Beautiful When You Don't Try (Camren)

Chapter 103

A/N: As always, and most importantly, thank you all for reading and especially those of you who keep me motivated with your comments. Thank you so much. If it wasn't for you, face it, I wouldn't be converting this story. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Enjoy.

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"That is so cute." Lauren cooed as Kim sat on the couch, holding the sides of her face with her hands as she blushed uncontrollably while the stripper danced in front of her. "I think she needs another drink though."

"I'm on it," Clara stated with a bit of a blush herself. Normani had an emergency at the restaurant and had to cut her vacation short so Clara took her place. The whole incident was filled with pluses and negatives.

"I've got some good news and some... other news," Lauren stated as she walked into the office and was met by interested but cautious eyes from Kim as she sat in Adrianne's lap.

"What's the good news?"

"Well, it's good news for you at least. Not so much for Normani."

"Is she okay?" The duo may have their differences but they also had this strange understanding of one another. Kim knew Normani had a good heart under all of the annoyingness. She had proven it by protecting Kim's secret while also respecting that Kim wanted to keep it a secret and never asked about the scars she saw at the strip club. Normani blurred a lot of lines, but the ones important to Kim were still very much intact in Normani's mind. However, Kim did have to remind herself that Normani also had to uphold appearances and simply enjoyed getting a rise out of her which she seemed to do effortlessly some days.

"She's fine. Her restaurant... not so much. There was a small fire in the kitchen that she has to go deal with the ashes of."

"But nothing major, right?" Adrianne asked for clarification. "The place isn't like, half gone, is it?"

"No. Just a little damage in the kitchen. She said it would only cost a few people their jobs. But at least neither of you have to worry about her putting the moves on Kim tonight."

Adrianne laughed to herself, leaning her head back in the chair and playing with her fiancée's fingers. "That actually does make me feel better. I mean, I know she would never actually try something serious, but the thought is still comforting."

"So what's the 'other news'?" Kim asked with curiosity, looking up at her and Adrianne's conjoined hands to her boss.

"The awkwardness of Normani's presence will be replaced by the awkwardness of my mother's." Adrianne burst out into laughter while Kim just beamed, liking the idea of Clara being there. If nothing else, she would no longer be the only one a little uncomfortable with the stripper.

"Oh, that just perfect." Adrianne chimed, wiping a tear from her eye. "Whose idea was that? And what did Mike think about it?"

"It was Mom's actually," Lauren informed them as she set her purse down and settled into her office chair to start her day's work. "She said she missed out on the last three and wanted to be there for Kim. She also said it shouldn't be a problem seeing as she did so well at the gay bar she took us to. And after that confession, my father was left highly confused."

"I bet."

"Mom started telling him how nice it was and how much of a good time she had. She even told him about the friends she made or would have made if she hadn't lost their phone numbers." Kim covered her face in embarrassment for the clueless woman and Lauren nodded her head. "Yeah. You should have seen her face when I explained they just wanted to get into her pants."

"She was embarrassed but flattered, wasn't she?"

"Much to my father's dismay."

"I'm telling, Babe. Clara is curious. If Mike had never moved to New York, I swear she would have added at least one notch to her belt via a persuasive lesbian."