Page 182 of Manhattan Bossholes

19

AIDEN

“Your chariot,” I said, pulling the passenger door of the Mercedes open for Cora. She rolled her eyes, giving me a look that said get your ass back in the car. But I’d already committed to the bit, so I gestured to her seat with a flourish. I’d hopped out, intending to ring the doorbell and maybe say hi to her mom, but Cora had darted out the door before I could, informing me that her mother had left early for work.

“If you tell me you actually have a chariot parked in some garage in Manhattan,” Cora said as I came around the other side of the car, “I wouldn’t even be surprised.”

I laughed. “You never know. Could be a custom build project.”

“God, I’m joking. Please don’t ever pick me up from anywhere in a chariot.”

“Don’t tempt me,” I said, turning to back down the driveway. “So, you said you had something to tell me?”

Cora groaned. “You’re never going to believe this. I can’t believe I fell asleep last night before I had a chance to text you.”

I grinned. “Tuckered you out, did I?”

She flushed a pretty pink. “Anyway, you know how I was worried about my mother?”

“Yes. Did you find out what’s going on?”

“Apparently, she’s been dating Mr. Cranson this whole time.”

“What?” I almost hooted. “Our old English teacher?”

“Yes, Henry.”

“Oh my God.” I drummed my hand against the wheel. “Way to go, Bonnie!”

Cora whacked my shoulder. “That’s my mother you’re talking about.”

“I know. Don’t you remember all the girls in school used to have a crush on him? They practically went feral when he started reading Romeo and Juliet in class. They all wanted to be Juliet.”

Cora gasped. “I totally forgot about that. Frankly, I think I was a little too obsessed with you at the time to notice.”

Her comment made my heart flip-flop in my chest. I’d been just as obsessed with her. “Seriously though. How are you feeling about it? Is this the first guy your mom’s been with since your dad?”

“Yeah, I think. At least, the first serious one. If there were others, she never told me about them. But I don’t think there were. Mom and Dad were it for each other, you know? I used to wonder if she’d ever find someone who would make her happy again. But it looks like Mr. Cranson does. She was happier last night than I’ve seen her in years.”

“So, you’re good?”

Cora took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “You know what? I really am. I’m happy for my mom. It’s time. And Mr. Cranson is great. It seems like he treats her well, and that’s all I could have wished for her.”

It sounded like Cora and her mother were both in a good place about the relationship. I remembered how weird it had been when my mom had started dating again after divorcing my dad. “I’m a little disappointed your alien abduction theory fell through.”

Cora whirled around. “Me too!”

We both started laughing. “I thought we’d stop for breakfast before heading back to Manhattan. You cool with that?”

“Definitely,” Cora said. “My mother offered to make me something before she took off, but she’s on some steel cut oats and flaxseed health kick that’s vaguely terrifying.”

I wrinkled my nose. “Sounds delicious.”

“My thoughts exactly.”

“Well, you’re in luck. Because I know exactly how to fix that.” I hit the gas, taking us across town to the parking lot of Doris’s Diner, the town’s best breakfast spot.

“Oh my God!” Cora said. “I almost forgot this place existed!” She practically dashed out of the car and through the door of the diner.