“I know that. But I’m still concerned. I don’t want you to get hurt. I can tell you from my own experience that sometimes we think we’re okay to move forward. But we’re not.”
His mother had never remarried after their father left her. Andrew had never even seen her go on a date or bring a man home. “Is that why you never had a male companion after dad left?”
She flashed a sad smile. “Sometimes hurt is so big, it’s scary to risk feeling it again. I’m not saying that’s where Paige is. But I know how it feels to be betrayed in the worst way by someone you love. Jumping into another romantic relationship might not be the best thing.”
His mother hadn’t said anything that he hadn’t thought of himself. Julius had taken Paige through the proverbial wringer. Andrew wouldn’t have been surprised if she’d told him she never wanted to date again after the hell she’d been through. Yet she’d been open tohim. And it felt genuine, real. But maybe his mother was right? Maybe they needed to slow things down. Because he already knew she had the power to burn everything in his life to the ground if this didn’t work out, and he wasn’t sure he wanted to hand her the match and the lighter fluid just yet.
* * *
“Was your mom nervous to go into surgery?” Paige peered down at her iPad. She’d been waiting for Andrew’s video call for an hour. They’d talked last night for a few hours and he’d explained the surgical process and recovery.
Andrew nodded. “She was. But she tried to act like she wasn’t.”
“Where are you?” She perched her tablet on her belly. “In the waiting room?”
“Yeah. My brothers went down to the cafeteria to grab food, but I’m not hungry right now.”
During their chat last night, Connor and Damon had her cracking up as they told her a story about how Andrew nearly lost his cool when a male nurse kept talking over their mother. That part wasn’t funny, but the way his brothers had mocked him was hilarious.
She sighed. “You need to eat, Drew.”
“I’m eating,” he said.
“Something other than sliders from White Castle.”
Laughing, he said, “Don’t hate. I have to get my fix every time I come to Detroit for an extended stay.”
Paige rolled her eyes. Since she’d known him, he’d been trying to lure her over to the dark side. But she hated White Castle with a passion. The food never came like she ordered it and it always made her stomach hurt.
“Whatever,” she grumbled. “Anyway, you have to eat green, leafy vegetables.”
She was better at giving advice than taking it. Because she was currently eating the last slice of apple pie and she’d yet to touch the pot of collard greens that she’d made yesterday.
“How’s that pie?” he asked, with a wink.
“Good,” she mumbled around her food. “But we’re not talking about me.”
“We are now,” he retorted.
Paige giggled. “You’re silly. So, how areyou?”
When she talked to Andrew, she wanted to be sure he knew that she cared about howhewas doing. She knew he had a close relationship with Connie, so she imagined it couldn’t be easy to watch her go into surgery. Even though it was an ankle injury, it was still an operation.
“I’m alright. I’m worried about her pain level. I don’t want her to suffer, but it’s a bad injury.”
According to Andrew, Connie had a severe fracture and the surgeon wasn’t sure what he’d find when they went in. But they were hopeful they’d be able to repair it in one surgery.
“Have you talked to her again about therapy?” she asked.
“No, she’s not listening. She doesn’t want in-residence therapy, so we’ve come up with a plan to hire a nurse that can see her during the day. Mrs. Fulton agreed to stay at night.”
“That’s good news. I know you were worried.”
“Yeah.” They talked for a few more minutes about their plan for his mother. “What have you been up to?” he asked.
Grinning, she said, “Wouldn’t you like to know?”
“I would.”
