"We're going to stay married." I cleared my throat. Why was everything so damn dry in the desert?
"You meant to marry this one?" Mom asked, carefully. Her mom-bullshit radar was clearly activated and ready to diagnose any disinformation I relayed.
"Yes," I said. This was no lie because the Maya of last night had clearly meant to marry him. "It was a surprise to both of us. But we did it. And we've spent the morning talking. Making plans. We did things differently than I have before."
All true.
Somehow, and I wasn't entirely certain how it had happened, my hand slid into Sloan's. Did he reach for me, or did I reach for him? I didn't know. Couldn't say. That didn't matter, though, because Sloan had my back.
"Mom." I glanced at a piece of chewed-up gum hundreds of steps from loads of people had worn into the concrete sidewalk. "I think you're going to like Sloan."
He squeezed my hand at that, like he was making a promise… or he was telling me to stop talking?
But when I said that Mom would like him, it was the truth. He was an extremely likeable guy.
"Is he there?" Mom asked. "With you?"
Um… "He's here. Yes."
"I want to talk to him," Mom said.
Eh… "I don't think that's a great idea."
"Hand him the phone," Mom insisted.
The way my mom said this with just the right amount of kindness and a solid dose of no-nonsense had me handing the phone to Sloan.
"Sloan," he said, holding my cell to his ear.
Drat, I should've put it on speakerphone first.
"Mmm-hmm," he said, nodding along. "Yes, ma'am." He frowned. "No, ma'am." Then the edges of his lips twitched with humor. "Of course, ma'am." He grinned a flash of white. "Looking forward to it."
He handed the phone back. I said my goodbyes and tucked the cell in my pocket.
"What did she say?" I asked as he maneuvered us back into the stream of people walking the same direction.
He glanced at me, his eyes warm like they wrapped me in a blanket. "I'm not at liberty to discuss that."
"Sloan."
"Maya."
I let out a long breath, knowing arguing wouldn't get me anywhere.
"Your mom is worried about you," he said, pulling his lips between his teeth. "She told me you aren't always as strong as you want people to think."
"Is anyone?" I asked, taking in the artificial lake outside the ritzy hotel.
"See that?" He dropped my hand and pointed in that direction.
"The lake?" I confirmed in case he'd spotted the Tarzan guy again, and there would be a mosh pit coming our way.
He nodded. "During the day like this, it's clear it doesn't belong here. It's too blue. Too perfect. But at night? When the lights come on and the city comes to life, it shines. Same thing with a football stadium, you know?"
"I really don't." Football wasn't my jam, but that was a discussion for later.
"During the practices, it's just a field. But when the fans show up, and we rush the field right before a game? It's electric."
