Samiah reached over and peeled Taylor’s fingers from her face. “Come on, stop this,” she said. “I thought we all decided we were no longer living our lives based on what other people think we should be doing. Or because it’s what society says we should do.”

“That’s so easy for you to say,” Taylor said. “You’re not a failure.”

“Okay, that’s enough of that bullshit.” London set her wineglass on the end table. She walked over to Taylor, grabbed her hands, and pulled her up from the sofa. “Look at me,” London said, lifting Taylor’s chin. “Do you enjoy what you’re doing?”

She nodded.

“No. Say it. Answer the question. Do you enjoy being a fitness consultant?”

“Yes.”

“Does it make you happy? Happier than anything else you could be doing with your life?”

“Yes,” she said.

“Then that’s all that matters. Everything else is negative bullshit and you don’t need that in your life.”

“But I do need my family,” Taylor said. “As much as they drive me crazy, I love them. I just wish I could have something exciting to share with them when I go home for Thanksgiving, instead of the same old stuff.”

“Tell them that you’re supporting yourself by doing what you love,” London said.

“She’s right,” Samiah said, rising from the sofa and walking over to join them. “It may not be easy going right now, and you may not be satisfied at the pace that your business is growing, but it is growing. And you said it yourself, teaching phys ed to a bunch of homeschooled kids is nothing to turn your nose up at. It will pay the bills while you continue to grow your business.”

“Exactly,” London said. She pointed at the coffee table. “Now you can drink this wine to celebrate the gains you’ve made, but I’ll be damned if I let you waste another drop of this fantastic Chianti on wallowing. Hell no. This wine comes from happy grapes. It is to be used for celebration purposes only.”

The infectious grin Samiah had come to associate with her appeared on Taylor’s face. “Well, I do want more wine, so I guess we’re celebrating.”

“Now that’s what I want to hear,” London said, grabbing the bottle of wine and topping off their empty glasses. She handed them their drinks and lifted hers in the air. “To the only woman I know who can kick your ass with a smile. Your time is coming, Taylor Powell. You just make sure you’re ready to make the most of it when it does.”

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Five