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“I can’t stand you up when I didn’t know it was happening, Mom. You should know that by now. Dad will be fine with it.”
“But it wasn’t your dad that I was talking about?”
“What?” It takes a moment for me to figure out what she means. I groan as the penny drops. “Oh, no, not again, Mom. Really? Another blind date? I’ve told you this before.”
“But she’s not a blind date this time,” Mom insists. “You know her.”
“I know her? What?”
“It’s Hannah. Your ex-girlfriend.”
Oh, God. Of all the people she had to pick, why did it have to be her? I shake my head.
“Absolutely not, Mom. No way am I having dinner with Hannah.”
“Why not? Hannah’s a lovely girl. I don’t understand how you let her get away.”
“I didn’t let her get away! She cheated on me and made comments that said she was only after my money. I dumped her once I found out about both.” I hold up a hand as Mom starts to argue. “No way. If you have to set up these dates without my consent, at least choose someone I haven’t dated and didn’t show themselves as a cheating gold-digger.”
“Luke, don’t be rude about her!”
“She doesn’t deserve niceties, Mom. Not after what she did to me. Now leave me alone. I don’t want to talk with you any longer. This is getting stupid.” I open the door and get in behind the wheel. “Go away, Mom, unless you want me to call Dad and tell him what you’re up to. And I’ll do that if you keep bothering me.”
Mom looked upset.
“You’re never going to give me any grandchildren, are you?” she pouts. “Am I just going to be growing old without any sweet babies around me?”
“Babies are not accessories, Mom. If you want me to have children, stop pushing it onto me. Otherwise you’ll never have any. Now, goodbye, Mom.”
I slam the door shut and turn on the engine, being careful not to hit Mom on my way out of my space. I do feel a little bad treating Mom in this way, but she is getting too much. I’m getting fed up with her trying to push me onto other women. And onto Hannah, of all people? She is the last person I want to be around, especially after what she did to me six years ago. She couldn’t still be looking for that golden goose after all this time, surely?
She’s not coming anywhere near me.
As I pull out into the traffic and head in the direction of the airport, I wonder what Mom will say when I finally tell her that she does have a granddaughter. But I’m not sure if Amy will be prepared for my mother.
Chapter 15 Elle
“That’s me done now,” Diane declares as she packs up her bag. “Can you lock up, Elle?”
“Sure thing. I’m not going to be much longer.” I gesture at my laptop. “Just a couple more emails, and then I’m done myself.”
“Thank God for that. I thought all of this would never get done.” Diane waves at me as she heads towards the door. “I’ll see you on Monday.”
“Bye.”
Diane leaves, and I get back to my work. It’s going to take a while for me to finish off these email requests. Most of them seem to be coming from potential brides looking for a photographer, but they don’t want to pay the fees we advertise. It’s ridiculous how many people think just pressing a button is all we do.
Diane would have a fit if we shot a wedding for free.
But not much longer. I’ll be home soon, cuddling my daughter while we watch a movie. Maybe Luke is going to join us. He said he would be coming back today.
I can’t deny that I’m looking forward to seeing him again. I was surprised to find that I missed him when he was away, and he hasn’t been gone for that long. It’s rather…bewildering, and I don’t know what to make of it.
Maybe because the chemistry from our time all those years ago really hasn’t gone away, and it’s grown even stronger in the meantime. And I’m struggling to keep my hands to myself.
This is meant to be about Luke and Amy, not about us. And yet…
A knock at the door shakes me out of my thoughts. Putting my laptop aside, I get up and head over to the door as the knocking starts again.
