Page 53 of Try Hard
She huffed. “I know you said last night it was in the past, but, I don’t know. Something in my bones tells me there might be more there. And, you know, someone else is just a complication along the way. You and Eve have history.”
“We went to school together two decades ago. I don’t know if that counts.”
“It definitely counts,” she said sternly. “Besides, that’s notallit was. She was important to you.”
I sighed, thinking back. “She was important to everyone.”
“But it’syoushe’s choosing to spend time with now.”
“Because we happened to be at the same two events.”
Mum studied me, sipping her tea as she watched me sip mine, and I could see a million different thoughts simmering barely below the surface.
I’d shut her down last night, and, today, I’d immediately gone back out, seen Eve, and…enjoyedthe way she touched me, the way she looked at me. I’d enjoyed the time alone in my car. I’d handed over my phone without a second thought. There was just something easy about being around her.
“Fia,” Mum said, keeping her tone measured as she put her poppy-covered mug back on the table, “do you like being around her?”
I blew out a heavy breath. “I suppose so, yes.”
She fought hard to hide her excitement. She was unsuccessful. “Then maybe that’s all you need to know for right now. You like being around her, she seems to like being around you—”
“She did spend a lot of time with Sammy.”
Mum shot daggers at me. “So, for now, just spend some time together. Enjoy yourself. Allow yourself to rest and have some fun.”
“I have fun.”
She reached across the table to cup one of my cheeks. “I know you do, but this is a different kind of fun.”
“Mum, I…?” Before I could worry too much that she wanted to talk about me just sleeping around with Eve, she shook her head.
“Not like that.” She shuddered and rallied, dropping her hand. “You love your job, and I know you have fun there, but this is a human connection. And there’s something there, I can feel it. You deserve to explore it.”
“And we’re hoping she agrees?” I knew I was, but I shouldn’t have been. It was so much more complicated than even my mum understood, but what could I do? Iwantedto talk to Eve, to spend more time with her. And I hadn’t felt like that in a very long time.
“Oh, I’m sure she does. You’re a lovely young woman.”
I laughed, grateful for the snap in tension that had been building in my chest. “Thanks, Mum. I think you’re duty-bound to say that, though.”
“Nonsense. I just happen to know you and I’m sure Eve is happy to know you too.”
“It’s… complicated.”
She looked at me, seeming to understand that there was something I didn’t want to talk about—didn’tknowhow to talk about—but which I truly believed to be complicated.
Nodding, she said, “Be that as it may, it’s still worth spending time with someone you feel drawn to and connected to. Maybe the rest of it is stuff you’ll be able to figure out together. But I know you regret not talking to her more at school, and I don’twant you to feel like that again now that you’ve gotten a second chance.”
Mums really did know too much sometimes. I’d never named regretting not talking to Eve more. Of course she’d figured it out.
I sighed, but something eased inside of me—the part that needed permission to talk to Eve, even if I felt like I couldn’t give her everything I wanted to. “I suppose we don’t really get a choice, anyway, what with all these wedding events.”
Mum smiled victoriously. “Has she given you her number?”
“Yes.” I tried not to flush at the fact that it was her private one and she’d earlier avoided giving Sammy either of them.
“So, it doesn’t have to just be wedding events…” She wiggled her eyebrows at me and I couldn’t help but smile.
“She’s invited me to watch her play rugby on Tuesday night.”
