Just One Kiss (Fool's Gold #10)

“Yes. We talked and he seemed nice, so I agreed to meet with him. It started out innocently enough. I wanted to make sure he was the kind of man who deserved to be in Lillie’s life, and I knew you were busy. I thought I was helping.”


Which all sounded reasonable and generous, even. So why was her mother acting so strange?

Ava’s brown eyes darkened with emotion. “I’ve been seeing him regularly.”

“Okay. I get that. To make sure he wouldn’t hurt Lillie and...” Patience felt her mouth drop open as she figured out what her mother was really saying. “You’re dating Steve?”

“I have been for a while.”

“That’s what the secret calls have been about? The disappearances? You have a boyfriend?”

“Are you mad? I know I should have told you, but I was nervous. I felt strange, going out at my age. Plus, he’s Ned’s father. He walked out on his family the way Ned walked out on you. I thought you might see him as the enemy. I was afraid you’d disapprove. And the more I saw him the more I liked him. I guess I acted like a coward and I’m sorry.”

Her mother was dating Lillie’s grandfather? Patience turned the information over in her mind. It was a little strange and would take getting used to. But it wasn’t bad.

“Mom, I want you to be happy. If you’re having a good time with Steve, that’s great. I just wish you would have told me. I asked Justice to run a background check on him.”

“I wanted you to make your own decision about him. I didn’t want to influence you.” Ava shrugged. “I think a part of me wanted you to come to your own conclusions because I was afraid I was seeing what I wanted to see, rather than what was there. I don’t exactly have a good track record when it comes to men. It’s one thing for me to make a mistake. It’s another for me to drag you and Lillie through the mess.”

“Oh, Mom.” Patience stood and moved around the table. She bent low and hugged her mother.

Ava held on tight. “I love you so much.”

“I love you, too.” She crouched in front of her mom. “So you’re doing the wild thing with this guy?”

“Maybe.”

“You’re practicing safe sex, right? There are issues that don’t involve pregnancy.”

Ava laughed. “Yes. We’re very safe.”

“Then I’m happy for you. I wish you would have told me, but I understand why you wanted me to make my own decision about Steve.” She stood and smiled. “Admit it. You were secretly thrilled when Justice’s report came back clean.”

“I was very pleased to hear the man I was dating didn’t have a criminal record.”

Patience returned to her chair. “Anything else I should know?”

“That’s it.” Ava’s humor faded. “I hope you understand. After I was diagnosed with MS, I couldn’t seem to pull myself together. Then your dad left and it was just the two of us. I was so scared. Since then, I haven’t met a man who could see past the disease. Until Steve.”

“You handled your diagnosis with grace, Mom. I mean that. You were a rock. I’m glad you’re happy with Steve. I still want to take things slow with Lillie. I don’t want her to get confused or hurt. Having her grandfather show up after a decade is a lot for her to take in.”

“I understand and I agree. No matter what, even if things don’t work out with me and Steve, he still wants to be a part of her life. But I agree with being cautious.”

They smiled at each other. Patience opened the folder. “Okay, then. Now on to company business.”

They started to talk about the store. Patience thought briefly about her mother’s decision to keep her relationship with Steve a secret. Two days ago she would have been a little more outraged. But she and Justice had recently taken things to the next level, and she had no intention of mentioning that to her mother. She supposed it wasn’t unreasonable to expect them both to have secrets. Even if it meant that she would have to keep an extra-close eye on Steve.

CHAPTER TWELVE

PATIENCE SCOOPED SOME guacamole onto her chip and listened to her friends. It was nearly six and she was pleasantly tired after a day spent in her soon-to-be coffee shop.

The dishwasher was installed and happily doing its cleaning and sanitizing thing with the new mugs and plates. She’d hired staff, and training sessions would start in the morning.

Heidi sipped her virgin margarita. “I’m just waiting for Annabelle to tell me to leave her alone. I swear, I’m at her house every fifteen minutes.”

“She doesn’t mind,” Isabel said. “How could she? She’s a new mom, getting up four or five times a night to take care of a newborn. She’s grateful to have a little downtime.”

“I hope so.” Heidi touched her growing belly. “I promise to be happy to see any of you as much as you want when I have my baby.” She sniffed. “Don’t you love the circle of life?”

Charlie groaned. “Sweet Mother of God. What is going on with you? Is the crying thing contagious? I swear, I can’t take another crier.” She glared at Heidi. “You’d better snap out of it.”

“You’re not really mad at me, are you?”