Doughnut Darlin' (Plus Size Romance 4) by Lynn Cooper Page B

was always two sides to every story, and he wanted to hear hers. 
    Stretching out on a threadbare comforter covering the lumpy, twin-sized bed in his single-unit motel room, he grabbed the remote and flipped on the television.  The only decent thing about the Step Back Inn was unlimited cable access.  He had been dying to binge watch all seven seasons of Mad Men . 
    He laughed to himself.  That’s what he was—a madman—for taking this job. 
     
    A DUPLEX FOR COLLEGE students was the last place Raven thought she would call home.  Row after row of economy-sized apartments crammed beneath the low-roofed brick buildings somehow offered her a sense of security.  But, truthfully, she wasn’t safe anywhere.  It would only be a matter of time before her stepdad found her.
    Alan Shore was a wolf in sheep’s clothing.  When he had married her mom—Lana—Raven was just ten years old, and Alan constantly doted on her.  A short six months into the marriage, he sweetly and generously offered to adopt her.  His gesture sent Raven and Lana over the moon.  After Raven’s biological father had abandoned them, running off with his big-breasted secretary, they were crushed.  Neither had dared to dream they would ever be part of a whole family unit again. 
    One weekend, Lana’s best friend Gail had convinced her to tag along on a speed-dating venture.  Raven’s mom had no expectations that a session of brief, one-on-one meetings with the opposite sex would result in anything lasting.  To her great surprise, a handsome, well-mannered business man took her breath away.  When the bell rang, signaling the end of their two-minute round, they ditched the session and went for a cup of coffee.  Their three-month whirlwind romance ended at an all-night wedding chapel in Las Vegas.
    The marriage seemed solid, and everything was grand until Lana fell ill.  She was diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer on Raven’s eighteenth birthday.  The news was devastating.  The world stopped spinning and future plans were put on hold. 
    For two excruciating years, Lana fought the good fight.  She underwent a radical mastectomy and what seemed like endless rounds of radiation and chemotherapy.  She lost the battle two days after her daughter turned twenty. 
    Sitting on the sofa in her apartment, Raven recalled how wonderfully strange the last day with her mother had been.  How, for that one day, Lana had been lucid.  How she had appeared perfectly healthy, almost radiant.  The cancer had taken a terrible toll on her mind.  At that point, Raven had lost any hope of ever having another normal conversation with her mother.  Lana was on high-powered doses of morphine.  For weeks she refused to eat and had been incoherent, slipping in and out of consciousness.  But their last morning together, Lana woke up smiling.  She was bright-eyed and spoke with clarity.
    Raven’s eyes misted as she recollected their conversation.
    Lana had clapped her frail hands together and squealed with delight.  “Happy Birthday, my sweet girl! I have a wonderful surprise for you!”
    Raven had been dozing in a recliner on the other side of the room.  The sound of her mother’s voice jolted her awake faster than any expresso ever could.  She jumped up quickly, making her way to the bed.  Sitting down on the edge of the mattress, she squeezed her eyes shut hard and opened them again.  She wanted to make sure they were focusing correctly and not playing tricks on her.  Was it possible that her mother was really sitting up, talking to her?
    Raven leaned forward, gathered Lana in her arms and gave her a gentle hug.  “Whatever the surprise is, it can’t be any better than this.  Oh Mama, I love you so much.”
    Lana patted her cheek.  “I know you do.  You’re a good girl.  That’s why I want to make sure you’re well taken care of when I’m gone.”
    “I’ll be fine, Mama.  Don’t use precious energy worrying about that.  Let’s