Page 77 of Apparently, I’m A B!tch

Nikki’s mother and Shawn stood between us, their eyes flitting from her to me as my breath caught. “I was never dating Rochelle! You know that.”

“I know that, but based on what Nikki’s heard and seen, it looked like you were. And with everything going on at her firm with those assholes, I think she’s been…” Lilly trailed off, squinted her eyes and gave a minute shake of her head.

“Less forgiving than she usually would be?” Shawn asked, filling in.

Lilly met his glance and nodded, and they both turned to stare at me, but I had nothing to say. I clenched my jaw and focused on my machine.

“You are as bull-headed as my daughter, Tristan.” Nikki’s mother clucked her tongue. “If you love her, you must show her how sorry you are.”

Immediately, I shook my head as Shawn handed a custard tart to another customer and Lilly disappeared into the backroom.

Frustration pounded through my head as I said, “I’ve tried, Emi. I’ve given up my art career, I’ve been fired from my teaching job, and I’ve rejected this other woman more than once. What else does Nikki want me to do? She won’t take my calls; she won’t reply to my texts. All I can think to do is leave her alone until she figures out what she wants.”

But Nikki’s mother laughed through her nose and said, “Ah, my daughter has made you crazy, has she?”

I broke into a weak smile. Nikki did drive me crazy. In all the best kind of ways.

“I will help you. I want Nikki to be happy too, you know. Is no trouble.”

My shoulders slumped in defeat. “I’d do anything to have her trust me again. If you could help me with that, I’d be so grateful.”

“First, I must hear everything. Come and sit with me. We will work this out.”

Shawn scrambled into the backroom to grab another bag of coffee beans as I let out a breath of relief and left my counter. “Thank you, Emi. I appreciate it. What can I do to repay you?”

A sly smile that was so like her daughter’s spread along her lips. “You can hurry up and fix things with my Nikki. She might think she always knows what’s best for everyone, but she doesn’t know what is best for herself. So, hurry up and get her to forgive you. I am tired of waiting for her to give me more grandchildren.”

I had to grin. Knowing I had her mother’s blessing made me that much more hopeful that Nikki and I would work things out. “I’ll try. I promise.”

“Good. But don’t take too long. I am not a patient woman and neither is my daughter.”