My parents.
“I’m going to need a different table,” I said to the hostess right as my mom saw me. “I don’t want to go on a date next to my parents.”
The young girl’s eyes widened as she looked at them. “Oh. I’m sorry. We can move you!”
“No, it’s fine.” My mom waved her hand. “We’re nearly done anyway.”
“Mother,” I said, but she stopped me.
“Sit down, Jay.”
Shooting the girl a smile, I sat.
My dad gave me a sympathetic smile. “Sorry, son. We really are almost done.”
“It’s fine.” I grimaced. “It’s not like it’s a date or anything.”
Mom’s eyebrows shot up. “It’s not a date? Why are you bringing a girl to a steakhouse if it’s not a date?”
Dad sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Sarcasm, honey. Sarcasm.”
Mom’s green eyes widened as realization hit. “Ohhh. Well, we’ll disappear real quick. You didn’t stop by this week, and your grandmother is wondering whether you’re still alive or not.”
“Given that we’re having this conversation, I’m still alive,” I replied dryly. “Tell Grams I’ll come by this weekend on my day off.”
She nodded. “Bring Shelby. She has the ingredients for her favorite dinner.”
“Why is she making her favorite instead of mine?”
“Because unlike you, Shelby stopped by this morning with some flowers.”
Here we go.
“Why did Shelby take her flowers?”
“The same reason she always does.” Dad grinned, leaning back in the chair. “She wanted information. She’s working on some article for the paper about a haunted hotel and Mom’s stayed there before.”
Of course. “I didn’t know that.”
“Do you pay any attention to her?” Mom scolded me. “You only live with her. It wouldn’t kill you to take an interest in her.”
Oh, I took an interest in her all right. Too much, it could be argued.
“She just didn’t mention it,” I settled on saying. “She’s been in deadline mode. She’s locked away in her room right now. I haven’t even seen her today.”
“You’ve left her locked in her room while you’re out eating a fancy steak?”
“Dear God,” Dad muttered, motioning for the bill.
I felt the same. “Yes, but I cooked her dinner and left her a note that it’s in the oven to be warmed up. If I didn’t, she’d end up just having toast.”
“See? You raised a gentleman, honey,” Dad said, putting his card into the leather wallet his server handed him. “Leave the boy alone. He’s perfectly capable of having a date and looking out for his roommate at the same time.”
“But not visiting his family,” she pointed out. “Your mother called me hysterical this morning.”
“She called you hysterical because there was a corn snake in the front yard,” Dad said dryly. “And that was only because I ignored all her calls the second I heard the voicemail that said it was a corn snake.”
I choked back a laugh. Grams hated snakes with a passion, and if she saw one, she’d rather burn the house down as opposed to just leaving the harmless little thing to pass on by. If it was a copperhead I could understand, but her Yorkshire terrier viewed corn snakes as a toy.
Maybe that was it. She was afraid Alice would bring it inside and then she really would have to burn the house down.
“I’ll see her tomorrow,” I promised. “I’ll stop by after work with her favorite cake and clear the entire yard of snakes, deadly or otherwise.”
Mom nodded, apparently satisfied by my response.
Dad signed the receipt and took his card, handing the bill back to the server. “Right, let’s go, Georgina. Jay doesn’t want us here when his date arrives.” He winked at me, and I smirked, whole-heartedly agreeing with him.
While I wasn’t even entirely sure I wanted to be here, I knew I definitely did not want my mother here.
Mom came over, kissed my cheek, and let Dad lead her out of the restaurant. I looked around but the girl I’d met—whose name was escaping me again—wasn’t here yet, so I pulled out my phone.
I had two messages, one from a number I didn’t recognize. I opened it and read it, and it was from my date who said her Uber was stuck in traffic so she’d be late, and she included her name.
Tess.
Bingo.
Thank you, Tess.
I texted her back that it was fine and asked her what she wanted to drink, then opened the second message. It was from Shelby.
Shelby: Thanks for dinner. Did you eat?
I’d just hit the button to respond when the blond-haired girl I’d met earlier today was led over to the table—a girl I now knew to be named Tess. Instead of replying to Shelby, I locked my phone, tucked it into my pocket, and stood to kiss Tess on the cheek.
And, hopefully, start getting rid of my pesky feelings for another woman.
CHAPTER ELEVEN – SHELBY
Everyone Is Responsible For Restocking The Coffee
I rubbed my eyes and hit the button on the coffee machine with a yawn. The machine sputtered to life, and I froze.