Page 84 of Broken Pieces
I tip-toe and give him a peck. “I sure do.”
He hums in agreement, giving me another kiss. “Okay, let’s eat.”
We both clean the kitchen after finishing our breakfast, laughing as we exchange embarrassing college stories.
I glance at the kitchen clock. “I can’t believe we lost track of time. We’re so late for work!”
“Well, thankfully you’re sleeping with the boss,” He wiggles his eyebrows.
I hit him on the shoulder. “Not funny.”
He laughs. “Too soon?”
“Way too soon,” I confirm with a laugh.
“I told Isabella we’re taking the day. I don’t know about you, but I could use the break.”
I slump my shoulders. “Me too, but I can’t. The gala is next week and we’re still missing a piece.”
He walks to me and hugs me from behind, kissing my neck softly. “It’ll be fine. We will figure it out. Let’s just take the day, okay?”
Nodding, my phone pings with a calendar notification. My face drains of color, and my body tenses beneath Damian’s touch as I hover over the notification.
Reminder: Lunch with Mom @ Lorenzo’s.
Fuck.
“Everything okay?”
“Yeah, uhm, I forgot I had a lunch date with my mom today,” I say, plastering a fake smile.
I’ve been so busy I honestly forgot to cancel. What am I going to do?
“I can get out of your hair if you want.”
I bite my lip, feeling my anxiety crippling in. My chest tightens at the thought of seeing her after four years. My mother is good at acting like a martyr when I won’t give her attention, and it always makes me feel like complete shit. If I cancel, she’ll just make me feel guilty and I’ll end up feeling worse.
So, just go have lunch. It’ll only be like two hours. You can do two hours.
I don’t think I can, not alone.I close my eyes, counting backwards.
5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
He stands in front of me now, squeezing my shoulders softly. “Aria, look at me.”
I open my eyes, a sense of calm washing over me as he pierces me with his deep green gaze, worry crossing his face.
“I have an idea. How about I go to lunch with you?” he asks softly.
That’s insane. Meeting my mother is a sure way for him to run the opposite way.I shake my head. “Absolutely not.”
“You’re clearly having issues with this. I want to be there.” He caresses my jaw with his knuckles softly with a faint smile.
“We’ve barely started dating. I’m not introducing you to my mother.”
“Why not?”
She’s insane—that’s what I really want to say. I open my mouth to say something, anything, but I come up empty.
