I side-eye her, concerned where this might go. “No. Just tell me.”
“Do you remember my cousin, Rachelle?”
I give a small nod. Delilah has tried to get me to go with her to visit a few times, but I always refused because she lived in the city. She tried to entice me with pictures of her palatial apartment and from their night on the town. However, going to the city isn’t something I’ve wanted to do for a long, long time. I have only been in the city a handful of times outside ofdoctors’appointments. Each time was worse than the last.
That last time was the worst day of my life.
“I remember what you’ve shown me in pictures,” I finally respond. “Her place seems nice.”
“It is nice. Didn’t you wonder how a struggling actress could afford that?” The look on her face tells me it wasn’t doing shampoo commercials.
I swallow hard before I ask what I already know the answer to. “How does she afford it?”
“Rachelle works for this company. They’re very private and discreet. They arrange dates for wealthy businessmen who are looking for company and companionship.”
“So, she’s a prostitute,” I deadpan.
“She’s an escort.” Dee raises her chin and brows just a bit in offense and defiance.
“She sleeps with guys for money. That makes her a prostitute. And you are suggesting I do it.”
“You don’t have to sleep with them, Ven. Rachelle says some of the girls just dance, and some of them don’t do anything but enjoy a meal and conversation.”
“Call it whatever you want, Dee. If that’s what she chooses, then good for her. I’m not judging, but I can’t. You know I’m just not that kind of girl no matter what people or my exterior says.”
“There is another option, you know,” she tells me.
I press my lips together tightly to stop the flurry of curses that are on the tip of my tongue. I stare out the window, watching the passing trees, hating every tear that forms.
“Seriously, Heaven, you should —”
I cut her off right there. “I have been made to feel like a whore more than enough times by him. I won’t do it again.”
“But it wasn’t him. It was his mother. How do you know that’s what he wanted?”
I shake my head sadly. “I don’t. And I hate that I don’t. But the fact is, that was Ryder’s signature on the bottom of the check, and it was made out to me.”
“It could have been for a million other things, Heaven.”
“It could have,” I agree. “But there was no way his mother knew about me, the baby, or anything else unless he told her. He barely spoke to her so what other reason would she have had for being there unless he asked her to be? He didn’t want to tell me himself. That’s all.”
She shakes her head with a humorless chuckle. “I’m not seeing where you have many options here, Heaven. If you want to save your parents’ diner and house, you might just have to put how you feel aside.”
I don’t say anything. I just turn my attention back out the window. She doesn’t know there aren’t two options. Ryder’s mother made it very clear that help would not be coming from them.
She is right about one thing though. My feelings and emotions have no place in these decisions. Ineed to do what I must to save my home and my job.
“Give me the number,” I finally acquiesce with a sigh.
“Good girl,” she nods as we pull into town.
“It’s just a last resort,” I insist.
“I don’t care, Heaven. I just don’t want to see you lose everything because of your pride.”
I silently scoff. She has no idea that my pride disappeared long ago. I’ll do anything to save my family.
When I was a stupid kid, I thought I needed to break away from them. I thought I needed to set my own path. Be something that made me happy that was just about me. My dreams were too big for this small town.
