Page 69 of Finding Us
She slips her arm through mine as we leave the room. “So tell me, is there anyone special in your life? I mean, look at you you’re gorgeous, you must have men falling at your feet.”
I turn my face away from her. “Not really.”
Pausing, she points her finger at me. “I know that look, Jacinta Maloney, are you keeping secrets from me?”
My eyes widen. “What?” Am I just a bad liar, or do all mothers come with a built-in lie detector? I can never get anything past Mum either.
“Spill.”
“Well … there’s this one guy.”
“Hah! I knew it. How long have you been seeing him?”
I dip my face. “I’ve known him for a few months, but we’re not a couple.”
“But you like him?”
I shrug. “It’s complicated.”
“He doesn’t know you like him?”
“We’ve hooked up a few times, but that’s it.”
“Sweetie,” she says, turning to face me. “You deserve better than hookup.”
“It was only ever meant to be a one-time thing … I never thought I’d see him again.”
“But you did?”
“Yes, he recently turned up at my apartment.”
She gasps. “He found out where you lived?”
I wince. “No. He’s Connor’s best friend.”
“Blake’s dad?”
“Uh huh.”
“Oh shit.”
Oh shit is right.It’s been two weeks since we last hooked up, and whenever I’m in his presence, I want to climb him like a tree, and when I’m not, I can’t stop thinking about him.
“Hi, Jacinta.”
“Hi … umm?”
“Marissa … I mean, Candy,” the girl standing in front of me says, as she holds out her hand for me to shake. “Marissa is my birth name, but Candy is going to be my stage name. Cool huh.”
“Stage name?”
“I’m going to be a stripper,” she says, bouncing on her feet with excitement.
“I see.”
“I’ve been a topless waitress for a year now, and the tips are great, but I know I can make a lot more money if I’m up on the stage.” My eyes subconsciously flicker down to her large breasts before moving back to her pretty face. She definitely has the goods to be in that kind of industry. “Rocco, my boss … the guy that owns the strip club, thinks I’ve got what it takes to work the stage. Well, I will once I can master that damn thing without breaking my neck.” She juts her chin in the direction of the poles.
“It takes a bit of time, but I’m sure you’ll get there.”
