Norah. That burnt vanilla, smoked caramel flavor you made one day last month…I have dreams about it.”
My belly shakes with unconcealed laughter. “Mom! You’ve been shame-eating croinuts behind my back?”
“I have.” She giggles along with me, and new tears form in her eyes from laughing. “I’m not proud.”
“You should be proud.” I sit back and see my mother in a whole new light now. “It’s kind of savage.”
We both laugh for a good long while, letting the moment fully soak in. For once, a visit from my mother isn’t leaving me a stressed-out ball of nerves. I could get used to this.
“I’m really glad you came over this morning, Mom,” I say with a contented sigh I haven’t felt in ages.
“Me too.” My mother smiles affectionately and adds, “And no matter what you decide to do with your life, you are always enough. You don’t need to have babies or get married to make me happy. I want you to do what inspires you. But I will be slightly disappointed if you never make it to Paris someday.”
“What? Why?” This is the first time my mother has acknowledged my travel dreams.
She shrugs and gets a faraway look in her eyes. “To be independent enough to pick up and travel the world is something I kind of regret not doing when I was younger. The longer you wait to do things, the harder it is.”
“You and Dad should go to Paris, Mom.” I waggle my brows excitedly at her. “It could be a perfect fortieth wedding anniversary trip. And probably easier than planning another party.”
She laughs and hits me with a sweet smile. “Maybe you’ll be able to show us around.”
“Maybe.” A strange sense of urgency pushes that plan into action. One thing my experience with Dean has taught me—I have enjoyed being a little selfish and letting loose these past few weeks. And taking a break from work hasn’t had any disastrous effects on my goals. So really, what have I been waiting for?
My mom’s hand squeezes mine again, pulling me out of my inner musings. “I just want you to be happy. If you’re happy, I’ll want for nothing.”
“Yeah right.” I narrow my eyes at her.
“I’ll try to want for nothing,” she amends with a guilty look. “Does that work?”
I nod. “You have a deal, Mom.”
We shake hands, and I almost start crying all over again when Elaine pulls me up off my chair and wraps her arms around me. The hug is only awkward for a few seconds before I sink against her shoulder and smile. My relationship with my mother has never felt more real than at this moment.
When I was little, I had one of those creepy jack-in-the-box toys that was a hit or miss when the damn thing would pop out. And today, as I head to Rise and Shine Bakery for a last-minute investor meeting Max called me about, I’m a lot like how that stupid toy made me feel. Coiled, tight, and unsure of what’s going to spring out at me when I walk in the door.
I’ve had investor meetings with Max and Norah at the bakery before. It’s common for them to keep me updated on the progress of the Denver location, and with the grand opening coming up, maybe this is a run-of-the-mill meeting. But the last-minute call is highly suspicious, especially because it’s been four days since Norah and I ended things, or rather, I ended things with Norah. And that hurt look in her eyes has been haunting me every damn minute.
I’m a fucking asshole.
It’s no wonder everything became messy. I wasn’t my normal detached self with Norah. The Dean that Norah had was completely different than the Dean I give to women like Lala. With Norah, I let my guard down too much. I spent the fucking night with her for shit’s sake, multiple times. And I laughed with her…a lot. I never laughed with those random hookups. I gave them the Dean fuckboy façade, a foolproof way to get me laid with as little attachment as possible. It wasn’t fun with them like it was with Norah. It was just what I did when I wanted to get laid.
But Norah is grown up and her own person. She’s motivated and has her own life. She wasn’t one of the flings I struggled to have conversations with. I could talk to Norah all day long. I’m not surprised she caught feelings. I caught them too.
I was just surprised