Page 122 of Learn Your Lesson

Shit.

I let my voice fade, unable to even look at them as the uncomfortable silence fell over us.

“He takes care of you,” Mom repeated, incredulous.

Grandma snorted. “Here we go.”

“Chloe, please tell me you’re smarter than that,” Mom said, setting the check down and shoving it aside. “Please tell me you’ve learned better after all we—”

“Oh, relax, Mom. I didn’t mean it like that. I just meant that for the time being, he’s paying for rent at my old place and I don’t pay for the pool house. I may be moving in there permanently if all continues to go well.”

“Permanently?!” Grandma gasped.

Shit. This was not going well.

“I just mean that I love the job and he seems to be happy with my performance, so—”

“Oh, I’ll bet he is,” Mom muttered.

I let out a frustrated sigh. “Listen. You two may not understand it, but this is something I want. It’s something I very much enjoy, okay? I get to teach, like I love to do, without worrying about making ends meet. I get to spend time with Ava, who is an incredible little girl I know you two will love and adore once you meet her. I get to spend time on my crafts, share my art with Ava. I have a friend in Arushi. Hell, between her and the team and the girls, I have more friends than I’veeverhad — ever. And I have a wonderful boss in Will Perry.”

And a wonderful stash of orgasms, too.

“Now, I know you have your opinions. I know you have yourreasonsfor those opinions. But I am…” I vibrated with frustration. “Frankly, I’m sick and tired of you projecting your issues onto me. I’m tired of you not listening when I tell you that I am fine. No, that I’mfantastic.”

I was trembling now because never had I ever raised my voice to these women.

“I have money set aside for me and will continue doing so, but I wanted to do this for you because I love you,” I yelled. Realizing my voice was raised a bittoohigh, I cleared my throat, holding my chin up as I played my first card. “So take it or don’t take it, but don’t shame me for feeling happy for the first time in my life.”

The words shocked me as much as they did them, and Grandma shared a look with Mom before they both let out a long breath.

“It’s very kind, honey,” Mom said. “Thank you. We are… honestly, blown away by the gesture. We never expected you to pay us back. We took on those loans because we wanted to.” She paused. “And yes, we worry about you.”

“That will never change,” Grandma added.

“And I just… I don’t want you to fall into any kind of trap. Men like that, who are rich and talented and powerful, they’re even better at playing the game. They’re the kind who will make it seem like you’re so irresistible they can’t help themselves when it comes to you. They’ll make you feeldifferent than the other girls,” Mom said.

Grandma tutted. “Only to then make you feel crazy when you start to fall for them, like they never gave you a reason to believe they felt anything more for you than that you were a good lay.”

Sandpaper coated my mouth at that.

It hit a little too close to home, and suddenly, I felt like a foolish little girl.

“But I’m sure he’s not like that,” Mom hurriedly added, reaching over to squeeze my wrist. “And I will say… this whole situation does seem becoming on you. You’re glowing. Really. You seem as happy as you say you are.”

“Have you noticed she hasn’t been doing her usual nervous tics?” Grandma added. She beamed at me. “You seem confident, my love. It’s a wonderful look.”

For a while, we just played our cards in silence. I felt my heart rate settling, though there was still a bit of defensiveness hanging on — along with that foolishness as I overanalyzed everything that had happened in the last few months.

I didn’t want them to be right about Will.

Then again, how could they be, when Will and I had made an agreement? I knew what I’d signed up for. I’d signed up more than willingly.

He may not have been able to give me a relationship, but he was giving me something I’d always wanted — experience. He was showing me how good it could feel, to be wanted and desired, to find a physical release with someone who made you feel comfortable and safe.

So then why did it hurt to think about a day coming where he called that out, where he confirmed that was all we were?

And how long could this last?