Beautiful Sacrifice Chapter 3:
Falyn continues to have thoughts that are mainly exposition. The kind you would really never think about your own life. Like she starts telling us how many pairs of jeans she’s been able to buy on her own and all this backstory about her clothes. I have never once wondered these things about a protagonist.
Falyn’s restaurant family press her for information about her upcoming date. Phaedra gives some sage advice:
“Now, if he is anything but a gentleman—”
“I know,” I said. “I’ll punch him in the throat.”
“Good girl,” Phaedra said, punching the air. “They hate that.”
You couldn’t be more wrong. This would instantly endear a Maddox Bro to you.
“She’s right,” Chuck called from the kitchen. “We do!”
I laughed once, knowing Chuck would rather cut off his stirring hand than do anything to a woman to earn a throat-punch.
This is so weirdly specific now. Is there an epidemic of throat-punching women?
As Falyn eats and avoids more probing questions from Phaedra and Chuck, she has flashbacks to her mother telling her to eat properly. No, I don’t understand why this is happening now either. However, it does give us this gem:
“We do not discuss vulgar topics, such as your opinion, at the dinner table, Falyn.”
Her opinion is a vulgar topic? If Falyn is like, “I sure do like tomatoes!” her mother would be horrified at the vulgarity of it all?
Falyn tells her restaurant family that all Taylor probably wants is sex. This confusing exchange happens:
“You’re going to be the death of that man. He loves you like his own. Let him believe you’re a virgin.” As soon as the words had left her mouth, she froze, and her eyes widened. “Oh, honey, I’m so sorry.”
“I think he already knows I’m not,” I said, making a show of dismissing her apology.
It really bothers me that we get flashbacks and thoughts about everything (her jeans!), but then suddenly Falyn is able to keep this a secret from us. I’m guessing she was pregnant at some point (lost the baby? Abortion? Gave baby up for adoption?), which probably led to the fallout with her family.
Everyone is now emotional. Falyn tells us what softies they all are. Kirby shows up and Phaedra starts reminiscing about how she’s known her since she was a kid two. It is all really weird because I’m not really understanding why during a routine kitchen prep they’re all getting really nostalgic about when Kirby used to eat sandwiches with Phaedra after school.
It’s a tough day on the job! A drunk customer is rude to Falyn.
He grabbed my wrist. “Get your tater-tot tits outta my face!”
Gross! What a jerk. Luckily, a wild Maddox Bro appears and scares the drunk customer into submission.
Falyn tells Taylor not to step in for her like that again, and he agrees. Somehow I don’t believe him. But a few minutes later, Falyn accidentally knocks the drunk man’s cup of tea over, and he curses at her again. Taylor breaks his promise immediately, and put the man in a headlock. Phaedra intervenes and chides Taylor, but then after she dresses down the customer, she tells Taylor he can “take out the trash”. Oof.
Kirby announces that this was really hot. I weep. Luckily Falyn doesn’t seem as turned on by this, and cancels their date. Taylor is not deterred, though. He tells her she’ll change her mind. A Maddox Bro knows best, after all.
After Taylor heads off, leaving a big tip behind, Chuck intervenes and tells Falyn she should give this toxic man-child a chance.
“It means you’d better hold on tight. Guys like him don’t give up easily once they’ve found a girl like you.”
Apparently Chuck has read all the other books in this series too.
“You’re going to be the death of that man” because she will punch him in the throat?
“He loves you like his own.”
I wrote an entire comment before realizing this was probably referring to Chuck and not Taylor. It can always be worse!
I hope there IS some throat-punching at some point in this book…
“Guys like him don’t give up easily once they’ve found a girl like you.” Just fuck having a choice then, I guess.