Free Ms. Perfectly Imperfect: BBW BWWM Interracial Romance by Roxy Wilson Page B

Clint.
    “See you tomorrow, Layla.”
    With reluctance, she stepped away and went upstairs. Now, there was so much more to look forward to. Her treatment was about to start, and she had a new friend, one who was worth her time and effort.

 
     
    Chapter Seven
     
    Fall in love with someone who falls in love with your flaws and thinks you’re perfect just the way you are. ~Brigitte Nicole
     
    When Clint rang the bell, Layla was ready. She checked her reflection in the mirror one last time and literally skipped over to open the door. She wore a Persian red, smocked tube-top maxi dress. Her size nine feet were encased in a pair of open-toe, wedge sandals, complete with an ankle buckle closure. He daintily polished toenails, were painted in beige, a neutral shade, which accentuated the color block sandals, which were of various shades of red and white. “Hi.”
    “Wow! You look amazing.” Clint leaned over to kiss her on the cheek. He handed over the white tulips he held in his hands. “For you.”
    “Aww! How sweet. Come in.”
    Clint walked in and surveyed the place. “Nice apartment.” He pointed to the picture hanging on the eastern wall. “Is that a Leonardo print?”
    “Yes, it is. Can’t afford the real thing, so it’s a good thing to look at when I feel down.”
    “Yeah, I’m a huge fan of his.” He turned when he heard the tip-tap of Mary’s heels.
    “Hello.”
    Taking out the vase from a cabinet, Layla filled it with water. “Clint, this is my mom, Mary Turner. And mom, this is Dr. Collins.”
    “Pleased to meet you, Ms. Tuner.”
    Mary pressed her lips together in a fine line. Layla had already told her about her break up with Gage, but she didn’t seem very happy to see that her daughter had already moved on. She sniffed. “You’re a doctor?”
    “Clint works in the General Hospital in the Pediatric Oncology department. He’s a specialist.”
    Mary frowned as she watched her daughter put the flowers in the vase. “Layla, I’ve decided to shift back home. You’re obviously doing well now.”
    “No problem, mom.” Strolling over, she hugged her mother. She would never tell her mother how badly upset she’d been that night when Mary mistook her for Layla’s father. “Thank you for coming to stay with me. I’ll come back early enough to help you pack.”
    “I’ve already done it.” Mary ran her hand over the countertop. “I’m going to leave after you.”
    “Okay mom. Take care.”
    After bidding goodbye to her mother, Layla left with Clint.
    “I didn’t know your mother was staying with you,” he said.
    Layla was glad things were working out fine. Mary was a disturbing element in her life, but she did love her mother and wanted them to have a good, solid relationship. By not confronting her about that incident, she actually did a lot of good. Perhaps on some level, Mary realized the harm she’d caused her daughter and didn’t want to do it again. “She was here for a few days,” Layla finally said with a dismissive wave of her hand. “So, where are we going?”
    “I’ve got booking at the Plaza.”
    “Ahhh…Nice choice. I love their food.”
    He smiled. “Good then, I’ll cancel the alternate booking at Bellagio. Unless, you prefer to go there.”
    She laughed at his enthusiastic response. He really seemed to be keen on making her happy. It was such a change from her past relationship that she didn’t quite know how to respond to it. “The Plaza, I think.”
    As they drove to the restaurant, they made small talk. It just seemed so easy to talk to Clint. He was knowledgeable about many topics. She liked the way he could switch from subject to subject without a pause. She’d thought doctors were driven and focused while lacking time to read much, but he acted quite well aware of things that went on in the world. She appreciated this as another great quality about him.
    Once they were seated in the restaurant, he ordered quickly after consulting with her.
    “So,