbing with memories of his mouth and cock, and she’d known she couldn’t be there when he woke up. She couldn’t face him like that, when the night before was fresh and raw and her sheer neediness embarrassed her.
When she’d seen him again a few days later, he’d been so cool that she’d realized nothing had changed. He didn’t want a relationship with her. And why would he? She was a mess, and she had a baby. There weren’t many men who wanted to start a relationship with a woman who had a baby.
“Come on, honey, let’s go eat,” Chloe said. “You’ll feel better once you cuddle that cute little girl of yours and get some food in you.”
“You’re right. Thank you.”
They walked toward the back of the shop and the small break room where they took their lunch. Kayla loved that they ate together every day. Working in the salon made her feel like she was part of a family. Like she was accepted. She’d told them bits and pieces of what had happened to her, but not all of it. She didn’t want their pity or want to feel like she was nothing but a living and breathing tragic figure.
JoJo was holding Ana. Avery stood to help with the food when Chloe and Kayla walked in. Ana’s little face broke out into a grin when she saw Kayla, and Kayla’s heart melted. She’d never known she could love anyone as much as she loved her baby. She would do anything to keep Ana safe. Anything.
Ana reached for her. JoJo kissed her on the head before handing her over. “You want your mama, little girl?”
Kayla stretched her arms out and took her baby girl. Ana cuddled into her, smiling so big and wide as she wound her fist into a lock of long blond hair that had fallen from Kayla’s messy bun.
“How’s my little love bug?”
“Some jerk harassed Kayla on the street just now,” Chloe said as they sat down to lunch.
Avery and JoJo looked furious. And concerned. Kayla’s heart warmed. She’d always had Bailey, but now she had these women too.
“It’s okay,” Kayla said. “I overreacted. It was just some guy in a car trying to pick me up. I don’t know why men think that hollering hey baby out the car window to a woman they don’t know is ever anything but creepy.”
She didn’t tell them the part where he’d said she was going to get what was coming to her. She didn’t know what it meant—if it meant anything—but it bothered her more than the catcalling had.
“It’s totally creepy,” Avery said as she flipped open the Styrofoam container to reveal a club sandwich.
JoJo speared some green beans from her container. “You’d think somebody would tell them. Or that the lack of a positive reaction might clue them in.”
Chloe snorted. “You’d think, but those types aren’t all that bright. Not to mention, I think they do know. It’s not really about getting a date so much as it’s a power issue. Assert your dominance over the poor little female and make her cringe. It’s what my ex would have done.”
Kayla didn’t know a lot about Chloe’s background, but she knew there’d been some sort of clash with her ex where Ryan had to get involved. Now they were living together and planning to get married and the ex was dead. Chloe had been hurt in the exchange, but she was fine now. One day, Kayla might get the courage to ask her more about it. She felt like Chloe of all people would understand what she’d been through with James Dunn.
But no matter how nicely these girls treated her, she had a lifetime’s worth of trying to protect herself emotionally to overcome. Logically, she knew they wouldn’t judge her. She knew Chloe would put her arms around her and hug her tight if Kayla told her about James and the Kings of Doom. Still, she wasn’t ready yet.
Kayla ate her lunch with one hand while holding Ana with the other and bouncing her up and down. The women talked about a mix of things, from men to clients to the party Chloe and Ryan were having this weekend at their place. Chloe promised to fry up a bunch of chicken and make a Southern feast. It sounded delicious.
“I’ve got a perm coming in this afternoon,” Avery said when they were finishing up. “Mrs. Flynn at three.”
“Bailey is swinging by at two to
