The store was what she wanted. She’d worked hard to get to the general manager position. And if she missed cruises to tropical destinations, it was a price she was willing to pay.
Because a cruise didn’t matter. Her eyes filled as she listened to her mother and stepfather banter back and forth about where they’d been and which places were more fun. She had that with Ben.
The lively chatter and the laughter.
“Mom, I met someone.”
“Wait, hush, Jerry. What did you say?”
“I met someone. I’m pretty sure I’m in love with him.”
“Oh honey. Really?”
“Don’t sound so shocked, Mom.”
“Well, I kind of am. You never let anything drag you away from that store.”
She shifted until she could pillow her head in her arms. “I’m with him because of the store.”
“You don’t work with him do you, Darcy? Unless you’re really sure you’re in love and not just settling.”
She huffed out a laugh. “No, Mom. It’s the man that moved into my duplex actually.”
“Oh.” Her mother went silent a moment, then cleared her throat. “Are you talking about that man with the tattoos?”
Darcy winced. “Yes.”
“Darcy, I’m so happy.”
She sat up straight. “What? Really?”
“Honey, he’s just what you need. I talked to him for twenty whole minutes when you got called into work and couldn’t meet him with the key. Remember?”
Darcy frowned. The store was always calling her in. And once she was the store manager, she was going to find a way to make sure there were backups in place. She was not going to lose her life to the store. Not anymore.
“I love him, Mom.”
“You don’t know how happy that makes me, Darcy. I’ve been so afraid that you’d end up alone like I was for so long.”
“You did the best you could, Mom.”
“I know. And we’ll talk more when I get home. But you make sure you don’t let him go. I was lucky enough to find Jerry, but I almost screwed up and let him go.”
Like mother, like daughter. “Being independent doesn’t mean that we have to be alone. Remember that. Oh, and remember that they’re dumb.”
“Hey!”
Darcy laughed at Jerry’s voice.
“I’m sorry, dear, but you can do really dumb things. So keep that in mind and forgive the little things. They don’t mean much in the grand scheme.”
Even lies? She was fairly sure he was going to tell her that night with Brittany, but how could she be certain? “Thanks, Mom. You guys have a really Merry Christmas with the rest of the cruise people.”
“We will. I love you, honey. We’ll celebrate when I get home.”
“I’d like that.” And for the first time, she actually liked the sound of Christmas. “I gotta go, Mom.”
“Okay, I love you.”