“Sounds good.”
“And while we’re eating, you can tell me all about this new woman who has you hooked. Apparently, you’re eating out of the palm of her hand, and it’s embarrassing and amusing.”
“Freaking Auggie,” he muttered.
Cynthia hugged his arm as they walked. “She likes the girl. Kind of. But of course, she thinks it would be best if I met her too. How about inviting her to dinner tomorrow night?”
Xavier had called it with Justine earlier. A need to use the fake girlfriend. He smiled, pleased he could rationalize the need to spend more time with her. Not because he was falling for her, but because his mom wanted to meet her.
The lie scoured his brain, but better discomfort than a broken heart when the relationship ended.
He paused in thought.Is that what I’m afraid of? Grief?
“Xavier?”
“Sure, Mom,” he hurried to say, bemused at his inner demons. “I’ll invite her. Tomorrow, what time?”
“Six sounds good. Anything she doesn’t like?”
“Nosy women prying into her life, I’m sure.”
His mother popped him in the back of the head. “Ow.”
“You’re not so old that I can’t take you down a notch.”
“Yes, Mom.”
She smiled. “Good. Now tell me about Justine Ferrera and what’s going on with Aunt Truth. Any new advice letters that have you stumped?”
“Not so far. Although there was one from a harangued man in his thirties dealing with a demanding mother.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Is that so?”
He smirked. “Yeah. Aunt Truth told him to give his mother whatever she wanted and she’d leave him alone.”
She gave a harrumph. “For that smart comment, I’ll get two scoops instead of one. And I’m definitely getting chocolate sprinkles.”
Xavier laughed. “Whatever you want, Mom. I am but your humble servant.”
“You remember that.” She patted his arm. “Now tell me about Justine.”
He sighed and gave in. “You’re going to like her. I’m sure of it.” He found himself running at the mouth about all of Justine’s finer qualities. When he’d finally wound down, they stoodoutside the ice cream parlor, and his mother was smiling at him in a weird way.
He added in a mumble, “Oh, and from what I know, she’s not allergic to anything. But I’ll doublecheck.”
“That’s my boy.”
Saturday morning, while Xavier napped…
“You’resure he was coming from the third floor?” Auggie asked him again.
Benji didn’t pause in his repetition, finishing the set. He dropped the weights and wiped sweat from his brow. To Auggie’s surprise, he’d met her this morning at the gym without protest.
Of course, she had promised him breakfast afterward, but still. The shy guy actually showed. It helped that the gym wasn’t too crowded on a Saturday morning. She loved it, having already run three miles to warm up.
He nodded to the bench. “Want me to spot you?”
“Nah. I’m doing legs today. You keep going. We adding twenty-fives?”
