Page 38 of Craving Francesca

I took my time walking over to Myla and Cian’s place. I was trying really hard not to speculate on what the hell had happened at the doctor, but I was worried. What the hell could’ve happened that had made the normally unrestrained Frankie so subdued? Had they found something wrong with her? My chest felt tight as I sat down on Myla’s porch steps to wait.

Mom pulled up just a few minutes later, rolling down the passenger window as she stopped at the curb.

“My boy,” she called out happily.

“Hey, Ma,” I greeted as I walked toward the SUV. “Thanks for pickin’ me up.”

“Are you kidding?” she asked as I climbed in. “I live for this shit. You never ask me for anything anymore.”

“Untrue.”

“You used to ask to come in the bathroom with me while I was pooping,” she told me with a grin. “Now where am I going?”

Her brows lifted in surprise when I told her.

“You have something to tell me?” she asked, a little nervousness threading through her voice as we drove out of the neighborhood.

“Nothin’ to do with me,” I replied, reaching out to tug on the end of her long braid. “Just doin’ a favor.”

“Fair enough. So, what’s new with you? Anything exciting? You still dating what’s-her-face?”

“Emma? She’s still around. Nothin’ serious.”

“If it’s not serious then why are you still seeing her?” she asked in exasperation.

“You really want me to answer that?”

Mom’s nose wrinkled in disgust.

“You need to find someone you want to build alifewith. I don’t want you to turn into one of those guys who sits in the clubhouse every night because you don’t have anything else going for you.”

“Tell me how you really feel,” I replied with a smile.

“I want grandbabies,” Mom announced. “And you better hurry so I can catch up with Rose.”

“Not gonna happen.”

“What, never?” she whined.

“Not for a while.”

“Yeah, no shit, since you don’t even have a girlfriend.” She held up her hand. “At least not one that counts.”

“Emma’s not my girlfriend.”

“Good, we’re agreed.”

“You don’t like her?”

“From what Harper said, she’s rude, andyoudon’t seem to like her very much either.”

“She’s okay. Can we talk about something else?”

“Sure. Talk your sister into coming home for good, would you?”

“If it was that simple, don’t you think she’d already be home?”

“I swear, I shouldn’t have been so intent on making sure you two were independent. I dug my own grave with that bullshit.”

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