The Bad Boy's Girl (Now Available as a Paperback and ebook)

Chapter Thirty-Nine: The Boy Band Asshat Needs To Know You're Mine

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Chapter Thirty-Nine: The Boy Band Asshat Needs To Know You're Mine

 I realize my mistake the moment I step into the fancy restaurant my mother's selected. The impersonal, stuffy setting clearly shows that she's not up for a heart to heart. Well good, I'm not ready for that either. Clutching Cole's hand, I look around for a familiar face but it's my boyfriend who points me to the right direction.

"That's her right?"

Swiveling in the direction Cole points, the first thing I notice about the woman sitting at the table is that she looks happy. Maybe that's not something to begrudge but I do. She's smiling warmly at the man seated next to her and is constantly touching him in some way, stroking his arm, holding on to his hand, the works. There's an easy affection that's long been missing from my parent's marriage. Maybe if she'd kept off the anti-depressants and hadn't been lost in a constant haze of prescription drugs, we'd have a better relationship.

Her appearance has drastically changed; she's no longer going for the whole 'The Stepford Wives' look. For one, her hair's blonder with warm highlights that bring out her eyes. I can see she's lost weight but that's only given her face more definition, her body from the waist up looks more toned and as much as it hurts, she's glowing. Her eyes gleam with adoration as the good looking man in a crisp navy suit with the salt and pepper hair caresses her cheek. He's the one who notice me watching them and says something to my mother who turns to look at me.

Our eyes meet from across the busy dinner service, she smiles at me and I try to return it, I really do but it's not that easy.

"Come on, you can do this." Cole assures me, leading me to the table that's set for five people. The fact that she's brought her latest fling to our so called reunion is evidence enough that this is not going to be the scene for a mother daughter bonding session. Still since I'm here, I might as well put a smile on my face, get done with this so that Cole and I can go ahead with our plans. Cole places a hand at the small of my back and leads me to the table. Both my mother and her date stand and I get a good look at her. Susan O'Connell nee Ryan always dresses impeccably come rain or shine but it's obvious that she's changed her style, wearing a fitted navy sheath dress that hugs her curves. If the dress were even an inch tighter it would look obscene, yet it doesn't. She looks classy and elegant, but most of all hot.

I'm glad for the impromptu shopping trip I took in the afternoon, spending way too much money on my own red wrap dress made of a fitting jersey material. I got the Megan and Beth stamp of approval and Cole had been rendered speechless for a minute or ten so I must look good. Appearance has always mattered a lot to my mother. In the olden days when I was heavier she would breathe down my neck about losing weight. I'd get daily suggestions on diets, some days she would purposely buy me clothes about four sizes smaller just so she could point out that I needed to stop shopping in the men's section for some decent jeans. It's not surprising that we didn't get along.

           Now she watches me carefully, assessing every fine detail and there's still the little girl inside of me that wants her approval. The gleam in her eyes tells me that I've finally done something right in my life.  Approaching them, we exchange pleasantries and I stiffen a little when Mom hugs me. She holds on to me for a while and I breathe in her familiar scent, "You look wonderful honey. That colour looks incredible on you."

No, hey Tessa how've you been, no hey congratulations for getting into college. I guess that's what was expected.

"You look great too Mom."

She touches her hair consciously, "It's not too much?" She grasps my hands in hers as we sit down. "I just wanted a change you know?"

"It looks good."