just about ready.” She whipped away a tea towel next to her, and her flourishy movement revealed a huge loaf of fresh bread on a wooden board.
“Mom! You baked as well?”
She nodded. “Your favorite.”
“You didn’t even know I was coming over.”
“Well, I hoped.” She shrugged. “Now slice this bread while I drain the pasta.”
We swapped places, and I reached for the knife in its usual spot, grateful Roy hadn’t arrived and moved where everything was kept.
“So, how’s work going?” She clanged a colander into the metal sink.
“Not bad.” I worked on flattening out the smile that threatened to claim my mouth as I thought about Jamie.
“It’s intern season, right?” She’d always had a good memory for what went on in my life.
“Yeah.” I drew out the syllable a little as I nodded but didn’t say anything further.
“Any good ones this year?” She glanced over her shoulder at me as she reached for the pot of pasta.
I did grin then. She was so used to me complaining about the interns we usually ended up working with.
“They’re pretty good, actually. One of them is Saint’s brother.”
“Oh, yeah?” She looked up after pouring out the last of the noodles. “Which one?”
“Jamie. He’s a bit younger.” I cleared my throat. “You wouldn’t have met him.”
“Is he like Saint?” She seemed to swoon a little. “Saint’s wonderful. All his jokes and the stories he tells about his brothers.” She covered her mouth against a sudden giggle. “I used to wish you two might get together, you know.” She side-eyed me, and I glanced away.
“If you remember, Saint prefers his guys more on the submissive side, and I’m not really his idea of guyfriend material. We wouldn’t be entirely…compatible.”
Her cheeks flushed, but I knew it wasn’t with the steam when she covered her ears. “Lalala! Not listening,” she sang around her grin, and I stuck my tongue out. “So, what’s this Jamie like?” She’d have said anything to move away from any hint of discussion about my bedroom. Maybe Harley would do better with getting her to advise on that subject.
But, oh, how could I describe Jamie? My face relaxed into an automatic smile as I thought of the blond hair he could never fully control, and the blue eyes that sparkled like the lake on a summer’s day. I sighed. Shit. I shook my head at my sudden penchant for poetry.
“He is really intelligent and super engaged.” I started. “Oh—he’s my intern. I didn’t tell you that bit.”
“He cute?” She raised an eyebrow.
“Really cute, but that’s not the only thing he has going for him. He’s passionate and he cares about the clients, and he… man, he smells good.” I snapped my mouth closed.
She laughed. “Cares about clients and smells good. You sound pretty smitten, Nicky.”
I closed my eyes briefly and replayed what I’d said and how it sounded. I sounded pretty smitten to me, too. But that had never been my plan. One night. I only ever allowed myself one night. Too much more could lead to abandonment and heartbreak.
“Let’s eat!” Mom carried the pasta to the dining table, and I followed her with the bread. Everything was already set with plates and cutlery, and leafy green salad took up acres of a pressed white tablecloth. I paused. For a moment, I could imagine I was Saint, about to join his family for his weekly dinner.
Harley arrived at the table and took her seat.
I sat across from her and smiled. “How’s school going?”
She twisted her lips and almost rolled her eyes. “That’s an original conversation starter.”
I laughed. “Okay, so what do you like to do?”
“Sports.” Her eyes lit up.
“Oh, yeah.” Mom paused buttering her bread and looked up. “Harley is on all kinds of teams. She’s good. You ought to come and watch her sometime.”
I nodded. “Maybe I should. You aiming to go pro?”
She scoffed. “Again, predictable.” But her eyes twinkled, and she smiled.
“Harley.” Roy’s tone held a note of warning.
“Dad, I’m just giving him a hard time.” She turned back to me. “Not pro. I want to go into sports medicine in college.”
“Sounds like a wise choice to me.” Then I asked her another question.
Why hadn’t I chatted to her before? She seemed like a sweet kid, and I hoped she enjoyed my mom’s company like my mom obviously enjoyed hers. Mom had been lonely for a long time, even with me doing my best to look after her, but Roy and Harley could change all of that.