Page 22 of Besties
He stepped over to the table. “I’m not hungry, but it wouldn’t be right not to feed our guests.”
The door opened, and all thoughts fled from me as a very familiar person strode out of Richie’s room, smiling at me.
“Hey, sweetheart.”
“Mom?”
She was there with Walter, who gave a small wave. I rushed by Richie and threw my arms around her, sinking into her warm embrace. Just like that, I was transported back to the last time I’d seen her. It had been a few years, and when it was time for her to leave, she hugged me like she was now, and after she got on the plane, I cried hard. This time, they were tears of happiness.
“What are you doing here?”
“Richie invited us. He thought we might want to see you before you left for your new job.”
I glanced over her shoulder and found Richie smiling at me. I mouthed, “Thank you,” to him, and he gave me a nod.
“Remember yesterday when I told you the three things I used my credit card for? Getting your mom and Walter here was the one I was saving for the future.”
My face heated. “Thank you.”
“Nothing to thank me for. I love your mom, and I’m getting to know Walter, so this is as much for me as it is for you. I’ve always considered them family.”
Mom wrapped her arms around me and squeezed. “He’s a good man,” she whispered in my ear.
“The best,” I replied, glancing over at his enormous smile.
Richie clapped his hands together. “Okay, the food will get cold if we let it wait. Dig in.”
As we ate—Mom and Walter chowing down, while Richie and I nibbled—we caught up on all the things that were going on in the world. I found out that my mom was keeping in contact with Richie’s. It shouldn’t have surprised me, but it kind of did. Walter had taken to playing golf and was shooting under par. I had no idea what that meant, but apparently it was a good thing.
“When I asked to talk with him privately, he offered to fly us out here. I said no, but he told me he really wanted us to be here for the official start of your new job.”
“So you flew out here for a few hours?”
Richie chuckled. “I booked them here for a week’s stay. Your mom said she really wanted to show Walter around Milwaukee, so it seemed like a good opportunity.”
Walter perked up. “And she told me she’d let me visit some golf courses in the area.”
“He’s gone a little nuts about golf.” She winked at him. “I think he enjoys playing with his club and balls.”
My eyes widened. Mom had never been a prude, but she also never went out of her way to make jokes like that.
“Hey, I told you we could go out and you could grab my club and take a few strokes.”
She snickered, and her cheeks pinked. It was then I understood. Walter had worked magic on her. She’d gone from being in a sour relationship with a cheating bastard to getting married to a man who obviously worshipped the ground she walked on. The joy that was plain on her face was a good look on her.
“Mom?”
She turned her attention to me. “What’s up?”
“I love you.”
She seemed startled by the admission, but then reached out and took my hand. “I love you too.”
“I know I wasn’t the easiest person in the world when I was growing up, but—”
“Stop right there. You were a delight. Yeah, we both had a rough patch, but we got through it. You grew up to be an incredible man, one I couldn’t be prouder of.”
Walter squeezed her hand. “She’s always telling me stories about you. Living on the other side of the country, we don’t get to see each other much, but I feel as though I know you.”
