Politically Incorrect Read Free

When I was done, Jordyn remained silent for a moment. A loud gust of air expounded from her lungs through the phone. “You. Can’t. Be. Serious.”
    A light laugh echoed in my chest. “I wish it were a joke, but he actually said that to me.”
    “What a peckerhead! Is he fucking blind?”
    “Language, Jordyn!” I didn’t mind my language, but my daughter was better than me and shouldn’t be using such vulgarity.
    She blew off my comment as any teenage girl would. “The guy’s a douche if he couldn’t see the gorgeous, sophisticated woman sitting in front of him. Frankly, he didn’t deserve your company.”
    Another laugh burst through my lips. “Sweetheart, do you think I’m offended by what he said?”
    “Aren’t you? I would’ve been crushed.”
    The gravel beneath my tires crunched as I turned down a long, winding road. There were very few streetlights, making it difficult to see, so I flipped on my brights. I was truly in the country now. Well, as country as the city of Dallas could get.
    “Pissed, sure, but he didn’t hurt me. He’s a small-minded person who doesn’t deserve another thought from me.”
    “How do you do it?” Jordyn inquired.
    “Do what?”
    “Let stuff roll off you so easily.”
    This wasn’t the first time we’d had a conversation like this, and I’d bet almost anything it wouldn’t be the last. Though, I never minded having a repeat occurrence with my daughter. All women needed to understand that independence wasn’t a dirty word. It was a key to womanhood and security.
    I curled my lips upward, contemplating my words carefully. “Hmm. It’s simple really. You have to like yourself, and you have to know who you are.”
    “That’s all?” Her voice rose an octave in disbelief.
    A tiny chuckle escaped me at her skepticism. She definitely was her mother’s daughter. Never take anything at face value. Look deeper. Understand everything. Then make your conclusion.
    “Think about it. When you like yourself what others say doesn’t matter because you already know the truth. I know who and what I am. The good doctor doesn’t. He attacked what he considers to be my shortcomings, because those are exactly the things he hates about himself. Age scares him. Being undesirable scares him. Simple-minded people attack what they fear. So, yeah, that’s it.”
    “I hope one day I’ll be as strong as you are,” Jordyn boasted.
    I scratched the top of my head and pulled up to the entrance gate of Lone Star Ranch, one of many estates belonging to the Harper clan. This was a place I knew all too well, having spent a great deal of time here with Harper during our business adventures. I rolled down my car window, only to be met with a burst of cold air mingling with the heat trapped inside my car. A deep shiver skittered down my back as I pressed the buzzer on the callbox.
    “You’re already stronger than I’ll ever be.” Which was the absolute truth. I couldn’t begin to imagine growing up in the electronic age where anything and everything you did could and would be caught on camera. That was something I incessantly preached to my candidates. A good rule of thumb to follow was if you wouldn’t do it in front of your grandmother, don’t do it in public. Plain and simple. People will catch you and they will always use it against you.
    A crackling sound came from the box and I heard a voice resonate over the speaker. I stuck my head out of the car and waved up to the camera to announce myself.
    “Where are you?” she asked.
    “I just arrived at Harper’s. He called while I was on my date with Dr. Douche wanting me to come by to see a new potential.”
    “So, Uncle Harper rescued you from your date?” she teased.
    “For business.”
    “Right,” she drawled. “You know, Mom, I always thought you and Uncle Harper should get together.”
    “What?” I squelched through a snort.
    “Yeah. It’d be the perfect matchup. You know each other well. Besides, Uncle Harper’s hot