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She rolled her eyes instead of bursting into tears, which was a relief. “I know.”
My heart stung fiercely. I hadn’t meant to be so blunt. “I’m sorry.”
My mother tipped her head to the side, eyeing me thoughtfully with a sheen of tears in her eyes as she held my gaze. “It’s okay. I know you didn’t mean that to be hurtful. And you’re right. You’re alive and well and living the life you want. I suppose I’ve hung on to this idea because I thought maybe you and Cindy were somehow going to—” She paused, her eyes closing and her shoulders rising with a deep breath. “Going to be what your father and I were,” she added when she opened her eyes again. “But you’re not.” She paused again to take a swallow of her tea. “I hope maybe you can find someone.”
Farrah sashayed into my thoughts, and I swatted her away. I didn’t need to be thinking about her like that. I shrugged. “Maybe. You and Dad had something not everyone gets.”
“I know,” my mother said softly. “I guess I just hope Cindy’s actions didn’t make you too cynical.”
I heard the door to the café open, the sound of the little bell heralding another round of customers. I shouldn’t have known Farrah had entered, but I did. I knew without even looking that when I glanced over, she would be there. And she was. She walked in with Tiffany, saying something to her before lifting her gaze to look around the café. Her eyes snapped into the line of my gaze, sending a jolt of electricity sizzling across the room between us.
“Who is that?” My mother’s tone was a little too curious.
I glanced back toward her, marshaling my composure. In the most bland, casual tone I could muster, I replied, “Just my neighbor.”
“Oh really?”
Blessedly, Janet happened to be making the rounds and collecting dishes from tables. She paused beside us. “How was your tea?” she asked my mother.
“Delicious.” My mother set her mug on the table. “Tell me, Janet.” She leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table. “How is Cooper doing here in Alaska?”
Janet glanced back and forth between us, her lips teasing with a smile. “I know we’re happy he’s here. Like I mentioned, I can imagine it’s hard to have him so far from home.”
Rowan’s mother returned to the table. Janet got drawn away by a customer nearby. Tiffany approached the table. Farrah wasn’t with her, and I knew I shouldn’t feel disappointed. But I was anyway.
“Hey, Tiffany,” I said, dipping my head. I gestured to my mother. “This is my mother, Donna. And this is—”
Before I could add more, Rowan’s mother chimed in. “Rowan’s mother, Linda. We’re here together for a visit.”
Tiffany’s smile widened. “Well, it’s very nice to meet you both. I’m Tiffany. I work at the vet clinic and keep up with all the firefighter gossip because I’m dating one.”
Rowan’s mother laughed softly. “There are certainly plenty in town from what I can tell.”
While I was busy telling myself not to worry about whether Farrah was still with Tiffany, that maybe she had left, she appeared beside our table. Tiffany slipped her hand through Farrah’s elbow. “And this is our vet tech. This is Cooper’s mom, Donna, and Rowan’s mom, Linda.”
My mother practically beamed at Farrah. “Hi. So nice to meet you! I love your name, by the way.”
Farrah smiled politely while Tiffany chuckled. “She was named after Farrah Fawcett. Can you believe it?”
My mother’s brows hitched up, and she cast me a sly look. “I used to loveCharlie’s Angels. As a result, I’m pretty sure Cooper had a crush on Farrah Fawcett in high school.”
I was profoundly relieved I was not prone to blushing. I looked at my mother. “Seriously, Mom?” I deadpanned.
She shrugged, completely unabashed. “Well, it’s a funny story.”
Farrah piped up, “My mother loved the show, so she named me after her. It is what it is, I suppose.” When Farrah’s eyes met mine, her cheeks had the slightest tinge of pink.
I had to force myself to look away. We got through a few minutes of polite conversation before Tiffany and Farrah left. As soon as they were through the door to the café and outside, my mother looked over at me. “You could have a crush on her. Maybe she needs a boyfriend. Farrah is lovely.” She waggled her eyebrows.
“Mom,” I ground out. “Don’t start with the matchmaking.”
ChapterTwenty-Four
FARRAH
You don’t miss Cooper. It’s just a friends-with-benefits arrangement. Nothing more.
I looked around my apartment, resisting the urge to sigh. I missed Cooper. A lot. This was the second night his mother was visiting. I told myself not to text him and not to walk across the hallway and knock on his door.
