Page 3 of Something like Desire

“So good to see you, Lexi,” she says, placing her hand on my shoulder for a moment. She’s not usually very touchy-feely... what the hell is going on here?

“You too.” I sit up straight and take a deep breath. Time to get to the bottom of this. “So, every time I’ve asked to stop by the last few weeks, you tell me you have plans. Now you look like you just stepped out of an issue ofVogue. Are you ready to tell me what’s up?”

“Can’t a mother ask her daughter out for a cup of coffee without there being something up?” she responds with a mysterious smile, then looks me up and down. “You look lovely, Lexi. That blouse really brings out your eyes—they look even more blue than usual. Remarkably blue.”

“Thanks,” I murmur.

“Have you done something different with your hair? It looks so shiny and healthy.”

“I washed it,” I say dryly, twisting my long brown waves back into my go-to workplace bun to shut down this conversation so we can get to the real point of this mysterious meetup.

“How was work today?”

I cringe. Once I start talking about it, I can go on for hours. I open my mouth to respond, then pause. Mom’s stalling.

“Same as always,” I say, biting back any other words about my job. If Gia weren’t busy at her final wedding cake tasting, she’d have already forced Mom to get to the point. Time to channel that energy. “You’re acting weird and it’s making me nervous. What’s going on?”

She ignores my question and looks into my eyes like she genuinely wants to catch up. “How’s Jayden doing? Are you two planning any hot dates any time soon?”

“What?” I splutter. “Hot dates?” It’s a good thing I didn’t have coffee in my mouth when she asked that because I would have spit it out—first, because I’ve never heard my mom use the word “hot” to describe anything besides the temperature; and second, because Jayden and I have a relationship that’s built on love and common interests, and our dates usually consist of dinner at Nova followed by a walk along the pier and trivia night at Maverick Pub. Not really what anyone would call hot.

Mom completely dismisses my reaction and turns to look across the room at the chalkboard affixed to the brick wall with the daily specials listed on it. “Oooh. Those snacks sound yummy. Do you want a lemon poppyseed scone?”

“No, I would not, thank you very much.” Unbelievable. The last time she stalled like this was when she and Dad decided to downsize and sell the house Gia and I grew up in and she was having a hard time breaking it to us. “Mom, please, just spit it out.”

Mom readjusts her position and takes a small sip of her latte. “Well, I’m sure you’ve noticed that your father and I have been growing apart lately.”

Growing apart?This is a complete gut punch. An involuntary jolt of electricity runs up my spine as if my body understands what this means before my brain does. But... she and Dad are solid. The most solid couple I’ve ever met. People aspire to be like them. If Mom knew what hashtags were, she’d be interested to know that Gia refers to her and Dad’s marriage as#relationshipgoals.

“Ummm... no. What do you mean? You guys just planted a vegetable garden together. I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Mom’s eyes soften and she tries to hold my hand, but I move it away in stunned slow motion. She clears her throat. “Well, honey, we do have a friendship, but we don’t have the... fiery passion that we used to have.”

“Probably because you’ve been married for so long. You’re both older now. No offense but who else your age has something like that?”

“I do,” Mom says with a shrug.

My face heats up and I shake my head. “Youjustsaid that you don’t. What do you mean youdo?”

Mom blinks quickly and stares down at the table, tracing the lines in the wood grain with a fingertip. “I do. Have a fiery passion. Just... not with your father.”

“What?” I say again, but way louder this time, and everyone in the café looks over at us.

“Quiet,” Mom whispers, cringing and patting my shoulder. It briefly registers that her face is much less wrinkled than it used to be.Botox?What ishappening? Gia would be toppling tables by now, which is probably why Mom met with me when her most critical kid is unavailable. Looks like I’m the guinea pig she’s experimenting on first.Great.

I take a long, shaky breath. “I have no idea why you brought me somewhere likethisto tell me news likethat!” I exhale in a harsh whisper. “How did youexpectme to react?”

“I’m sorry, Lexi. But I’ve found someone else. And we’re happy together. We satisfy each other.”

“Satisfy each other!” I repeat, far too loudly again, and now people are hooked—everyone’s facing us, eager to see how this conversation’s going to unfold. A petite brunette woman at a table near the barista station appears to be recording us on her phone. I glare at her and flap my hand in a signal to stop but she pretends not to notice.

“Yes,” Mom answers. She bats her long eyelashes at me with an extra dose of attitude. “If you want to be so loud and open about it, it’s the best sex I’ve ever had. Just because you’re only thirty-two doesn’t mean you and Jayden get to have that all to yourself. Older people have needs too.”

“Mom! TMI!” I whisper-yell.

“It’snotTMI. Sex is part of life.” Mom sits up straight and smooths her blazer. “One day, I’d like you to meet him.”

“Never!” I respond quickly, bringing my palm down against the table, causing some of my latte to spill. “Neverever.”