“Do you think that’s a good idea for her first big birthday after a catastrophe?”
“I don’t know, man, you sound like Jemma.” I ran a hand over my face and through my beard. Beckett wasn’t wrong, mimicking Jemma’s words, but fuck, I wanted to give Odette the world. I wanted her to know just how much people actually cared about her. Not just me, but friends and those involved in her life. “I wanted to give her the world. Give her happiness.”
“I say, think on that one a little bit more before you start planning it out.”
I sighed because I knew he was right. I needed to really think about this because what if I set up a whole elaborate thing and she hated it? What if I didn’t really know what she wanted when it came to something like this?
My phone rang in my earbud, and I looked down at my watch to see my mom’s name bright on my screen.
“Shit.” I picked up the call. “Hey, Mom.”
I could see Beckett’s head whip toward me from my periphery.
“Cash,” she said in a clipped tone.
Shit.
“The only time you call me that is when you’re upset with me.”
“Considering I have to hear you are seeing someone from Charlie, I’m a little disappointed.” I shot a look over to Beckett, who was already slowing down on his treadmill. His eyes were wide as he tried to quickly leave me to fend for myself, when he was the one who’d talked to his mother about Odette. We both knew his mother couldn’t keep quiet around mine.
Traitor.
“I’m seeing someone, Mom,” I tell her.
“Tell me about her.”
“Is this the only reason you called?” I let out a little laugh and slowed my pace. This wasn’t going to be a quick call with this woman.
“You bet your ass it is, son, I know nothing about her, and you’ve never really been one for dating.” I heard her let out a heavy sigh. “I want to know more about her than just the basics.”
“What do you know?” I questioned. Curious to know just how much Beckett told his mom.
“Apparently, she’s very pretty, she writes books, and lives close to where you are.” She paused and then spoke again. “Oh, and she has a really hot best friend who Beckett really likes.”
I let out a loud laugh, which caused a few head turns. It sounded like Beckett had only given his mom the highlights, which made sense since I was pretty sure he hadn’t told anyone from home he’d reconnected with Jemma.
I mouthed ‘sorry’ to a few people before responding.
“Well, she is very beautiful, and she does write books.” I let out a heavy sigh myself this time. “Before I tell you anymore,you have to promise you won’t say a word to anyone, not even Charlie. Not yet, at least.”
“You know I’m not as much of a gossip as she is.”
“Yeah, sure, Mom.” I rolled my eyes. “But this is serious.”
“Don’t be rolling your eyes over there; I know you too well, boy. And if you say it’s serious, I won’t tell a soul.”
She did know me. She was my mom, and I told her everything. We talked weekly, but I had kept this from her. I had told her since we’d been figuring out what we were together, and then things snowballed before I could even talk to my mom about it all. But now was the chance to tell her it all.
In the middle of the freaking gym.
“I’m dating Odette Reign.”
There was silence on the other side of the phone. Not a peep. I looked down at my watch to make sure the call hadn’t dropped. It hadn’t; my mom was still connected.
“Please say something.” I pleaded, knowing she was there on the other side of the phone, probably sitting on her pristine couch, looking over to the bookshelf that housed all of Odette’s books.
“All those years that you claimed to want to see what it is your mom likes to do for fun and driving me to signings, that was all for her, wasn’t it?” She questioned me.
