Page 37 of Something like Desire

As soon as I swing open the door and step inside, into a warm space that smells like damp soil and flowers, I spot Mom’s buttery blonde hair. She’s admiring a display of ferns hanging from the ceiling and has a peaceful look on her face like she has no idea what’s coming.

I step past rows of lush plants on tiered wooden shelves, orchids and trailing ivy, and approach Mom from behind.

I stop in front of the bird-of-paradise flowers, their orange petals fanning out like flames, which is fitting, because I’m about to set this place on fire with my words. “LadyLuck?” I say in the deepest, most masculine voice I can manage.

Mom swings around to face me, but instead of looking guilty and confused, she gives me a knowing look, like she was expecting me. She smiles wryly. “Hi, Lexi. Or should I say GardenPro6? What’s the six for, by the way? How many times you’ve tried to screw up my relationship?”

My mouth drops open, and heat rushes up my collarbone. “What? What are you talking about?”

Mom makes a disapprovingtsknoise and wags her finger at me. I think she tries to frown, too, but the Botox she’s been getting lately doesn’t really allow it.

“I agreed to meet you here because I knew it was you and I also knew you’ve been sabotaging me for weeks. With Zach. Nicholas and I pieced it all together, but the icing on the cake was the dance studio. Did you actually think we wouldn’t recognize our own children when they were crashing into us on the dance floor? Ofcoursewe knew.”

My hands fly to my hips, and I frown at her to show her how it’s done when you haven’t paid someone to freeze your face. “Why do you still check your Via Match if you’re supposedly so happy with this new guy?”

“Because I figured that your next plan would be to contact me there. I wanted us to talk face-to-face so I could ask you to please stop trying to mess up what I have. Lexi, I’m finally happy and I want you to stop trying to ruin it and just be happy for me.Please.” Mom stares at me with sadness in her eyes, and it gives me a lump in my throat that’s hard to swallow back down.

A few silent seconds pass; there is no fun—no secret stakeout excitement anymore. Mom brushes a tear away with the back of her hand.

“For as long as I can remember, all I’ve wanted was for you and your sister to be happy,” she says. “Can’t you let me have a turn now?” Her eyes are wide, shimmering with hurt she doesn’t try to hide. She keeps telling me there are things about my father I don’t know. Maybe she’s been going through something tough with him for years and she just endured it because she didn’t want to cause me and Gia any pain. Zach and I are officially busted and there’s nothing we can really do now other than accept the fact that our parents are a thing.

“I’m sorry,” I say softly and reach out and rest my hand on her shoulder. “I won’t do it anymore. And I’ll tell Zach to stop too.”

Mom pulls me toward her, and I breathe in her new signature scent, Chanel Chance perfume, and allow myself to sink into her embrace. “Thank you. Your father and I will have a long family discussion with you and Gia, but we’ve both decided to put it on hold until after the wedding. We don’t want to cause any more drama before the big day.”

I take a long breath. Cults? Costa Rica? The swinger lifestyle? I guess I’ll find out soon. “One more week.” One more week and then maybe my parents can shed a little clarity on how miserable they secretly were for years and how they managed to keep that under wraps while we were totally oblivious to it.

Mom steps back and looks me over. “How have you been doing, besides making appearances as the Phantom of the Opera?”

That makes me smile. We did look pretty ridiculous. Should I tell Mom what’s going on with me lately? She’ll be pretty shocked and might break into a lecture. I let out a little sigh before I blurt out my news. “I broke up with Jayden.”

“What?” Mom’s face crinkles in concern. “You did? Oh, Lexi. I wish I could have been there for you. You could have called me. Are you okay?”

I nod. “I’m okay.” Mom doesn’t ask why I did it and that surprises me. Maybe she always doubted our compatibility or maybe she doesn’t want to pry. “I also want to let you know that I’m going to tell Dad to bring this woman I’ve seen him with to the wedding.”

Mom sighs. “There might be a little more to that story, depending on what you already know.”

“Sure. I get that. I’m just letting you know, so you’re not surprised when you see them together.”

“Talk to your dad first,” Mom urges. “There are a few details that you don’t know and I think you should be aware of them first. I’m leaving it up to him. I feel like this is a conversation that he needs to start.”

“So, do you think this woman should come to the wedding?”

Mom presses her lips together firmly. “If that’s what he wants, then of course this woman should come to the wedding.”

“That’s all you need to say.” I wonder now if Dad was cheating with this younger woman for longer than Mom was with Nicholas. But it doesn’t look like asking her is the way to find out the truth. Mom clearly wants Dad to break the news to me.

“You know Gia’s nonnegotiable list? How you and Dad walking her down the aisle is number two?”

Mom makes a face. “Yes, of course. I have the list memorized. Who doesn’t?”

“Well, can you possibly still walk together, down the aisle, with Dad on the other side of Gia, without either of you trying to trip the other? No punching, no slapping, no swearing at each other?”

“Of course we can.” Mom rolls her eyes. “What do you take us for?”

“Just checking.”

Mom gently rubs my shoulder. “We’re both a lot more content with all of this than you think. We’re just waiting, patiently, for you and Gia to be as well.”