Page 38 of Never Let Go

So during my lunch break, I headed down to a jewelry store around the corner from the Sight Unseen offices and checked out my options. I wanted to get her something that signified our connection, but I didn’t see it right away.

Eventually, as my gaze skipped over the contents of all the glass boxes, I spotted a silver charm bracelet with cooking themes and I grinned. “I’d like that, please.”

The shop assistant nodded and went about packaging it up for me and I took a deep breath. With the change and upheaval in my life right now, it was nice to have her to think about. Honestly, it was the only thing keeping me sane.

Well that, and the prospect of seeing her again as soon as I got my head back in the game.

18

SHELBY

Mom and I tried to have lunch together at least once a month. We took turns picking a local café and we met there, just to catch up and stay in touch.

As I walked in to meet her at a trendy new place not far from my work, I smiled, nervous but excited to tell her about Tyler. After our last date, I’d decided it was time to let her know what was going on, but I was still scared about how she was going to react.

I wouldn’t spring it on her right out of the gate, but I did want her to know about him. She was my best friend and my most trusted advisor. I knew she wasn’t a fan of dating this way, but ultimately, I was happy and he was starting to mean something to me, which meant that I didn’t want to keep it from her.

Mom looked up and grinned, waving me over when she saw me making my way across the dining room. She stood up when I approached the table, then opened her arms and pulled me into a big hug.

“Hi, baby,” she said happily, rubbing my back before she released me and smiled, the lines around her blue eyes crinkling from the force of it. “It’s so good to see you. You’ve been quiet these last couple of weeks. What’s going on?”

I shrugged, chuckling. I sat down when she did the same. “I’ve just been busy. Work is picking up and Mr. Harrison is passing me more and more estates. It’s been fun and really rewarding, but it’s taking a lot of time to get into the swing of things.”

She smiled indulgently. “That’s to be expected, Shel. It always takes a beat to get used to a new job. Don’t be too hard on yourself.”

“Thanks, but I’ll still try to be better about calling,” I promised as I slung my purse over the back of my chair. “What’s new with you and Dad?”

“We’re going on a cruise next month,” she said excitedly, her eyes twinkling as she inhaled. “It’s been on our bucket list for years and we’ve just never gotten around to doing it, so when I saw a discounted price advertised the other day, we snapped it up.”

I gawked at her. “Are you serious? That’s amazing. I’m so happy you guys are finally doing it.”

“So am I,” she agreed, her head tilting slightly to one side as she held my gaze. “Our nest is empty now and we need to find a way to make peace with that. You’re getting busier and busier with your own life and that’s fine, but it’s time Dad and I faced the truth. You’re a real grownup now.”

I laughed. “I have been for a while, Mom. I didn’t go off to college last week.”

“I know, but this new job is going to take you places. We can see how much you love it and we want you to do well without worrying about us.”

“Well, a cruise is a good way to get me not to worry about you,” I teased. “In fact, I might just come with you so I don’t have to miss out.”

She giggled and shook her head at me. “You don’t want to do that. Besides, it’s only for a few days and we’ll send you plenty of pictures.”

I sighed. “Fine. Fine. I get it.”

Lifting a hand, she waved me off and laughed some more. “Trust me, honey. I wish we could still drag you everywhere we go, but you don’t want to come on a cruise with us when you could be here, working hard right in the action. You never know, you could meet the man of your dreams any day.”

And there it is. The opening.

I swallowed hard, grateful for the brief interruption when a waitress came by to drop off our menus and take our drink orders. Once she was gone, Mom was still staring at me with that twinkle in her eyes and I knew I couldn’t chicken out.

Tyler was real and there was a genuine attraction between us. A connection I couldn’t describe but that I felt when I was alone in the dark with him. Maybe it was just because I didn’t have to worry about being awkward when he couldn’t even see me and that allowed me to just be myself, but I had a feeling it had little to do with me and more to do with us.

Tyler and I gelled. We just got along, understood each other on some level I hadn’t realized it was possible for two people to connect on. It was almost starting to feel like I knew what he was going to say before he said it.

Crazy, considering that we’d only had two dates, but some people felt it so deeply that they got engaged at the reveal date. In the past, I hadn’t understood at all how people with only four dates under their belts were so sure about each other that they’d agree to get married, but I was starting to understand it much better now.

Not that I was planning on getting engaged to Tyler anytime soon, but the point was that what we had was real. Unconventional but genuine. Under the circumstances, continuing to keep it from my mother felt like I was being dishonest. Since I didn’t lie to her, ever, it was time to come clean.

“Actually, Mom, I’ve already met someone,” I said, tying in with her last comment instead of starting the conversation by telling her how we’d met.