kill for your Betty Boop, Marilyn Monroe body. That asshole was jealous and he was a jerk who used you and has no idea what being a real man is about.”
“Betty Boop? Really?” Millie asked, and they all laughed.
“You know what I mean. You should be posing in Playboy . Is that a better description?” Stacy asked. Anna laughed and Millie gasped in shock then chuckled as she rolled up a napkin and threw it at Stacy.
“You have great breasts, Millie. You always have. This goes beyond the physical,” Anna added.
“It sure does. I can’t pick a man for shit. I fall all gaga over their charms and good looks and bam, they treat me like shit. I don’t know how to fight back and I wind up smacked around or where I am now, about to self-destruct. I will never live a normal life. Not as long as I remain a magnet to mean, self-centered men.”
“Not all men are self-centered and mean. There are men out there that know how to treat women,” Stacy stated.
“Sure there are, and you two scooped them up. Two very lucky women, you two are. I’m so happy for both of you. Pearl has really helped you to find happiness.” Millie took a sip from her cup of coffee.
“You should stay here, Millie. There are good men around the area, men that would surely treat you like gold,” Stacy began to say and Millie held up her hand for her to go no further.
“Stacy, I have so much baggage right now and so much fear in me that I’m not certain which direction I’m going in. If Frank is out there and he wants to hunt me down, I sure as hell can’t stick around Pearl. Not with you two here and baby Hope.”
“You’re safest here where there are men to protect you. There are more men in Pearl than there are women. Their duty is to protect the women and children at all costs. You are a member of the community and people will protect you,” Stacy stated firmly.
“I was a member of the community, but now I’m afraid that I may have to stick to moving until Detective Flynn can catch Frank in some kind of criminal activity. I have to head back to New York to get my things. I had to pay my rent for the apartment six months in advance. I left some of my jewelry-making materials there as well and that may be my only form of income for a while. There are too many responsibilities to just jump up and move back here. I came here on impulse and out of fear,” she rambled on then paused as the last words seemed to be absorbed by her friends.
“You’re not going back to New York until Frank is located and watched. You’re not risking your life again, Millie. You deserve better, and being in Pearl, taking some time to figure things out, will be best for you right now,” Stacy added.
Millie raised her eyebrows at Stacy’s commanding tone.
“You’ve become quite bossy, Miss Stacy,” Millie teased in an attempt to lighten the atmosphere. She was terrified to return to New York and face Frank. No amount of self-defense training ensured that she could defend herself against someone like Frank.
“You should see how she runs the ranch and now the construction plans. She’s the foreman, not the Lewis men.” Anna covered her mouth to stifle the laugh when Stacy’s mouth gaped open as if shocked by the description. Stacy shook her head.
“I have my men to support me and a baby to raise. I’m sorry if it seems I can be bossy at times. I get things done, don’t I?”
Anna and Millie chuckled.
“Good for you, Stacy. Maybe some of that attitude can rub off onto me. I sure can use it,” Millie added.
“You betcha, honey. So what do you think about our plans?”
“I think it’s a wonderful idea. I am certain there are many women out there who will find out about it and come looking for help. Have you decided on a name yet?” Millie asked.
Anna and Stacy shook their heads.
“We still can’t decide. Tomorrow you’ll meet Lena and Sage. Lena’s involved with the Jones brothers,” Stacy added.
“You mean Kenny, Bryant,
“Betty Boop? Really?” Millie asked, and they all laughed.
“You know what I mean. You should be posing in Playboy . Is that a better description?” Stacy asked. Anna laughed and Millie gasped in shock then chuckled as she rolled up a napkin and threw it at Stacy.
“You have great breasts, Millie. You always have. This goes beyond the physical,” Anna added.
“It sure does. I can’t pick a man for shit. I fall all gaga over their charms and good looks and bam, they treat me like shit. I don’t know how to fight back and I wind up smacked around or where I am now, about to self-destruct. I will never live a normal life. Not as long as I remain a magnet to mean, self-centered men.”
“Not all men are self-centered and mean. There are men out there that know how to treat women,” Stacy stated.
“Sure there are, and you two scooped them up. Two very lucky women, you two are. I’m so happy for both of you. Pearl has really helped you to find happiness.” Millie took a sip from her cup of coffee.
“You should stay here, Millie. There are good men around the area, men that would surely treat you like gold,” Stacy began to say and Millie held up her hand for her to go no further.
“Stacy, I have so much baggage right now and so much fear in me that I’m not certain which direction I’m going in. If Frank is out there and he wants to hunt me down, I sure as hell can’t stick around Pearl. Not with you two here and baby Hope.”
“You’re safest here where there are men to protect you. There are more men in Pearl than there are women. Their duty is to protect the women and children at all costs. You are a member of the community and people will protect you,” Stacy stated firmly.
“I was a member of the community, but now I’m afraid that I may have to stick to moving until Detective Flynn can catch Frank in some kind of criminal activity. I have to head back to New York to get my things. I had to pay my rent for the apartment six months in advance. I left some of my jewelry-making materials there as well and that may be my only form of income for a while. There are too many responsibilities to just jump up and move back here. I came here on impulse and out of fear,” she rambled on then paused as the last words seemed to be absorbed by her friends.
“You’re not going back to New York until Frank is located and watched. You’re not risking your life again, Millie. You deserve better, and being in Pearl, taking some time to figure things out, will be best for you right now,” Stacy added.
Millie raised her eyebrows at Stacy’s commanding tone.
“You’ve become quite bossy, Miss Stacy,” Millie teased in an attempt to lighten the atmosphere. She was terrified to return to New York and face Frank. No amount of self-defense training ensured that she could defend herself against someone like Frank.
“You should see how she runs the ranch and now the construction plans. She’s the foreman, not the Lewis men.” Anna covered her mouth to stifle the laugh when Stacy’s mouth gaped open as if shocked by the description. Stacy shook her head.
“I have my men to support me and a baby to raise. I’m sorry if it seems I can be bossy at times. I get things done, don’t I?”
Anna and Millie chuckled.
“Good for you, Stacy. Maybe some of that attitude can rub off onto me. I sure can use it,” Millie added.
“You betcha, honey. So what do you think about our plans?”
“I think it’s a wonderful idea. I am certain there are many women out there who will find out about it and come looking for help. Have you decided on a name yet?” Millie asked.
Anna and Stacy shook their heads.
“We still can’t decide. Tomorrow you’ll meet Lena and Sage. Lena’s involved with the Jones brothers,” Stacy added.
“You mean Kenny, Bryant,
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