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If Gemma had known all the women in her life hated her boyfriend, she might have broken up with him ages ago. Still, she let that thought pass and lifted her chin. “No, not Scott. His name is Lance.”
Lance Barkley, the man who knew how to make her melt with just a single brush of his fingertips across her cheek. The guy who’d opened up about his past and allowed her to see the sensitive part of his personality. The same guy who she’d spent all day thinking about with butterflies fluttering around inside her stomach.
“Lance?” Katherine pulled her sweater tighter across her body. “Isn’t that the coffee guy…?”
“Not important.” Gemma felt color fill her cheeks. She’d forgotten she’d complained to her mother about that incident. “That was a million years ago.”
“You should see them together, Ms. Rink,” Laurie said in a sing-song voice. She hugged a rope light close to her body and swayed. “They’re so cute. It’s like a real life version of Beauty and the Beast.”
“Am I supposed to be the Beauty or the Beast?” Gemma asked, tilting her head in annoyance.
“There are definite sparks between them.” Chloe tore the rope lights from Laurie’s hands. “I thought they were going to set the office on fire. The way he was kissing her and the way Gemma was wrapped around him…”
“Okay, that’s enough.” Gemma waved her hands and stomped her foot. Her mother didn’t need to hear all the gory details.
All it took was Katherine raising an eyebrow and staring at her daughter for Chloe and Laurie to burst out in laughter and retreat to the other side of the room. Gemma made a mental note to return the sweaters she’d bought for each of them. Traitors.
“It’s not that big of a deal, Mom,” Gemma tried to explain. “It’s just a date with a guy I like.”
“No, it is a big deal.” Katherine moved to push a strand of hair out of her daughter’s face. She stared into her face and smiled. “I can tell by the look on your face that you really like this boy. That’s a big deal. He makes you happy. Scott never had this effect on you.”
She was right, of course. Her relationship with Scott had been something she’d done out of expectations. She expected she’d be in a relationship some day, expected that one day she’d marry and have kids. That was what people in New Hope did.
Except for her mother. Her mom had been the rare exception. Became pregnant in high school, refused to marry Gemma’s deadbeat father. Had been all the happier for it. They’d lived a small life, one filled with laughter, fun, and love.
“He’s really special, Momma. I think you’ll like him.”
“I already do,” she replied. “I like anyone who can make you smile like that.”
“You’ll meet him tonight. He’s bringing me as his date.”
“Wonderful.” Katherine grinned and rubbed her hands together. “I look forward to it. Pretty soon, you won’t need me anymore, little girl. You’ll have a family all your own.”
Gemma reeled and nearly dropped the light bulbs in her hands. “Don’t say that. I’ll always need you. A girl always needs her mother.”
“Things change, my dear.” Katherine wrapped her arm over her shoulders and pulled her in tight. “And people pass on. I might have made it out of two rounds of chemo relatively unscathed, but who knows what the future might hold? I’m just happy to think there could be someone by your side if and when that happens.”
Gemma wanted to throw up. She would’ve fallen to her knees and refused to move if it hadn’t been for her mother’s arm across her shoulder. Things didn’t need to change. She and her mother had built a wonderful life together. She couldn’t imagine a world without her mom. That place didn’t exist. She didn’t want it to exist.
“Now, go get dazzling,” Katherine said, waving to Chloe and Laurie as they stood waiting for their friend in the doorway. The decorations were complete. Now, they just needed to work on themselves. “Enjoy tonight. I love you.”
“Love you, too.” Gemma left the comforting arms of her mother with uncertain steps. She looked back over her shoulder at the woman who raised her and felt worry enter her heart. It lasted for the briefest of seconds before it was pushed out by thoughts of her impending date tonight. She’d never been so nervous about a party.
Maybe her mother was right. This was going to be a night to remember.
Chapter Eleven
Lance adjusted his black and white striped tie for the fiftieth time that evening and swallowed down the lump of nerves that had gathered in his throat. Gemma had agreed to meet him at the party. She was coming with her office mates and they were already ten minutes late.
He glanced again at the clock on the wall and leaned back against the gymnasium wall. It wouldn’t be cool to freak out before she got there. He had to chill out.
Not a moment later, they appeared under the arched doorway draped in gossamer and icicle lights. Chloe stood on the left in a bright purple dress that fell to her knees and complimented her dark skin. Laurie was on the other side in a brilliant coral dress, her hair twisted up into a curly mass. Lance barely noticed the two of them.
His eyes went straight for the woman in the middle, wrapped in a silver tube top dress with matching high heels. Her hair fell to her bare shoulders in loose curls. A painted on silver decoration swirled up her cheek and around her temple. She took his breath away, so much that he could barely muster out a hello.
“Gemma,” he croaked, pulling at his tie. “You look so beautiful.”
She blushed, taking his arm. “You wouldn’t believe how long Chloe had me strapped in a chair, working on this makeup. I was sure you were going to have to send out a rescue party.”
