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Well, that was pretty much the best idea ever. Glancing at my watch, I blew out a hot breath as nerves tingled up my spine.
“She should be here with her mom soon.” Mumbling more to myself than my mom, I tensed when she took my hands gently and her smile became a little more real. Clearing my throat roughly, I soaked up the reassurance swirling in her dark brown eyes, and she reached up to cup my jaw.
“Brandon, I’m so proud of the man you’ve become.” My lips crooked at that simple message, and I tilted my head to kiss the inside of her frail wrist. She might be terrible at practical life advice, my mom, but she meant it from the bottom of her heart.Then again, she hasn’t lived a practical life, so I can’t really expect it of her.
A shrill chime sliced through my thoughts, and I tensed as my mom slowly turned away from me. My heart hammered against my ribs and a cold sweat broke out on my back under my shirt. Katie was right on time, as usual, but I was woefully unprepared even while I stiffly made my way to the door. Despite my parents’ wealth, my mom lived modestly after my father died—well, modestly compared to him, at least.
Opening the door, my smile widened automatically as I caught Katie’s gaze, and she flushed a deep red that glowed against the glossy blue of her raven hair. For a second, she was all I could see, and I committed the fine details of her face to memory once again. Clearing my throat, I stepped back and to the side before managing to tear my eyes off her, and I held out my hand for her mom.
“It’s wonderful to finally meet you, ma’am. Katie says wonderful things about you.” Our mothers’ features might’ve been wildly different, but there was a pain and loneliness in their eyes that was exactly the same. Even Katie’s mother’s smile was like looking in a mirror of my mom’s, and my heart ached as familiar cold tendrils slithered up my arm. Her touch was soft, like a ghost, and my gaze flickered to Katie to find her flaming face had cooled from sadness.
“She should. I am her mother, after all. Thank you for inviting me. I’ve heard quite a few good things about you, as well, Brandon.” My ears twitched at the rawness in Katie’s mom’s voice as she stepped past me, and I shot Katie a wild look. When I thought our moms were similar, I didn’t predict that they werethissimilar. She only shook her head slightly, as if sensing my bewilderment.
Suddenly, I wasn’t so sure that it was my and Katie’s story that mattered, and I glanced over to find our momshugging. Hard. Tight. Coming up beside me, Katie stopped short as she caught sight of it, and I rubbed my jaw hard. They hugged each other like they didn’t know what a hug was.
“When was the last time your mom had a hug from someone other than you?” Leaning down to mumble in Katie’s ear, I wasn’t surprised when she huffed softly, and I grabbed her hand to squeeze tightly. “Me either.”
“I didn’t think they’d be so intense. It’s kind of hard to breathe.” I found it truly amazing how women could just bond instantly over shared trauma, and I nodded at Katie’s whisper. “I hope they become friends.”
“I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if it were love at first sight or whatever emotions they’re capable of. I feel like I shouldn’t be watching this. Let’s go in the sitting room.” Grimacing at my own words, I tugged Katie’s hand, and we crept quietly out of the foyer back the way I’d come. As soon as I stepped through the archway, a huge weight lifted off my chest, and I sucked in a sharp, deep breath. “Wow. I hoped they would like each other, but..."
“Yeah... um—” Cutting her discomfort with a deep kiss, I cupped the back of her head andrelishedwhen Katie sank into my embrace. Her reaction hardened my heart as it thundered in sync with hers, and I smiled broadly when her cheeks flushed pink once again. “Wh–what was that for?”
“I just wanted to. I always want to.” The confession burned my ears, and Katie rolled her lips to hide her smile, but it sparkled in her eyes. Tentatively, her hands slid up my back, and she rested her cheek on my chest to avoid eye contact, but she was still so damn cute. “I want to take you away somewhere our troubles can’t reach us.”
Scratching her scalp under her loose, perfectly messy bun, I closed my eyes to savor Katie’s smell. I wasn’t sure if she realized how much Icravedevery part of her, and she sighed in contentment to warm my skin through my button-down shirt.
“You might regret that. I’m terrified of flying.” Huffing at her mumble, I leaned back on my heels to release Katie. She smiled, but I could see in her eyes that she wasn’t lying about flying, and she crossed her arms over her bust to sigh again. “Dark and flying... they’re pretty stereotypical fears. I can avoid it, most of the time.”
“If you think I’ll regret it, does that mean you’ll agree?” Downright grinning when she ducked her head, I pulled Katie into a tighter hug and her lips met mine. Cupping her chin, I couldn’t help but groan as need simmered in my blood, but a low clearing of a throat sent shivers down my spine. The hairs on my body stood up as Katie stiffened in my arms, and fire climbed my neck when I caught sight of my mom watching us quizzically.
“Are you ready for dinner?” Biting on my inner cheek, I nodded stiffly, and Katie practically jerked out of my arms. Straightening my shirt, my fingers threaded through my hair absently, and my mom’s smile grew even warmer. Leaning on her cane, she glanced between Katie and me for a quick moment before I found my voice.
“Areyouready for dinner, Mom? I don’t mind waiting if it means you’ll actually eat something instead of pushing it around on the plate.” My mom stared directly into my eyes as she nodded, and my heart jumped into my throat. Taking Katie’s hand again, we held a little tighter than we probably should’ve, but I wouldn’t mind losing a finger or two as my mom turned to head for the dining room. “Do you think she’ll really eat more than a few bites?”
“If she does, I’m pretty sure I’ll cry. She never eats unless I make her.” If I didn’t know better, I’d say we were talking about the same person, and I exhaled heavily through my nose. “This is gonna be so awkward..."
“Yeah. I didn’t think just meeting each other would be so... dramatic.” My response earned me a hum of agreement, and I wondered briefly what happened when two moms actually liked each other. What did they do together? What did they talk about?
The idea of my mother having a friend was ashamedly alien to me, and I shook my head wildly before entering the dining room.Awkward doesn’t even begin to describe it.
ChapterFourteen
KATERINA
“Mom, are you busy?” The question rumbled from between my lips as I stood in the meat section of the supermarket, and I tightened my grip on my cellphone. “I need your advice. What cut of steak do you think is the best? I tried the flank steaks, but I don’t know if I cooked it wrong or if it’s just not that kind of steak..."
“Are you making dinner, Katie? Make sure you call the fire department first.” Humor laced my mom’s tone, and I straightened as the hairs on my neck stood straight up.
“Mom, that was one time, okay? I extinguished the fire. Why are you bringing that up? I was trying to make fish that time. It’s totally different.” The defense flew out of my mouth loudly, and I glanced around at the empty grocery store as embarrassment flooded my cheeks. Silence seeped eerily from my phone, and prickles rolled down my spine before I heard a laugh that definitely wasn’t my mom’s.
Frowning as two tones banged against my skull, I huffed as I tried to figure out at what point our mothers had exchanged phone numbers. Their laughter at my expense tugged up the corners of my mouth, and I shook my head as I turned my attention back to the meats in the cooler. Choosing a New York strip—thick cut, of course—I set it in my basket before my mom managed to speak through her chuckles.
“I’m sorry, baby. We were just talking about recipes, and you happened to call and ask that.”
“No, no!” Speaking up quickly, I made my way to the deli leisurely, and my face warmed as a happy sigh built in my throat. “Don’t apologize. I mean, you did tell me not to put the heat on too high, Mom, and I didn’t listen. Um, but it’s nice that you’re laughing. I almost don’t recognize it.”
“That is true, yes. Hmm..." Trailing off, my mom didn’t say goodbye before hanging up suddenly, and I pulled my phone away from my ear to stare at it. I couldn’t remember a single instance when she said ‘’bye’ of any form, but I had an inkling it was because of my dad. Clenching my jaw hard, I slipped the device in my jeans pocket before making my way to the cheese.
