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“Frankie—he’s everything I ever wanted in someone. He’s smart, accomplished, and he really respects me.”
Were we talking about the samemarriedman? Or had I missed something?
“Don’t look at me that way, I know you don’t understand. You can’t. You don’t have the best track record yourself.”
Wouldn’t she be surprised? “I haven’t really had the time to date, Mom.” Did that come out too bitchy?
“Fair. You’re very driven. You remind me of me at your age.”
The chicken sat like a rock in my gut, but I made myself take another bite as she served up her own dinner.
“Anyway, this last week…we made some decisions. That’s why I called and told you part of me thought I needed to be there.”
“So it wasn’t a work thing at all, just a guy thing.” Yep, that came out dismissive because her eyes narrowed. “Look, sorry…it’s been a long week. You guys were trying to figure out what was the next step?”
Early last spring to now? That was probably pulling into the six-month category. We’d been there before.
That meant I got to meet him.
I so did not want the new introduction when I already knew him.
Hadn’t Mrs. Standish still been wearing her wedding ring? The bright, shiny diamond ring?
“Is everything all right?”
“Yeah,” I lied. “It’s totally fine. Just had a long week.”
“Oh, how was the party?” Her lips curled a little higher as she smiled.
A number of thoughts danced on my tongue, but none of them made it out of the wings. “It was okay. I didn’t stay late.”
“No? That’s too bad. I thought you might be staying over.”
“So did I.” I shrugged. “Came home instead.”
Her eyes widened.Yeah, Mom. I know you weren’t home.
With a grimace, she reached over to cover my hand. “This is why I wanted to try and have dinner with you. I’ve just been gone so much, and I wouldn’t have been, but this was important.”
“Okay.” I wasn’t going to argue the point.
“Frankie, Edward and I…”
I was going to throw up.
“We’re going to move in together.”
They were what now?
“Edward is the boyfriend?” Yeah, that was exactly what came out of my mouth.
“Yes,” she said, then she took a deep breath and braced her shoulders. “Edward Standish. Archie’s father.”
Fried chicken had just become the ultimate bad meatloaf.
“It may seem fast, I know. But you know Edward, and it really isn’t—we’ve been so happy together. Oh, please be happy for us, Frankie. I know this is going to change things. But we’ll have a bigger place…”
Bigger—we were leaving the apartments?
