I sighed again, but he had already won and we both knew it. “When exactly is this going to happen?”
“Tomorrow night,” Jayce said, and I shook my head vehemently.
“That’s too soon, Jayce, I don’t even have time to mentally prepare.”
“She knows we just got back from Michigan, Mace, and she’s anxious to meet you.” Jayce sat down on the edge of the bed and took my hand, pleading with his eyes. “Can you do this for me?”
I sighed, more irritated with the fact that I was still so tired than I really was about meeting his mom. “Fine,” I said. “I’ll do this for you because you did it for me. Now please...can we sleep?”
Laughing, Jayce reached for the shoes still on my feet and pulled them off, tossing them aside so I could climb under the covers. He dropped the towel from his midsection and crawled into bed naked, pulling me close to him.
“We can sleep,” he said softly, curling into me. “We can sleep as long as you want, baby.”
~~
CLASSES DRAGGED ONand on the next day it felt like, and by the end of the day, I felt even more tired than I had last night. I tried to stay peppy for Jayce, knowing that we had dinner with his mom, so when evening came and it was finally time to go and meet her, I glued a smile to my face and hoped I wouldn’t fall asleep at the dinner table.
“She’s on her way,” Jayce said, ordering drinks for the table. We were at the cute Mexican restaurant on campus, a favorite of the students here, and Jayce’s mom had agreed to meet us there for dinner. After five minutes or so, the front door opened and the bell chimed. Jayce hurried from the table to meet her, and I watched as he hugged her, tight, and she kissed him on the cheek before they wandered back to the table.
“Mom, this is my girlfriend, Macey,” Jayce said. “Mace, this is my mom, Melissa.”
I glanced up and caught my breath, recognizing my sweet nurse from Eagle River Medical at once; the nurse practitioner who had taken my samples. I slid out of the booth to shake her hand officially, and Melissa’s eyes lit up.
“Macey, hi,” Melissa said with an easygoing smile, and I could tell she recognized me, but I could also tell that she didn’t want to say anything that I may have not yet mentioned to Jayce.
“I didn’t know your mom was a nurse,” I said, smiling at Jayce. “She took my blood last week.”
Looking relieved that I had nothing to hide, Melissa shrugged off her jacket and slid into the seat on the other side of the table, looking positively giddy. I was taken with this woman already, a mother so different than my own, so bubby and happy andloving. I could see at once where Jayce got it.
“What a small world,” Melissa said, reaching across the table to take my hand for a fond squeeze. “The moment I met you all I could think about was my son someday having a sweet woman in his life like you.”
“Mom,” Jayce said. “Can we not?”
“Oh, but we must,” I teased, and Melissa laughed. The server came over to deliver drinks and take our order, and I settled into the seat, allowing Jayce to hold my hand in his as Melissa and I talked. It felt good. It felt really good.
“How was the trip to Michigan?” Melissa asked, reaching for a nacho from a shared plate for the table. “Jayce said you were nervous to go, Macey, but that everything worked out okay.”
“It wasn’t as bad as I’d expected,” I said. “It was nice to see the rest of my family, too. My mother can be...difficult at times.”
“Your mom was fine,” Jayce assured me, but something lurked under his expression. Concern? Worry?
“Mothers can be tough,” said Melissa. “I’m sure Jayce bitches about me all the time.”
Before I could refute that, Jayce spoke up, cutting me off.
“So, mom,” Jayce said, twirling some cheese around his fork. “You were Macey’s nurse. Did the tests come back okay?”
“Jayce,” Melissa scolded him. “That’s none of your concern, and it’s inappropriate that you asked.”
“It’s alright, Ms. Gregory,” I said quickly. “Jayce is the one who convinced me to go. He was just worried.” I leaned over to give him a kiss on the cheek, letting my lips linger for a second longer than necessary. That’s all it took to bring a small smile to his lips. I squeezed his hand.
“Unfortunately, Macey, the results aren’t in yet,” Melissa said, reaching for the hot sauce. “Or if they are, the doctor hasn’t seen them yet. But you’ll know this week, probably tomorrow.”
“It’s whatever,” I said with a shrug, rolling a French fry between my fingers. “I’m sure it’s nothing, anyway.”
Next to me, I felt Jayce tense up a bit, but he said nothing to this statement. He was a worry wart, that’s all this was, and I wasn’t about to let him terrify me, too. Not until we knew for sure. Other than the fatigue, I felt fine.
After dinner, Melissa drew me into a hug that not even my own mother could have beat, holding me to her for a second longer than necessary.
