Total pages in book: 49
Estimated words: 47103 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 236(@200wpm)___ 188(@250wpm)___ 157(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 47103 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 236(@200wpm)___ 188(@250wpm)___ 157(@300wpm)
There were probably thirty or more people here, which was a smallish gathering by our standards. Our parties tended to be a mishmash of our favorite folks from every part of our lives. Sometimes, it struck me as strange that my neighbors were buddies with my secretary, Colleen, and her husband, and that they all loved my law school pals and Aaron’s fashion industry friends. Our world had become an interesting and diverse tapestry. We were lucky, and we knew it.
“Matt, you’re burning your buns,” Jay warned in his soft Southern twang.
“Uh…oh!” I jolted, rescuing the charred hamburger bun and tossing it onto a nearby plate. “Shit. I mean…shoot.”
Jay chuckled. “You’re safe. No impressionable ears over here. Did I tell y’all that I stubbed my toe the other day and uttered a stream of most unfortunate words, mostly beginning with the letter F? Fifteen minutes later, I heard Hols humming, ‘Fuckity, fuckity, fuck’ as she struggled to fasten the Velcro on her adorable patent leather princess shoes. Mortifying! I forget I have two little parrots sometimes. And by the way, I don’t think you need to make any more burgers. It looks like everyone has eaten.”
He was right. Aaron was putting salads away and organizing desserts while my mom hovered nearby, chatting with…Lena.
Oh. Cool. She made it.
Our special guest ended up having to cover for another instructor this afternoon and had called to let us know she’d be late. No problem, except it sort of threw off our schedule. We were going to make our announcement early and let the party go from there, but she’d evidently just arrived and was now talking to my mother, who had no idea that the pretty brunet in a flowy floral sundress was our surrogate.
I could practically sense the third degree in progress. Not good.
I turned off the grill, took a fortifying sip of lukewarm beer, and marched toward the deck.
“Hey, Mom. I see you’ve met Lena.”
My mother gave me a look that would have required a code to decipher.
“I have. Aaron introduced her as a ‘special friend of yours.’ ”
“That’s very true.” I grinned and impulsively drew Lena in for a sideways hug.
Mom arched her brows. “I see. Do you know each other from work?”
Lena shook her head. “No, I’m a yoga instructor. Matt and Aaron have taken a few of my classes. Not recently, though.”
“We’ve been a little preoccupied, but we’ll be back at it.”
“Sooner rather than later would be ideal,” Lena said with a conspiratorial wink.
I chuckled, my mind instantly catapulting to three or four months from now. Lena would have a baby bump and she might feel the baby kicking and geez…we’d know if we were having a boy or a girl and—
“Matthew, are you all right?”
I snapped out of my daydream, squeezing Lena’s arm before stepping aside. “Yes, I’m fine. Hey, my mom does yoga too. She’s been doing it for years.”
“Oh, wow, that’s great,” Lena enthused.
It was, and as an avid tennis player, golfer, and health nut, fitness was one of my mother’s favorite topics. I silently applauded my genius. Mom might not realize it yet, but she was going to want to know every little detail of Lena’s routine and she’d approve of her fitness-forward lifestyle. This would give them something to bond over…in addition to the baby.
Shit, I was smiling again.
My mother wasn’t. She studied Lena like a lioness sharpening her claws and asked, “Do you have a boyfriend or significant other?”
What the fuck?
“Mom!”
“I’m just curious,” she replied evenly.
Lena was unfazed. “No, I’m not really in the market right now.”
“Ah.” Mom’s errant hum was tinged with a trace of venom as she tucked her short blond hair behind her ears. “Matthew, honey, I think this is the first time you’ve stepped away from your barbecue all day. Did you eat? Aaron put the potato and pasta salad away. Let’s grab you a plate…inside.”
And yes, I caught the tone, but her mood shift was strange. She’d been fine a couple of hours ago. How could Lena have pissed her off? She was too sweet and too perceptive. She wouldn’t have messed with my mother.
Something was up, but I refused to entertain any negativity today. Mom would have to wait.
“I’m fine. I’ve had plenty to eat, and I’m saving room for a brownie or five.”
Lena brightened. “Brownies? Aaron told me he was making his famous double-chocolate brownies. But I should probably eat some real food first.”
“Good call. I made veggie burgers too. Pescatarians can eat those, right?” I asked, aware of my mother’s laser-sharp stare.
“Yes. Thanks so much,” she said, lowering her voice to a teasing lilt. “Are they any good?”
“Oh, yeah. Maryland’s finest,” I bragged. “I’ll make you a plate.”
Lena curled her fingers around my forearm. “No, it’s okay. You socialize. I’ll help myself. So nice to meet you, Mrs. Sullivan.”