“I love your accent, Lucas. I’m guessing you met my Morgan in England. What is it you do?” Their voices drifted off down the hallway and I stood beside the door wondering what I should do.
Mom was sitting with Lucas on the couch when I came into the living room. “Mom, I have to get back to work.”
“Oh, okay then, Lucas can keep me company. Tell Berta she doesn’t need to come by this afternoon.” Mom patted Lucas’ hand. Of course she was completely enchanted by him. He had that affect on all women it seemed, regardless of age.
“I’m sure Lucas needs to go—”
“I don’t mind, Morgan. I’ll stay here with your mother. It would be my honor,” he said, his eyes soft.
I hesitated.
“Go on, Morgan, leave me alone with your young man so I can get to know all about him.” She was positively glowing as she looked up at the man who had broken my heart.
He’s not my young man. Not any more, I wanted to argue. But I didn’t. Because seeing him sitting with my mother like that did something to my insides.
I needed to get out of there fast before I lost all my good sense.
“Okay, well I’ll be home later this evening. I have a meeting at five,” I told her, not looking at Lucas.
“That’s fine, sweetheart,” Mom said.
“I’d like to be here when you get home, if that’s all right? Then maybe we can talk?” He posed it as a question. He was asking. For once.
Against my better judgment, I nodded.
So I left my mother with Lucas and went back to work.
IFOUNDLUCASwatching TV when I came home.
“Where’s Mom?’ I asked after I walked in the door.
Lucas immediately stood up. “She’s asleep. Has been for a few hours. I checked on her a little bit ago. She’s fine.”
I dropped my purse on the coffee table. “Okay, well thank you for staying with her this afternoon.”
Things felt awkward.
I didn’t know what to say.
Part of me wanted to scream at him.
To tell him how much he hurt me. To tell him how I cried every night because I missed him.
Another part wanted to kiss him like crazy. To hold tight and never let go. Ever again.
I was nervous. And strangely hopeful. I hated it. I didn’t want to hope for anything where he was concerned.
“I enjoyed it. She’s a riot. Funny and smart just like her daughter. She told me all sorts of stories about you, so it was worth it.”
I groaned. “Oh god, like what?”
Lucas laughed. “Nothing horrible. Though I have to question your taste in hairstyles when you were younger. She showed me the pictures of the failed perm.”
“Well that’s super.” I sat down on the couch, kicking off my shoes. It felt strange having him here. In Virginia.
In my old life. Almost like he belonged.
“You were still beautiful. Even then,” he said quietly, sitting down beside me.
