Page 33 of Four Money (Ever and Always 1)

“Then we’ll have to show her that we’re a great team regardless of how we got matched up.” Trent took his hand out of his pocket and clasped hers in it. It was warm from his coat and felt so reassuring and familiar even after a few short weeks.

Holly’s stomach knotted. For a hot second she’d thought he was going to saythen we’ll have to show her that we’re an actual coupleorthen we’ll have to show her that we’re falling for each other despite our dumb contract.

She should have known better.

Maybe her mother was right. After tonight and assessing things for herself, she wouldn’t hesitate to tell Holly if she was making a giant mistake, like looking at things through rose-colored glasses or being willfully ignorant so that she could pretend—even for three months—that she’d found someone she could try to build a future with.

The rest of the walk was quiet as they both prepared for the inquisition ahead. When they entered her neighborhood, ten minutes or so later, Holly found every step harder to take than the last. By the time she was crossing the cracked sidewalk, her feet felt like they had been cast from lead.

“Is it really so awful to introduce me to your mom?” Trent frowned. “I know I’m not exactly boyfriend material, but…”

“Hey.” She turned toward him, patting Moose, who nearly plowed into her as she stopped abruptly. He was antsy, picking up on their tension. “That’s not it at all.”

In fact, it was exactly the opposite. She wished they’d bumped into each other at the convenience store on the corner months ago and made up for the time they’d lost at college and afterward, and that she was really bringing him home to show off her perfectly average lover.

Instead, she was thinking about how to conceal the feelings she could no longer deny she was starting to have for him from the one person who knew her best in the world. Because if her mom realized Holly had a crush on her own husband, her mom might not be as willing to let her continue her ruse and risk getting hurt at the end of it all.

It would be exactly like her to turn down a kidney to protect her daughter.

And that couldn’t happen. All of the paperwork had been submitted, their bank account balance verified, doctors consulted, and her mother had been cleared for surgery. They were just waiting for the call…

Holly squeezed Trent’s hand, then dragged him up the three stairs to the front door before knocking and letting herself in. She called around the partially open door, “Hey, Mom. I’m home.”

Except it didn’t feel like it.

Okay, so the tiny apartment really never had. But now that she’d started making herself comfy at Trent’s place, it already felt more like where she belonged than this shithole ever had, despite the fact that her mother didn’t seem to mind the “cozy” apartment half as much as she had.

To her it had more in common with a prison than a sanctuary, and every minute she’d spent there had been filled with anxiety and a sense of impending doom. Coming back brought all that negativity bubbling to the surface.

The home health aide had helped her mother to a chair at the table, where a big bowl of spaghetti sat next to a plate of bread and butter. Not extravagant by any means and certainly not to someone who’d grown up wealthy, but Holly knew what that much effort would have cost her mom, even with assistance.

“Shit,” Trent hissed under his breath, too low for Holly’s mom to hear as he trailed a step or two behind her.

Holly glanced over her shoulder, her brow raised.

“I should have brought flowers. I’m sorry,” he spoke up as he shook his head. “I told you I suck at this.”

From the table, Holly’s mom laughed. “It’s the thought that counts. That’s very sweet of you. I’m just glad to have my daughter back for an evening, and to meet you too.”

Before Trent could respond, Moose wormed away and bounded into the kitchen, his tail whapping every piece of furniture he passed in the tight quarters. He bolted to Holly’s mom and began licking her enthusiastically. Maybe because he could smell the food or maybe because he was as smart as he sometimes seemed.

He knew who the boss was and how to win her over.

Holly’s mom laughed and ruffled his ears even as Trent, horrified, finished taking off his shoes. He abandoned them on the mat by the door before rushing to claim his pet. “Moose! Behave!”

“He’s fine. So handsome. Yes, he is.” Holly’s mom settled Moose with a few more pats. He promptly curled up at her feet, his tongue lolling out of his mouth.

“I think so too,” Holly joked, looking at Trent instead of the dog.

Mom extended her hand to Trent. “Sorry I can’t meet you halfway.”

He earned a ton of points in Holly’s book when, instead of taking her hand to shake it, he leaned in and gave her mom a hug. “You’re fine right there, Mrs. Hendricks. It’s so nice to finally meet you. Holly talks about you constantly. I feel like I know you already.”

“I’m so sorry you have to put up with that.” Mom laughed until she coughed a bit.

Holly winced. Both because she hadn’t realized that she spent so much of their time together ruminating over her mother’s condition and the rough road that still remained ahead for her.

They sat down and for a while enjoyed the food and easy conversation in peace. It was great to watch her mom eat nearly half a plate of spaghetti since her appetite had been drastically lacking as depression over her condition had set in, exacerbating her symptoms. The doctors had told them she needed to be as strong as possible for her operation, and it looked like Mom was doing her part to be up to par.

---