Page 70 of Making Over Maris

“Where did you go? Machu Picchu?”

“Aw, baby. Don’t be like that. I’m here now. That’s all that matters.”

The way he said it, it clearly was all that mattered…to him.

And that was the crux of the problem.

Nothing mattered unless it mattered to him. She didn’t matter unless she mattered to him. At least in his universe.

With Jack it wasn’t like that. With Jack it would never be like that. With Jack she always mattered. Even when he had the hots for someone else.

She liked that. Loved that.

Not that she always had to come first to be happy. She wasn’t that much of a diva. But damn, it was nice to come first once in a while.

It was nice to have someone put you first.

Once in a while.

A lightness filled her heart. A boundless joy. She recognized what it was and that realization stunned her.

At the same time, it didn’t.

She’d loved Jack for years. Appreciated him as a loyal friend. Enjoyed his irreverent sense of humor. Even loved joking about his bizarre foibles.

But she’d never quite understood what a treasure he was.

Not until now.

She could spend the rest of her life beating herself up for being shallow and stupid—for not seeing it earlier. But she wouldn’t.

All that mattered was she saw it now. She saw him now.

And she loved him. With every fiber of her being.

She would figure out what it would take to get his attention, to make him forget about Jenny. She would figure it out. Hell, she already had a pretty good idea.

Though if she went there with Jack, they would have to have a conversation about it first. That was the mistake she’d made with Todd—assumptions would kill you every time. That would not happen with Jack.

This time she would do things right.

She would win him.

She would own him, heart and soul.

And Todd?

The douche bag had no power over her anymore. No power to hurt her with his apathy and cruel words. She was free of his thrall. Completely.

She smiled again.

Todd grinned back and leaned against the wall. “So. What do you say, baby? Shall we go out or do you want to stay here and make me dinner?” He offered a slimy smirk. “Maybe we could try that…thing you wanted to do.”

“That…thing?”

“You know. With the whips and chains.”

“Oh. Would you like that?”