“That’s okay since I have a lot of room.And I got them some stuff, so hopefully they won’t have to bring too much with them.”
I stopped mid-step.“You got them stuff for their rooms?”
He added a loaf of bread and a bag of rolls to the cart.“Of course I did.I want them to feel comfortable there.They’ve had so many changes that I want to make this as easy as possible for them.And you picked out the furniture, so hopefully they’ll like it.”A bag of donuts followed.“And my mom loved picking out all the other stuff.”
“Yourmom?”
He paused with a jar of peanut butter in his hand and turned to me.“I didn’t want to get it wrong.And she always buys the best presents for all my nieces and nephews.”
“She knows about me?”
Vance dropped the jar into the cart and turned to me with a frown.“Why wouldn’t she know about you?We’re together.”
I added lettuce, tomatoes, and a cucumber, since all Vance had selected so far was anything with high protein.I doubted the girls would touch the protein bars.“What if she thinks I’m taking advantage of you?”
“Why would she think that?”
I bugged my eyes at him, not wanting to point out the obvious.Recently divorced.Kids.Broke.
He turned to face me and took both my hands in his.“She’s excited to meet you.”
I dropped my gaze, loving that he always touched me.“You don’t know that.”
He released me and pulled out his phone.“Let’s find out.”
I watched with horror as he pulled out his phone and a few seconds later said, “Hi,Mama.”Sensing my approaching escape attempt, he pulled me into his side.“Do you have a minute?I want you to meet someone.”
I could hear a muffled response, and then the phone appeared in my field of vision.Vance’s arm around me tightened slightly in a hug.“Take it,ipo.”
With no choice left, I took the phone, locking eyes with his mother.“Hello, Mrs.Moore.”
A gorgeous woman with thick black hair beamed at me.“Hello,keiki.I’m so pleased to finally meet you, even if it’s only over the phone.You’re even prettier than Vance has described you.And please, call me Alani.No ‘Mrs.Moore’ business.We’re family now.”
I gulped down the sudden lump in my throat.“It’s great to meet you too.”
“Vance has told me so much about you and your girls.You must come visit soon so we can meet properly.”
“We’d love to come visit.The girls love the beach.”
Though it might have to be next year (or later) since I was too broke to pay for flights at the moment.
“You’re welcome any time.I’m so happy my baby has found hishoa ?uhane.”
Hoha what?
Her voice broke at the end, and I sent Vance a plea for help.Reading my facial expression correctly, he leaned over my shoulder.“Mama, don’t scare her away.”
There was a sniffle, but she thankfully had stopped crying.“I’m okay.I’m okay.I should have told you I’m a crier.I didn’t mean to make a bad first impression.”
If anything, it made me like her more.“Not at all.I’m thankful we got a chance to talk.”
And I found that they weren’t empty words.I meant it.Especially since it made me feel a lot of warm and fuzzy feelings that Vance had talked about me and the girls.
“Me too,keiki.Call me when the girls are back so I can meet them as well.”
We made plans to talk on Sunday, and Vance pocketed his phone again.
I grabbed a chocolate bar since I was in desperate need of sugar.It was either indulge or throw something at Vance.“I can’t believe you called your mom.”
