Page 40 of Wanting the Winger

“Lainey and I are making dinner for some friends right now.”

“You are?”

“Yep.Spaghetti, salad and Lainey’s sourdough bread.With flourless chocolate cake for dessert.”

She sniffs.“I guess our invitation to dinner got lost in the mail.”

Lainey laughs silently.

“I’ll invite you guys for dinner soon,” I say.

“That’s more like it.We’re not that far away, you know.You could come home for a weekend.”

“Yeah, I will.”

“I heard you sigh.Why are you sighing?”

I shake my head.I love my mother, but sometimes I wish I wasn’t an only child.I could use some siblings to spread her love out among them.

“I was sighing over the spaghetti sauce, Ma.It splattered me.”

“Well, turn down the heat.You don’t want it to scorch.”

“I’ll do that.”

“Is Lainey there?Can I talk to her?”

I grin at Lainey, whose eyes are like saucers.She shakes her head adamantly.

“Let me see.”

Lainey mouths, “no.”She was raw the first couple of days after the breakup, but she’s back to her usual self.I smirk at her.

“Yeah, she’s right here.”

Lainey glares at me as she walks over.“Hey, Mrs.Stone.How are you?”

“Lainey, how are you, honey?I’m sorry to hear about your breakup, but I think it’s for the best.”

“Thank you.I think so, too.”

“Your mother already has grandbabies, so there’s no pressure on you.Me?I may never have any, and I’ve come to accept that.All I get is my granddog.”

I roll my eyes dramatically.

“Oh, don’t say that, Mrs.Stone.Bash is great with his friends’ daughters.You might still have a chance.”

“He is?You think so?”

I shoot Lainey a scowl because now my mom will ride me relentlessly about when I’m going to settle down.

“Yeah, I think he just needs some encouragement,” Lainey says.

I pick up the phone and take it off speaker.“Hey Mom, we have to go.Lots of work left to do on dinner.”

“Okay, keep that heat turned down.And call me sometime so I know you haven’t forgotten your parents exist.We used to wipe your butt, you know.Show some gratitude.”

“I will, Ma.Love you.”

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