“Freelancer, not freeloader, Mom.”
“Whatever.” Deeper disdain filtered through the line.
“Listen, you don’t even have to pretend to understand. I have to chase this, and I earned it. I had some savings, which is remarkable in New York, and I haven’t even touched the money Dad left me except to put a security deposit on the condo. So, I have to try.”
“Well then, you don’t have to pretend to understand what I’m about to ask,” she countered.
My feet trudged, one in front of the other, my body rigid and wary of what was about to come from her mouth next. Whatever it was, I was certain I wouldn’t like it.
“Garrett needs a date this weekend, and you’re going. He has some company thing and he really needs someone by his side. It’s non-negotiable. I told him yes.”
I blew out a long breath and decided to take a run when I got home. Maybe to New Jersey and back? Or however long it took me to burn off my growing tension.
“I can’t, Mom. I’m seeing someone.”
“He’s across the country. Garrett is there and he needs someone. He’ll text you later with the details, but it’s Saturday, late afternoon, an evening picnic. Period.”
“Why are you so set on Garrett?”
“He’ll get you back on track.”
“I am on track. I don’t want to do this.” The evening wind cut through my sweater, chilling me to the bone. I started to shiver.
“You will. I’m all alone, a widow, and I asked.”
“’Bye, Mom.” That was all I could force from my throat before disconnecting.
I knew better than to change the plans. If I did, she’d be on a plane and fixing them to her liking. Whether I liked it or not, I had to do this and get it over with.
Do I tell Layton?
I decided to run to the Pennsylvania border over that thought.
We hadn’t been able to figure out a September plan. We were aiming to connect to celebrate our birthdays during the last weekend of the month, hoping to steal four days while my book was at the copy editor and two of his films were wrapped.
I’m not going to lie. I was counting the minutes and it was only midmonth.
I couldn’t go through with this Garrett thing. I’d have to find a way out of it, I decided as my feet picked up their pace on the New York streets.
