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On top of meeting so many new people, she had more names and numbers in her cell phone. It felt like an accomplishment! She had so many contacts from San Diego that they rivaled her South Dakota numbers.

Her phone chimed with a text. She expected to see something from Maddy. That woman was as big a texter as Rissa!

It was an unknown number.

You need to call me now. It’s important!

Had she given someone her number but not gotten theirs? Was one of her new friends in trouble?

Who is this? What’s wrong?

The phone started ringing from the number. She answered, expecting to hear someone from the diner, but the unwelcome voice of Brad filled her ears.

“Why have you been ignoring all my texts? Did you block me? Why would you do that? I love you so much and all I’m trying to do is make everything right between us. We had a good thing, don’t you want me back too? I could help you get into shape. You’d be beautiful, and we could dress you up and go to nice places.”

Next to her, Carter growled and swerved the car to the side of the road and parked. “Give me the phone!”

Blinking in surprise, she handed him the phone. Brad was still monologuing about how much he loved and missed her.

“Listen up asshole!” Carter barked into the phone. “You fucked up and lost the best woman you could’ve ever had. She’s ours now, and you can go fuck yourself in the ass with a nail studded baseball bat. If you call her again, I’ll find you and do it for you!”

Then he ended the call. Mila sat stunned, half expecting Carter to turn his vitriol on her. It’s what Brad would’ve done.

Instead, he gave her a sheepish look as he handed the phone back.

“Please don’t be mad,” he said. “But that shriveled dick never deserved you. I probably shouldn’t have interfered, but the way he was talking really pissed me off.”

Mila’s mouth dropped open, then she lunged across the divide to hug him. “You were perfect! My own scruffy knight.”

“Who you callin’ scruffy?” he quipped, hugging her back. “But seriously, if he keeps harassing you, I need to know.”

She didn’t answer, only hugged him harder.

Something large pulled up behind them and honked. Carter sighed grumpily. “Crap, I parked in front of the bus stop.”

Mila let go and settled back in her seat but kept one hand on Carter’s thigh. She had to touch him, it felt imperative.

Carter pulled back into traffic so the city bus could pull up and let passengers out.

“So you're not mad at me?” he asked as he drove.

She shook her head. “Not about what you said to Brad. No one has ever stood up for me like that. When I told Dad we broke up, his first comment was ‘did you gain weight?’”

Carter sucked in a breath. “That’s some bullshit.”

“I see that now, but at the time, it all felt justified. As if my size was the reason all bad things happened to me. Didn’t get the job? It’s because you’re fat. Relationship over? Fat. Headaches? Fat. It’s as if everything I am as a person is reduced to my size, and it’s all negative.”

“I wish you could see yourself through my eyes,” Carter said. “All I see is beauty, inside and out. Your body is gorgeous, and your soul is pure kindness. You’re perfect, Mila. Well, except for the fact that you don’t realize how wonderful you are.”

Mila blinked, thinking about the way Carter and Gio constantly complimented her. They never said a negative thing and both of them adored her plus-sized body. The other night in the kitchen when they’d flooded her with compliments was burned in her mind.

“I want to love myself," she whispered. “But it’s hard to set aside a lifetime of influence.”

“I get that,” Carter said. “I guess it’ll be up to us to spend the rest of our lives providing a new influence. We can start right now!”

Carter spent the rest of the drive giving her compliments, some of them so outrageous she was laughing when they pulled into the driveway.

Babette met them at the front door, excited and dancing. She was wearing a yellow collar with flowers on it and a shiny tag with her name and Mila’s number on it. The collar was from the bag of donations, but the tag was from Gio and Carter.