Page 72 of The Scent of Happiness

Mom looked past Brooke to the closed bedroom door. “You know, I think I preferred it when he called me Mrs. Nesbitt.”

“Seriously?”

Mom gazed at the dining table, the couch, the cups and books and papers scattered on the coffee table, as if looking for evidence. “I’m not going to ask for an explanation, be—”

“Good. You’re not getting one.”

“—cause it’s very clear what’s going on here.”

“So?” Brooke held tight to the bedroom door handle as Theo tugged from the other side. “This isn’t your business.”

“I think it is.” Mom lifted her chin and her voice rose. “We’re paying half his fee.”

“And hiring him was your idea.”

“I told you to hire him, not sleep with him.”

“Brooke?” Theo knocked on the bedroom door.

“One minute.” She gripped the door handle and faced her mother. “I need to talk to Theo too, and I can’t have two conversations at once.”

“Yes, you can,” Mom said.

“You do it all the time,” Theo said from behind the door.

“Gah! Not right now I can’t.” Brooke’s head felt like an overmixed batch of soap, gloppy and unworkable. She needed to talk to Theo about the public side of their relationship and she needed to talk to Mom about proper boundaries and there was no way she was going to do either of those things standing in her bathrobe with her mother throwing judgement at her and Theo trying to escape.

Mom held her hands over her heart and worried her fingers together. “Theo is a very nice boy, but—”

“He’s a man.”

Mom covered her ears. “I don’t need to hear that.”

Brooke raised her voice. “I’m a grown woman, in my own apartment—”

“Using all our hot water.”

Brooke was nearly pulled off her feet as Theo yanked the door open. She let go and let him out.

Theo’s wet hair was mussed from the towel, but he looked otherwise composed. He stood with the confidence of someone in front of a courtroom arguing a case he had no personal stake in. “I don’t think the water is the issue.”

Brooke gave him her most withering look. “You think?”

“I should go.”

Mom nodded. “You don’t belong here.”

“Excuse me?” Brooke put out a hand to stop Theo. She glared at her mother. “You’re in my apartment. So if anyone doesn’t belong, it’s—”

“November’s rent was due three days ago.”

“Really, Mom?” Brooke threw out her hands. “You know I’m going to pay you Friday.”

Theo patted Brooke’s shoulder. “I’m going to let you two work this out. I have to—”

“You don’t have to go. She should leave.” Brooke pointed and scowled.

Theo turned his head so her mother couldn’t see and mouthed, “I’m sorry.” He gave a half shrug and tried to slide through the kitchen. Mom didn’t move an inch. Theo squished past her and shot out the door.