I take a deep breath. “Mom, I love you and I know you mean well, but I’m not going to talk to you about Luke. Or anyone else I date, unless it gets serious. I promise I’ll be careful, especially with anyone who’s going to meet the kids.”
“Of course,” Mom says, a little too quickly. “I understand, Melissa. But I’m your mother, and I’m trying to be supportive?—”
“And you’ve been a great help,” I tell her. “You and Dad both. I want you involved in my life, and with the kids, but I need a little more space.”
My mother nods, but I can tell she’s unhappy about it, and as soon as we’re done at the park, she leaves to go home.
Even though I don’t want to discuss Luke with my mother, I’d like to discuss him with someone. So when Sophie Kaminsky texts to ask how things are going with Austin, I invite her to come over tonight. She’s willing to come to my place again, so I won’t have to find a babysitter.
Over diet Cokes and a plate of chocolate chip cookies, I tell her about the hockey game and the dinner at Mickey’s. When I tell her that Luke showed up, she practically does a spit take.
“What?” she asks when she recovers. “Like coincidentally, or he knew you were there?”
“I think Austin told him where we were going.”
“Wow.” Sophie’s eyes widen. “Luke was jealous! Did he try to join you?”
“No, he just stood at the bar and stared at us. And then my mother showed up.”
“No!” Sophie exclaims. “Oh, Melissa, she didn’t.”
“Yes. She did. She walked right up to Luke, struck up a conversation. Probably looked like she was trying to pick him up.”
“So what happened?”
I shrug. “Austin spotted Luke and guessed we had a history.”
“How’d he take that?”
“Pretty well, actually. I realized I had to have it out with Luke, so Austin drove me to his condo.”
“When you say you had to have it out with Luke . . .” Sophie lets her voice trail off suggestively.
“We talked quite a bit.” We also did other, more enjoyable things, but that’s going to stay private for now. “Luke told me he didn’t get into med school in Toronto.” I pause and study her face. “But you knew that.”
“Yeah,” she admits. “When I was in fourth year undergrad, I went to a med school info night. A bunch of med students talked about their experience with applications, and Luke was there.” She sips her wine. “I think he got into five or six schools. Toronto was the only one that rejected him.”
Well, that’s interesting. Luke had other options, but he chose a school close to Toronto. Where I was.
I give in to temptation and take a second cookie,vowing to be extra good tomorrow. “I really thought he got into Toronto, but stayed in Somerset because he wanted to end things with me.”
“I don’t think that was it at all.” Sophie takes a sip of wine. “You know, Melissa, a lot of girls were interested in Luke when we were in med school. He dated a few of them, but I don’t think there was ever anything serious.”
That’s interesting too. I’d always assumed Luke would move on quickly, but apparently he didn’t.
“So you and Luke are back together?” Sophie asks.
“Well, we’re dating.” I take another bite of my cookie. “I told him I’d like to take it slow.”
“Slow,” she repeats, as though she doesn’t understand the word.
“Yeah. Slow. Get to know each other again.”
“Right,” Sophie says, but she’s looking at me like I’ve grown a second head.
“What?”
“Melissa, Luke is clearly into you. And if a man like Luke Carlton was into me, I’d want to take it as fast as possible.”
