“As long as you’re coming to me, we’ll be okay.”
As simple as that.
“That’s a promise I know I can keep.”
Epilogue
Three months later
Roe
“Ezra, come sit down next to me. The show’s about to start.” My grandmother patted the space next to her on the sofa, and Ezra, with his drink and a cup of hot tea for her in hand, carefully lowered himself into place. It was Friday night, and time forMy Lottery Dream Hometo come on.
“I’m here. I know I’m late, but I stopped to get us all lottery tickets. I figured it would be fun to scratch them while we watch the show.”
He handed out a strip of tickets to my mother, one ticket to me, and a handful to my grandmother “Come on, Nettie. Let’s see if you won anything.” He dug out a coin from the pocket of his jeans.
“Only one for me?” I flipped the single ticket between my fingers. “I feel deprived.”
“You have me. I figured you’ve already won the boyfriend lottery.” Ezra smirked at me while my grandma hooted with laughter and slapped his knee.
“You got him good, sweetheart.”
“He’s such an easy target, isn’t he?”
Ezra threw me a wink before bending to give her cheek a kiss, and my heart squeezed in my chest. Nothing gave me greater joy than seeing my family together and happy. And now that my family included Ezra, that joy knew no bounds.
“Oh God, you must be hanging out more with Ross. His bad jokes are rubbing off on you.” I settled into a chair with a sigh of contentment and stretched my feet out. It had been a long day of classes, and I was looking forward to a weekend of doing nothing but relaxing.
“Shhh. It’s coming on.”
Heads together, Ezra and my grandmother sat transfixed as the couple on the screen described how they bought a ticket as a joke and won three million dollars. Now they were buying themselves a house in Newport Beach, California.
“I know that area.” Darkness replaced the laughter in Ezra’s face. “My parents have a house there they never use.”
“What’s the point of having something if you don’t enjoy it? Life is meant to be lived.” My grandmother sipped her tea, and a big smile blossomed across her face after she swallowed. “How did you know I like a little splash of something in my tea?”
“Nettie, you wound me,” Ezra said with a dramatic press of hands to his heart. “I just want you to live your best life.”
The teacup shook in her hand, and Ezra helped her place it on the coffee table. “My best life is seeing those I love happy. You and Monroe together as it should be. And I’m glad you’re still willing to hang out with us oldies when you could be out gallivanting.”
“Grandma, you have a vivid imagination. First of all, Ezra and I love coming over to see you both, and by the time Friday evening rolls around, the only place I’m ready to gallivant to is my couch.”
“Well, not this weekend. We have a wedding to go to.”
Ezra’s assistant, Sunny, and his girlfriend, Angie, had decided to get married, and Ezra was gifting them the ceremony and reception at Le Bain, the rooftop bar and disco at the Standard. After the wedding and their honeymoon in Italy, Angie planned to quit modeling and work for Ezra’s agency as a talent scout in the modeling division.
“Weddings are always fun. When do you think you’ll get married?” My grandmother’s gaze moved from Ezra to me. “No one’s getting any younger. Least of all me.”
Subtlety had never been her strong suit. “You’ll be the first to know, Grandma.”
“I know there’s been a problem with Ezra’s parents, but after all these months, they do realize, don’t they, that you two belong together? Anyone can see that if they spend time with you.”
Ezra’s shoulders stiffened, and I could feel the turmoil rolling through him. “Nettie, it’s not that simple. They can say what they want, but I need to see positive action. They call but rarely ask about Roe and how we’re doing. It’s always about the business with them. Last time we spoke, they wanted to send me on an extended trip to Asia and South America to scout new clients.”
That phone call had resulted in an argument where Ezra had refused the assignment and accused them of manufacturing the trip as an attempt to sabotage our relationship by separating us. Days later, it still upset him, and I grew more and more helpless.
Always the peacemaker, my mother, most likely sensing Ezra’s hurt feelings, interjected. “Mom. Why don’t we let them work it out together? Ezra knows best how to deal with his parents.”
