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“What? Say it.”
She pauses for a moment as if choosing her words carefully. “You’ve always been so focused on getting your happily ever after. You’ve tried to make the wrong men into something they weren’t. The right situation should happen naturally. You can’t force it. Let fate take its course. You haven’t met the right guy yet, but I have faith you will.”
“How will I know?”
“You’ll feel something you’ve never felt before. It will be out of your control. You’ve always tried to control love. That’s not how it works.”
I blow out a long breath. “Maybe you’re right. For now, I’m just going to focus on painting. I haven’t done much of that lately.”
“You’re okay financially,right?”
“I’m fine. My paintings have nearly sold out for the past four years. Norma at the gallery has been begging me to paint more. She said there have been inquiries as to when more paintings will become available.”
Reggie smiles. “That’s awesome. I’m so proud of you. Your talent has finally been recognized.”
“I wish I knew what started the frenzy for my work four years ago, but whatever it was, I’m thankful.”
CHAPTER TWO
SIX MONTHS LATER
BECKETT
“Mom, Andie will be downstairs any minute now. Let me run.”
I attempt to end the FaceTime call, but she continues talking. “Beckett, I want you to consider some of the women I mentioned. You need a woman. Andie needs a mother.”
I clench my teeth. As if I’d ever let another woman in. “She has a mother. Jenny is her mother. It’s not her fault she’s not here to watch Andie grow up.”
Her face turns softer. “I know, my love, but Andie needs a woman in her life.”
“She has you.”
“I don’t live near you. I wish I did. Please consider Candy. She’s always adored you. She’s recently divorced and looking.”
Isigh. I’m so sick of this same conversation, so I lie. “Mom, I’m seeing someone.”
Her face lights up. “You are? Who?”
“No one you know. It’s relatively new.” As in fictitious.
She claps her hands in glee. “I’m so happy to hear it. My flight arrives on Friday night. I’ll be in for the whole month. I can’t wait to meet her.”
Every six months, Mom flies up from Florida to stay for a month to help with Andie and give her those motherly things that I just can’t give her as her father.
“We’ll see. Like I said, it’s new. Obviously Andie hasn’t met her, so not a word.”
I look toward the noise from the staircase and smile. “There’s my baby girl. Are you all ready for your first day of kindergarten?”
Well, second attempt at a first day. We tried at the beginning of the school year, and it did not go well. It was more of an epic fail. The school’s child psychologist suggested trying again in a few months and that’s what we’re doing now.
Andie is pouting. Her head is down with her thick, dark curls falling forward. “I don’t want to go. Why can’t I stay home with you?”
My mother gives me anI-told-you-solook. I should have put Andie in preschool, but I wanted her with me. When Jenny died, I sold my business and vowed to be both mom and dad to Andie. I couldn’t bear to part with her. Now it’s time for her to go to school and she’s freaked out about it. I have only myself to blame.
Mom says, “Turn the camera so I can talk to her.”
I do.
