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“We should meet your girlfriend tonight then. What if we get snowed in and I have to wait until the wedding? That would be awful.”
“I think Hartley has plans tonight,” I say, trying to come up with an excuse to put off them meeting for just a little bit longer.
“So, dinner tomorrow then?”
“I’ll have to ask Hartley, Mom. She’s been busy getting her bakery ready for the grand opening.”
“Well, you should be helping her with that! Maybe we can help too,” my mom tries again.
She nudges my dad and he nods dutifully.
“Of course we can help.”
“I have been helping her. I spent all last week helping her paint and set up chairs and lights.”
“Then she should take a break and join us for dinner.”
I can tell that my mom isn’t going to let this drop. I shoot my dad a pleading look but he just smiles and shrugs at me in return. He’s not going to be any help, so I hit the phone button on my steering wheel, bringing up my contact list and finding Hartley’s name.
“Before I hit dial, please do not start asking her a million questions. I promise that you will be able to ask her whatever you want when you meet her this week,” I say, looking in the rearview mirror at my mom.
She nods, reluctantly, and I know before I say “call Hartley” that this is a mistake.
Maybe she won’t pick up.
Hartley picks up on the third ring and I freeze when I hear her sweet southern accent.
“Hello?”
“Hey, sweets. We’re just headed home from the airport and––”
“Hi, Hartley! We can’t wait to meet you!” my mom yells from the back seat and I wince slightly before I shoot a warning look in the rearview mirror.
“Hi, Mrs. Grove!”
“We can’t wait to meet you, honey!” my mom repeats and I suddenly regret dragging Hartley into this.
My mom is going to fall in love with her and we’re going to have to pretend to be together forever. No way would she forgive me for dumping the sweet girl, and I’m sure I’d be in trouble if I said that Hartley ever dumped me.
“I can’t wait to meet y’all too,” Hartley says with a sweet laugh.
“Anyway,” I interrupt, trying to keep this call from going off the rails. “My mom would like to know when you can come over for dinner this week.”
I send up a silent prayer that she doesn’t say tonight. I just need one more day to figure out why I can’t stop thinking about her. One more day to shore up my defenses so that no one can tell that this is all pretend.
“Um, I can maybe do tomorrow? I’ve got to get some more work done here tonight,” she says apologetically.
“Perfect! Five o’clock work for you?” my mom asks and I want to roll my eyes.
“Sounds good!” Hartley says and I’m surprised to hear a thread of excitement in her voice. “I’ll see you then. Bye!”
“I’ll text you later, sweets,” I say before I hit the button to end the call.
I glance in the mirror at my mom and she shrugs.
“You said that I couldn’t ask her a bunch of questions. I merely said hi and that we were excited to meet her.”
She gives me a look that it seems only mothers can give and I let out a sigh.
