Page 85 of At First Smile
“I just don’t understand what went wrong with you two. He’s handsome, successful, and doted on you. He’d be a good provider… Someone to take care of you.”
“I don’t need someone to take care of me,” I grit out.
The silence on the phone almost paints the image of her pinched features. Each stretched beat replays old retorts from her.I just worry about what happens after your vision is completely gone. I know life will be easier if you have someone to take care of you.Each are her worries and wants for me, not mine.
With a hard breath, I school my features into my “just for mom” smile. “Mother, I know you just want what you think is best for me, but please understand that Alex and I are over.”
“Well, if you’re having phone sex with someone else, I’d imagine they really are.”
If only Alex understood that. He hadn’t directly approached me since the flowers on my doorstep three weeks ago, but he’d sent another dozen roses last week. I temporarily unblocked him from social media and sent him a message telling him I would not accept any invitations to dinner and asked him to stop with the flowers. He simply replied withOkay. My hope is that would be the end of it, but…
“Mom, when did you talk to Alex?”
“Last week.” She pauses. “Sweetie, I know you said Alex has been trying to win you back, but you sound a little scared. Is there something I should?—”
“Just ignore him if he calls again. Everything’s fine.” My interruption is both quick and sharp.
“You sound nervous, honey. Maybe I can talk to him?—”
“No!” I slosh an annoyed breath. “There’s nothing for you to fix. You don’t need to worry about me.” Absently, I tug at a loose tendril of hair.
“I always worry about you.”
I yank tighter on my hair in hopes the twinge of pain will dull my annoyance. “Don’t.”
Silence stretches between us before she speaks, “So, who’s this baby you’re sexting with?”
“We’re not sexting... Well, not technically.”
“Sexting is healthy. Charlie and I?—”
“Mother.” Groaning, I rub my temples.
“Fine. So, who’s this guy?”
“His name is Rowan Iverson.”
“The hockey player?!”
Of course my Buffalo Sabres obsessed mother would know who he is. Not to mention it was one of the teams Rowan played with early in his career. A fact he teases this former Buffalo girl about.
“The one that punched Landon Phillips?”
“Landon Phillips isn’t what he presents to the world.”Just like Alex.The bus’s automated system calls out my stop and my body relaxes with its promised respite from my mother. “Can we talk about it during our scheduled weekly chat? I’m at my stop.”
“You mean the weekly scheduled chats you’ve skipped three weeks in a row?”
Unfolding Cane Austen, I stand up. “Yep. I promise I’ll make the next week.”
Hanging up, I exit the bus and head home. Tension coils in my muscles with each step closer to my destination. When I get home and find no flowers on my doorstep, I relax. Maybe Alexgot it, finally. JoJo advised going to the police, but there’s very little to report. This behavior stopped for months and has just popped up again. He’s sent flowers twice. It’s not something the police would do something about. I DM’d him and told him to stop. With the flowerless porch, I hope he’s done just that.
“Hey gorgeous,”Rowan drawls as I open the door. He holds a pair of to-go cups and a pastry bag in his hands. “I grabbed us some tea and a treat for the drive.”
“Triple chocolate cookies from Bread?” I bounce on my feet.
Leaning in, he kisses my cheek. “I also grabbed a baklava croissant for tomorrow morning, since we’ll be missing our Bread date.”
My lips find his.
