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“No. Tell me.”
“We were working for a charity together. It’s the one that helps homeless vets get medical help. Anyway, she’s all sweet. You know your mother. She has the best-damned smile in the world.”
I nod because it’s true. Even through the mess of my father leaving us, my mother could always find reasons to smile.
“Anyway, I asked around. I hadn’t dated since my wife died, and I realized I didn’t know how to go up to a woman and ask her out. Your mother draws people to her, especially men. So, I wanted to ensure I wasn’t stepping on toes, if you get my drift.” I find myself nodding again. When he glances over at my mother, I see it. There is sheer love. There is no doubt that this man is head over heels in love with my mother.
“Took me most of the night to work up the courage to approach her and ask her out.” He looks at me. “I changed my clothes about five times the night we went out. I had to call up Fiona and ask for help.”
“Fiona?”
“My oldest. She dragged my three grandchildren over to help me pick out clothes.” He shakes his head. “It was worth it. You just have to decide if it is.”
“What?”
“If this Avery is worth any pain she can cause you. Your mama is for me.”
Oh, he’s a sneaky S.O.B. He drew me in with a sweet story—and it is, and I feel much better about him and my mother now—then hits me over the head with a two-by-four of truth.
He’s smiling at me like he won some kind of lottery.
“Proud of yourself?”
“Well, yeah. I mean, you are a genius.”
I snort. “Please don’t play the stupid jock card with me. I, of course, had you checked out.”
“Did ya?” The twinkle in his eyes tells me he isn’t the least bit bothered by it.
“I know that you have an investment firm you run.”
“I do. Although, I’m stepping back and letting my daughters do most of the work now. I want to slow down to spend more time with your mother.”
The truth was, I looked over the report and made sure he wasn’t a gold digger or married. I forgot to pay attention to any of the reports about his dating life. Yes, I’m an asshole, but I wanted to make sure he was on the up and up.
“I do have a question.”
“Okay.”
“If you had me checked out, you would have probably run a background check that told you I haven’t dated in a while. What did you think I was doing?”
“I thought you were being discreet.”
That’s a bit of a lie. Like I said, I barely looked at the report because I’ve suddenly become infatuated with my housemate, and she’s all I can think about.
And I definitely can’t think of anything else but that kiss. Fuck, I missed three meetings today because I was obsessing. Thanks to the JSE, I could keep up with her.
“Ah, that makes sense.”
Dinner finishes without any more interrogating, thankfully. My mother is having a grand old time with my grandmother. I guess I have to give it to them. My father is a shit. I know. He’s been married four times, and my grandmother ensures all her grandchildren have what they need. My mother is the only one of her ex-daughters-in-law Estella likes. They talk regularly, and they genuinely like each other.
It’s another hour before we finally leave the restaurant. I find it amusing that my grandmother is now in with the LOLs, but I will say that she seems happier than, well, ever. I help her to her car, although I know she doesn’t need it.
“I tried to get Avery to come to dinner.”
“She’s tired.”
She stops by the passenger door. Ted is waiting to see if she needs assistance. Estella waves him off.
