Side Chick Era... Over

Loving Mom 9

Chapter 9

Sharon turned her head and saw a young man approaching with a few rowdy friends in tow. He walked with the kind of swagger that came from never being challenged–arrogant, untamed, and always playing to an audience.

She recognized him instantly.

Nate Hendricks. One of Carter’s bros, and one of Kelly’s many.

orbiters.

From the very beginning of Sharon’s relationship with Carter, Nate had looked down on her–mocking her at every turn, never missing a chance to sneer. After Kelly came back, he was the most eager to stir things up, practically acting as Kelly’s personal messenger.

If Kelly so much as sneezed, Nate would be the first to call Carter, urging him to rush over. He’d even told Sharon more than once that she should step aside and make room for Kelly.

Now, he stood in front of her, a smirk tugging at his lips, eyes gleaming with ridicule.

“Well, welk Shouldn’t a housewife be home learning how to be a good little full–time wife–how to keep her man from straying? What are you doing here, showing your face in public? That’s not exactly the mark of a good housewife.”

Sharon could host a formal dinner or make a perfect bowl of soup–graceful in the parlor, capable in the kitchen. She was so flawless that it was almost irritating.

Once Nate found out, he’d slapped a nickname on her-“Housewife.”

And from that point on, everyone in Carter’s circle followed suit. Whenever they saw her, they called her that.

His tone now was deliberately grating, his posture smug. Wendy’s brows drew together in a frown.

Sharon’s expression chilled.

Nate, far from backing off, let out a low whistle and looked at her with mock alarm.

“Oh no, don’t tell me you’re mad again? Come on, Housewife. Don’t tell me you can’t even take a joke?”

His buddies jumped in immediately.

“Yeah, seriously. You’re Carter’s wife–you’re supposed to be gracious. Don’t be so petty, you’re making him look bad!”

“And really, Nate’s not wrong. You are just a housewife, aren’t you? Taking care of the husband and kid.”

“Exactly! How could someone like you even compare to Kelly? She graduated from Bell University!”

Ha! That’s ‘cause it’d blow your mind–it’s one of the top five

went to

a snort and gave Wendy

ignorance. There’s a whole world out there you

being rude–after just

this guy? Why is he so obnoxious? No one even said a word to him, and he just inserted himself into the conversation like some

of Kelly’s lapdogs. You

from her face. “Well, that explains it. No wonder he’s so gross. Got

Chapter 9

+25 BONUS

could fire back,

Mr. Simp. I was just teasing. Don’t tell

who’d been quietly fuming over everything that had just

can’t handle a little ribbing That’s so weak. Makes

nodded mildly. “Be nice. He’s clearly not used to the

way. Even the slowest among them could tell now–they were being called out. Their words from earlier were being thrown right back in

“Lick, lick, lick, and in the end, the lapdog gets nothing. Well, he’s pitiful enough–I won’t

small nod and turned

it might crack. He stared after them like he’d just swallowed

around at

let out a dry chuckle, trying to recover the moment. “Man, those two women must be tired of

froze

their words were…

seem a

a simp! He’s… he’s like a

“Yeah, totally! A

soft voice

doing out here instead of going into

man and a

with a calm kind of arrogance. The woman beside him

Nate saw them, his

drama. He began spinning his version of events, accusing Sharon

she was saying she came out to have fun. Just imagine that–running around like this instead of staying home like a proper

bet it’s because she’s too free these days. Nothing better to do but fool around. She used

that has no sense of duty or virtue–you really shouldn’t