“Sorry, I don’t mean to make you feel that way. The truth is, you’re more than I was expecting this weekend, and I’m trying to figureeverythingout.”
She wrapped her arms around my waist. There she was – the cuddly Emma- from the Ferris wheel. I liked this oneverymuch.
“I do feel I should warn you. The second my mother lays eyes on you, she’ll be plotting our engagement. If you can’t handle that, speak now or forever hold yourpeace.”
“Oh, I can handle it,” I said, rubbing my hands together. “Moms are myspecialty.”
“Oh, I’m sure,” she teasedsuggestively.
“Get your mind out of PornHub, woman. I’m not talking in the MILF sense. I’m referring to all the legitimate moms out there who find me utterlyirresistible.”
“Sounds like there have been many. What’s your go-to line? What do you say that impresses themsomuch?”
“See, where most guys go wrong is they pick some physical trait about the mother and they compliment heronit.”
“Andthat’sbad?”
“Not if it’s a mom like mine. She eats that shit up. Rolls around in it. But legitimate mothers don’t need thatvalidation.”
“Okay. So what do you doinstead?”
“I compliment herdaughter.”
The smile that spread over Emma’s face was a thing of beauty. She gazed at me in fascination. “You’re an honest-to-god genuine guy,aren’tyou?”
“I trytobe.”
“Oh, Finn, you have no idea how much my mom is going to love you,” she said, grabbing her bag. “You’ve got a very long breakfast aheadofyou.”
* * *
Headingdown the hallway toward the elevators, a different man was now sitting on thechair.
“Hey, Emma,” he said, smiling upather.
“Hey,Ty.”
I looked between them trying to understand the connection. She knew these guys. Whatthehell?
“Do you knoweveryonehere?”
“On this floorIdo.”
“You havethatbig afamily?”
“It’s big… and I guess you could sayextended.”
Emma led me through the lobby and into a restaurant. Just as we were about to enter a back room, she stopped toaddressme.
“So there’s one thing I should probably tell you before we go in. Don’t bemad,okay?”
“Why would Ibemad?”
“I just wasn’t sure how totellyou.”
“Tellmewhat?”
“That Jake McKallister’s my youngerbrother.”
