“Ja.If Rena hadn’t told me, I would not know you are old enough to be her mother. You look so young and pretty. Dave is lucky to haveyou.Believe in yourself. If he’s too much a dumbass to go be with another woman, he doesn’t deserve you.”
“Exactly,” Rena agreed. The big guy wassogetting lucky later.
“Really?” her mom asked, looking at Rena, not at Axel.
“Really, Mom. I just get protective of you with men because we both know you’ve made some bad choices. But you don’t know how pretty and smart you are, like Axel said. You have guys checking you out all the time.”
“I do?” Her mom brightened a little.
“I would check you out,” Axel added, “but Rena would kill me.”
Her mother laughed through her tears. “Oh, stop.”
“Mom, the only reason you don’t have men lined up to ask you out is because you put out an unavailable vibe. Look, you’re an amazing nurse. You’re calm under pressure, and you don’t have money problems. Heck, you just got promoted.”
“I did.” Her mom blew her nose again, but this time she was listening.
“Dave found you and is lucky to have you.” Repetitive, but maybe if she kept saying it her mom would believe it. “Let him be sad his marriage ended. And if he acts all distant, take some time for yourself. You’re not married to the guy. Go out and date. See who else is just waiting to find you available.”
“Honey, I hate to break it to you, but there’s a shortage of good black men in this town.” She glanced up at Axel. “Although if you know any more like this one, I’d make an exception.”
“Yes,” Axel agreed. “Don’t deprive a nice white boy because he’s too pale. He could be German, so take pity on him and let him fall in love with you. It will make him a better man.”
Caroline chuckled. “Is that what my daughter did with you?”
“Of course.”
Rena frowned. Had she made him fall in love with her? Really?In love?
“You two are good for my ego.” Caroline patted Axel on the shoulder and stood. Then she crossed to the bathroom and closed herself inside.
Rena dragged Axel to the living room. “What nonsense are you telling my mother?”
He hugged her, and she didn’t know what to think.
“Axel?”
They stood together, hugging, for a while before he said, “I miss my mother every day. Seeing your mom made me think of her crying, being sad. It’s not good for your mother to have so many tears.”
She felt for him because she heard his pain.
“My mother too was beautiful, but with a man who didn’t love her. My father… He was not good for her. And she spent a long time unhappy and hurt because of it.” He pulled away to look down at her. “I’m sorry if I overstepped. I only wanted her to feel better.”
Stop being so freakin’ perfect!“Oh, I’m not mad.”
“Gut.”
“But I do wish you would have told me about your dad being all rich. Are you loaded too?” She didn’t like the thought.
“No. My father and brother have money. I do not.” He paused. “Well, I am comfortable. My business makes a profit. But I don’t have the money they do.”
“Good. That’s okay then.” If he was rich on top of looking the way he did and being so loving, she’d definitely feel an imbalance of power in the relationship. Though she’d read plenty of billionaire romances, when it came down to it, she really just wanted a regular guy.
“You’re a nice man, Axel.”
He sighed. “No, I’m a mean bastard who has a soft spot for you. Tell no one.”
She grinned. “My lips are sealed.”
