Page 30 of Best Friends for Never

“Maybe,” I say with a shrug, settling back into the chair. “Or maybe I should just give up and be happy with what I have.”

She grins. “Or that too.” She sips at her coffee. “I saw your last movie, you know.”

I groan, squeezing my eyes shut. “Please tell me you fast-forwarded through—”

“You showing your naked behind to the whole world? Don’t worry, Parker made sure to skip those parts.”

Parker watches my movies?

“Come on. Don’t look so shocked that she supports you,” Astrid says, reading my mind. “Sure, things may be a little strained between you two now, but you’ll always have her support.”

“Strained?” I laugh. “That’s a mild way of putting it.”

She raises her brows in that disappointing way only a mom can. “The phone works both ways, you know.”

“And you told her that?”

“You know darn well I did, son. You two ...” She shakes her head. “You’ll be the death of me one day. I just know it.”

“Nah. You’re never dying, Astrid.”

“Do any of us ever really die? We just move on to another plane, but we’re still here, just waiting for you to hear us screaming from the void.”

I smile at her, not the least bit surprised by her feelings about the afterlife. I’ve sat at the Pruitt dinner table too often to be shocked by Astrid’s free-spirited beliefs anymore.

“Never change,” I beg her as she gets up for a coffee refill.

“It’s too late to anyway. I’m old and set in my ways.” She grins as she opens the door, her rings clinking against the handle.

After refilling our cups, she returns with the coffee carafe, sets it on the table between us, and settles back into her chair.

We sit there, letting the early-morning sounds fill the lull in conversation. I miss sitting on the porch like this, listening to the birds chirping and people greeting one another like old friends, which I guess theyall are. Though I have a balcony at my penthouse in LA, I could never do this. The city is too full of shouting, horns blaring, and loud music rattling car speakers, not to mention the lack of privacy I’d experience there. The quiet is nice.

After a while, I tell her, “I guess I’d better get back to Gran’s.”

I try to hand her the mug back, but she waves it away.

“Keep it. It’s yours anyway. Here.” She tops off my drink with what’s left in the carafe. “For the road,” she says with a wink.

“Thanks, Astrid.”

“Anytime. You know that. Right, son?” Her eyes search mine, because what she’s really saying is,I’m here for you no matter what.

I swallow thickly, nodding once. “I know.”

“Good. Keep it that way.”

“Yes, ma’am,” I tell her, kissing the top of her head. “I’ll see you later.”

“You’d better.” Her tone is far from lighthearted. She really means it, and so do I.

I’m halfway down the drive when she calls out to me, and I turn and look up at the porch.

“It’s Tuesday, you know,” Parker’s mom yells.

I grin, already knowing where this is going. “It is Tuesday.”

“Well?” she prompts, her stare piercing over the top of her raised coffee mug. “Don’t leave an old bird hanging.”

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