Clara dead-eyed me, and I returned it. She sighed.
‘Why won’t you just tell me, before I have to hear about it from everyone else?’ she complained. ‘It’s—’
‘Clara, would you set the table?’ Mom asked, an edge to her tone that we knew all too well from our childhood – not so much a question as a command.
Clara nodded, rolling her eyes and tossing the beer cap into the trash, her parting glance a promise that she wasn’t about to let up any time soon.
‘I received ahugebox full of meds this morning,’ Mom said after a few moments, the silence having settled between us. She waited for me to turn to her, her head tilted to the side, arms folded. ‘Now, I didn’t have time to add it all up, but I’m pretty sure there’s at least two or three thousand dollars’ worth in there. And given Belle can’t save for shit, and Clara and Dean have just paid the down payment for their new place . . .’
Smiling, I shrugged again.
‘I don’t want you worrying about it,’ I said, trying to ease the frown gathering on her brow. ‘It’s my money to spend how I like, okay? Lil pays me well, and I don’t much care for shopping. You know that.’
She shook her head slowly, letting out a deep breath.
‘I don’t know what I did to get a son like you,’ she said, reaching out to squeeze my arm. ‘But I don’t want to be the reason you can’t live your life because you’re paying for my bills.’
‘Mom, stop,’ I replied, pulling her into another hug. It was hard to give back to her, to express my thanks for her years of sacrifice for us, without it becoming emotional for both of us. I still couldn’t imagine what it must have been like to care for three kids as a single mom, with no help from anyone. ‘I want to do it, okay? I’ve got you. And those two assholes out there, if they need it.’
I dodged her half-hearted attempt to slap my wrist as she tried not to laugh, defending my sisters, who had never, and would never need defending.
‘Okay, well, there’s one other thing I need you to do,’ she said, turning back to check on the progress of the pans on the stove.
I nodded, ignoring the undercurrent of worry, wondering if there was another complication, another diagnosis from her latest doctor’s appointment.
‘. . . Tell me why your face changed like that when Clara mentioned the redhead.’
She was studying me the way she’d always been able to do. About to brush her off, I hesitated as I caught her eye, that same worry reminding me that she might not be around to have this conversation in a few years’ time. That my honesty now might bring her a little happiness – even a little hope.
‘She’s . . . just visiting, from the UK. Lottie’s best friend, Hestia. I don’t know her that well, we’re just, you know, hanging out, having fun.’
She raised an eyebrow, gaze still trained on my expression.
‘Then, honey, if I didn’t know better,’ she began, glancing over to the door to check we were still alone, ‘I’d say you’re in trouble. Because I’m not sure I ever saw you look that way with Chrissy, and she’s about the most serious you’ve ever been about someone.’
I swallowed, about to shrug it off, but the image of Hestia’s mischievous smile, the way her words could cut me down and make me laugh in the same breath . . .
‘She’s pretty special,’ I admitted, keeping my voice low and smiling at Mom’s satisfied expression. ‘And just about the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met,’ I added, offloading the thoughts I’d had to keep to myself for the past couple of weeks. Cole had guessed quick enough and given me shit about it briefly before backing off, either because Lottie told him to or because he saw something in it. Maybe the same thing Mom had seen.
‘Well, then,’ she said, straightening up and putting her glasses back on, ‘I want to meet her.’
Surprised, I opened my mouth to object, not knowing how I’d even broach that with Hestia, especially after agreeing to just keep things physical. But I could also picture them talking. I knew Hestia’s big heart and quick wit would win Mom and my sisters over in minutes.
‘I . . . well, we’re not exactly . . .’ I began, stopping as she chuckled under her breath.
‘Jesse, darlin’ – are you blushing?’
I ran my hand through my hair, looking up at the ceiling for a moment and trying to laugh it off.
‘Whatever,’ I answered after a beat. My turn to shake my head at her. ‘I’ll ask her, as a friend.’
She dipped her chin in a nod, turning to the oven.
‘You do that,’ she agreed, stifling a smile as Clara and Belle appeared again in the hall, tentatively edging closer. ‘Just be warned, honey, I’ve got a feeling those two are gonna be working overtime to get you blushing all over again right in front of your beautiful friend.’
I sighed, resigned, as all three of them started cackling, Clara already whispering something in Belle’s ear.
Fucking kill me now.
