She wrapped her arms around her waist, hugging herself so she wouldn’t be tempted to reach out and hug him.
He took a step back and looked deeply into her eyes one last time before turning back to his truck.
DURING THE NEXT FOUR days Kylie spent her free time shopping for the items on the list Chance had given her. After that was done, Tiffany had convinced her that they needed to spruce up their wardrobes, with a collection of new outfits suitable for camping.
Kylie enjoyed this carefree, happy-go-lucky side of her daughter. It had been a long time since she’d seen it and she couldn’t help but count her blessings now.
She and Tiffany returned home from one of their shopping trips rather late on Wednesday night and were in her bedroom unwrapping their numerous packages.
“Mom, can I ask you something?”
“Sure, honey, you can ask me anything.”
“Why don’t you have a boyfriend?”
Kylie’s hand went still on the new blouse that she was about to place on the hanger. You can ask me anything but that, she wanted to say but decided it was a good question. If only she could give her daughter what she felt was a good answer. She decided to go for the truth…but only after she found out why Tiffany wanted to know.
“Why do you ask?”
“Because I think you’re so pretty and all the other girls at school whose moms are single always talk about their mothers’ boyfriends. In fact, Trisha Nobles’s mom is getting married next month.”
Good for Trisha Nobles’s mom, Kylie wanted to say. But she knew the only reason Tiffany had asked the question was because the answer was important to her.
“I’ve been too busy to have a boyfriend,” she said honestly. “Running the shop takes up a lot of my time.”
“But even before we moved here and you worked for that marketing firm you never went out on a date or anything.”
Kylie lifted an eyebrow. “And that bothered you?”
“I really never thought about it until recently.”
Kylie sat on the bed next to her daughter. “And why recently?”
“Because now I know how it feels to care for someone and I think it’s sad that you never cared for anyone before. It doesn’t seem right.”
Kylie pulled her daughter into her arms and was mildly surprised when she came willingly. “Oh, honey, but it’s okay. Some things aren’t just automatic. Another reason I never went out was because I’m a very selective person.”
“Nitpicky?”
Kylie laughed. “Yeah, nitpicky. Only a certain type of man appeals to me.”
Tiffany pulled back and glanced up at her. “Really? And what kind is that, Mom?”
Kylie immediately thought of Chance and forced him from her mind. “First and foremost he has to be willing to be a good father to you. Then he has to treat us both good, look good, be health-conscious, fun to be around, be someone I can always depend on even during my darkest hour, and someone who loves me unconditionally.”
“Unconditionally?”
“Yes. Someone who would love me no matter what and who would take me as I am—the good, the bad and the ugly.”
Tiffany smiled. “You know that’s funny.”
“What is, honey?”
“Marcus said he recently asked his dad why he never remarried. And it seems that he’s nitpicky, too.”
“Really?”
“Yes. And he gave almost the same exact answers as you did.” Tiffany chuckled. “Boy, adults sure are strange.”
“Strange in what way?”
Tiffany gave her mother a beaming smile. “If all of you are looking for the same thing in a person, then why is it so hard to find someone?”
Before Kylie could answer her daughter’s question—not that she thought she had an answer anyway—the phone rang. Tiffany quickly picked it up. “Hello?”
Kylie watched her daughter’s dark eyebrows lift curiously. “I’m fine, and yes, sir, she’s here. Just a moment, please.”