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“He’s a genuinely nice guy,” I say seriously.
“He certainly knows the way to my heart.”
Yes. It’s paved with Birkins.
Her obsession with over-the-top luxury items is borderline embarrassing.
Before I can say anything else, Lola stops by the table. Mom orders a skinny margarita and chicken fajitas. After I decide on the cheese enchiladas, the dark-haired waitress takes off again with the promise of two glasses of water.
“So, Mom—”
When her phone dings with an incoming message, she pounces on the slim device and glances at the screen. Her lips lift into a smile as she taps away on the miniature keyboard.
“Mom?” Annoyance floods my voice.
Her eyes flicker to me as she quickly sets down the cell. “Sorry. Just an old friend wanting to get together.”
I suck in a deep breath and hold it captive in my lungs for a long moment before steadily forcing it out again. Instead of working my way up to this much-needed conversation, I decide to get straight to the point. It’s only been five minutes and I’m already on the verge of snapping.
“It’s fine.” I clear my throat, prepared to delve in. “I wanted to know what your plans are now that you and Crawford are together. Are you moving back into the house?”
She shrugs before waving a hand. “I suppose at some point, but I’m not in any hurry.”
“Have you two even talked about it?”
“Oh, he mentioned something about me selling the Florida property, but I’m not sure that’s a good idea. I enjoy having my own place. Plus, all my friends are there.” She gives me an are you cray-cray look. “How can I just abandon them?”
My brow furrows as all this circles through my brain. “I get that your friends are important, but how are you going to make a relationship work if you’re not living in the same state?”
“Don’t worry. We’ll figure it out. Right now, we’re just taking it day by day.”
A pit grows at the bottom of my belly. She seems a lot more blasé about their relationship than he is.
“Mom, if you’re not one hundred percent committed, then you need to be honest with Crawford so he doesn’t end up blindsided.”
Like before.
For the first time since I sat down, annoyance flickers across her normally smooth features. It’s the first real hint of emotion I’ve seen from her in a while. Her tone turns snippy. “You’ll excuse me if I don’t take relationship advice from a twenty-one-year-old, thank you very much.”
I open my mouth to snap back with a pithy retort when Lola stops by our table to drop off drinks.
“Your entrees will be out momentarily,” she says, sounding harried.
I glance around and realize just how packed the place has become before forcing a smile. “No worries. We’re all good.”
Mom stares after Lola as she takes off, beelining for another table. Gone is the insipid socialite she pretends to be. In her place is the thirty-something-year-old woman who had a hard life and spent her late teens and twenties working her fingers to the bone.
“I remember what it was like to be her.” Fear flickers in her eyes before it’s quickly smothered. “And it will never be my life again.”
I shake my head, surprised by the deviation in conversation. “I don’t understand why you’re bringing that up when we’re discussing Crawford.”
“Perhaps you don’t realize it, but they’re one and the same.” She drums her nails impatiently on the table before shifting on the chair.
“How so?”
“As long as he’s part of my life, I won’t have to worry about money. He’ll be there to take care of me.”
Jeez.
