AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“No,” Thankfully, I’d been too stunned to take my apron off during our parking lot confrontation. Plus, she probably thought I was getting chubby from working around cookies all day.
“She knows about th-th-The Cookie Cove,” I clarified.
“Shit! I can’t even decide which one is worse. How are you? Are you okay?” Sebastian’s voice was brimming with concern.
I paused, lifting my head from the steering wheel. I realized, by most people’s working definition, I was far from okay.
“Not really,” I admitted as my heartbeat slowed to a normal pace.
“Well, do you want to grab dinner and talk about it? I’m right down the street.”
“Sure, I’m hyperventilating in my car in the parking lot,” I said mirthlessly.
Sebastian sighed. “Oh, Becca. I’ll be right there.”
A couple of minutes later, I heard knuckles tapping on the side of my window. I looked up, and Sebastian shot me a goofy grin. I was out of the car for five seconds before Sebastian wrapped me in his sinewy arms. I inhaled the musk of his cologne and felt instantly calm.
“Hey,” I mumbled into his chest.
He kissed the top of my head. “Hey, Becca. What do you say we grab something to eat, and then you can tell me what happened?” Sebastian suggested.
“That sounds nice,” I said. I grabbed his hand, and we walked along the idyllic streets until we stumbled on a small French Bistro.
Sebastian and I sat outside. He grabbed the glass container full of water sitting on our table and poured me a glass.
“How did she even find out?” Sebastian asked.
“Do you remember the ladies from the Chamber of Commerce?” I asked.
“The old ones?”
I laughed. “Yes, Eugenia and Irma are both friends with my mother because they were friends with my grandmother. They know that my mother doesn’t know about The Cookie Cove, but they also don’t know my work schedule. I think they’re used to me working mornings. So, I guess today, Eugenia wanted a cookie, and Irma brought my mother. The thing is, Irma’s pretty forgetful. So even if we did tell her in the past to keep her lips zipped on The Cookie Cove, she’s probably forgotten it by now. Plus, I know it’s a strange secret to keep; who wouldn’t want to tell their mom about their business? I think Irma got her wires crossed, that’s all.
“You’re telling me two years of work and covert secrecy was brought down by a ninety-two-year-old woman?” Sebastian balked. When he put it that way, I started laughing; soon, I was hiccupping with laughter so hard the table was shaking.
“Are you crying?” Sebastian asked.
I waved him away. “No, I’m laughing. It’s hilarious. All that work and Irma destroys it in five minutes flat! She couldn’t even hurt a fly if she tried! She’s four feet tall! She’s singlehandedly keepingReaders Digestin business!” Soon I was laughing so hard I was crying, and Sebastian was laughing too. I wiped the tears from the corner of my eye. When we finally finished laughing, our waiter arrived to take our orders. We ordered our food, and Sebastian reached under the table, placing his palm on my knee.
“You’re taking this really well. I was suspecting you’d be furious at Irma. I know I would be!”
“Irma’s ninety-four! You can’t blame her for being a little forgetful. I’ll be fine. It was shocking at first, but my mother will come around eventually. I tried to text her, but she didn’t respond.”
“So, what did your mom actually say?” Sebastian asked. The waiter placed our entrees in front of us. Sebastian ordered steak frites; I ordered a salad niçoise.
I sighed and stabbed a forkful of my salad, “Same old same old. How could I? I’m a brat for wanting to do something for myself. I should be ashamed of myself,” I tried to make a joke, but when I looked across the table at Sebastian, his expression was pained.
“Becca, that’s terrible. She shouldn’t talk to you like that, or anyone really, but especially not her only child.”
“I know,” I said quietly.
“I hate her sometimes, I really do. And then, I start thinking, if I hate my mother, how can I be a mother?” I admitted. I was so quiet I barely heard myself. I didn’t expect to be discussing my darkest fears over leafy greens and hard-boiled eggs with avocado.
Sebastian reached across the table and grabbed my hand, “You’re already a wonderful mother. You take your prenatal vitamins with military precision. Tons of people are parents while having less-than-spectacular relationships with their parents. My dad and I certainly have our issues,” Sebastian soothed.
He carved out a small piece of his steak and took a bite. I stole a potato wedge off his plate. He shot me a look. “The twins wanted more carbs,” I loved using my pregnancy as an excuse to eat whatever I wanted.
Sebastian laughed. “See? They’re not even born yet, and I can’t think of a more attentive person. As for your mother, I know she’s my mother-in-law, but I’m not her biggest fan right now. I don’t particularly like her,” Sebastian said. I could tell he was trying to be as diplomatic as possible.
