Page 73 of Single Girl in the City
“Where are your parents now?”
“My mom’s in Florida and my dad lives with his new family in Connecticut.”
He ran his hand down her spine, waiting for her to continue. When she didn’t, he asked, “I mean, why aren’t they here with you?”
“Dot’s house isn’t big enough.”
“Then why aren’t you there with one of them?”
She looked him square in the eye and that’s when he saw the emotion lining her lashes. “We’re not that kind of family.”
He brushed the hair out of her face. “I’m sorry.”
“Me too.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Happy Things:
A partner who knows when you’re bluffing
The cards were stacked against Abi on this good deed. No matter how skilled she was, the house always won. And this house was about to collapse unless she pulled an ace out of her sleeve.
Darlene from the senior center called earlier in a panic. Tonight was the annual Silver Sharks Poker tournament and she and a host of other residents came down with mononucleosis. Seemed a group of silver singles, who were looking to mingle, snuck out to play a little game of spin the bottle. Darlene landed on a lemon and wound up quarantined and knocked out of the tournament.
Now they were down a venue and one player.
And that was how Abi ended up at Stout sitting across the table from Margo Easton. The oversweet scent of perfume mixed with proprietorship and entitlement was a dead giveaway. Then there was her outfit. Linen pants, a mauve silk blouse, and pearls. Not even Spring could dictate what the woman wore.
Bracing herself to look into the eyes of the woman whom Abi had unintentionally wronged, Abi felt her stomach churn and she froze in place. Margo wasn’t so much Satan’s Keeper as she was Medusa, able to turn Abi’s feet to concrete, making it impossible to take her seat.
“Who in God’s name are you?” Margo asked, and Abi blinked, shaking off the nerves.
You are the Mom Whisperer,she reminded herself. Moms love you.
All her exes’ moms still kept in touch with her. Her exes, not so much. Usually, when people had had enough, they’d had enough. But she did have a magic touch when it came to moms.
Not with Owen. He embraced her quirky and prickly side. Over the last four days, he seemed to want more of her, not less. They’d had a glorious four days taking dogs for walks, granting wishes, and kissing in the rain. There’d also been nighttime kissing which led to nighttime touching which led to nighttime until daytime sex. Mind-blowing, earth-shattering, life-altering sex.
For the first time in her dating life, sex led to this cosmic connection she didn’t know existed. A connection she was likely to be severed from, because if there was one thing she’d learned about Margo it was that she was keen, intuitive, and observant. Employees said she had a stare that could break anyone. She was a human lie detector.
It was rumored that after one of Margo’s infamous looks an employee admitted not only that he was stealing kegs but he was behind on his water bill, cheating on his girlfriend, and told his mom he was sick on her birthday when he went to a concert instead. Margo made him call his mother and come clean, then fired him on the spot. He fled the bar in tears.
Abi didn’t know if she believed in Margo the Myth; the woman was shorter than Abi, small-boned, and wore linen for the love of God. But she also didn’t want to awaken the beast. Because while Abi could turn on that honeyed Southern charm, she could also go toe to toe with anyone. But this wasn’t anyone. This was Owen’s mom and Abi wanted to win her over.
“Hi, it’s nice to meet y’all.” Abi gave a nervous little wave. And then because she was addressing a room full of her elders, she introduced herself properly. “I’m Abilene Woods, and I’m the stand-in tonight.”
Margo looked her up and down, then paused and something she swore was recognition flashed in the older woman’s eyes. Abi’s stomach sank. “What kind of name is Abilene?”
“A special one. But, if you like, you may call me Abi.”
She couldn’t be sure, but it looked as if Margo’s lip twitched, then suddenly her expression went to one of curiosity. “Do we know each other? You seem familiar.”
Abi gulped, then looked at the exit.There’s still time to run!But that would only confirm what Abi had feared as of late—that she was a coward.
She answered as honestly as she could right then. “I don’t believe we’ve ever met, no.”
“Huh.” Margo didn’t seem convinced, but let it go. “Where’s Darlene?”
