I press my lips together. “You haven’t? Why not?”
“Because he’s been paying the rent, so I’ve been putting them in the drawer.”
“In the drawer?” I asked, confused. “Mom, that money is for you.”
“I know, but I don’t—”
“Cash the checks, Mom.”
She hesitates. “Are you mad?”
“Are you happy?”
“I am. Really, I am. He is wonderful.”
“Then, no,” I say simply. “I just want you to be happy, but cash the damn checks. That’s your money, and I’m going to continue to send them.”
She pauses. “You don’t have to, sweetheart. Wilbur takes great care of me.”
“I want to,” I reassure her. “You’re my mom, and you always took care of me.”
“And I always will.” I can hear the emotion in her voice.
I smile as I check the time. I gotta get off the phone soon.
“I wanted to ask if I could bring him with me to come see you.”
Ew. I don’t like guys who want to date my mom, but I do want her to meet Posey, so maybe I should agree. “Yeah, I want to meet him.”
“We’ll get a hotel.”
“I have a guest room, Mom. It’s fine.”
“Okay. You don’t know how incredibly happy that makes me.”
“Good. I want that for you, Mom,” I promise. “And funny thing is, I was calling to tell you I also met someone.”
I’m met with silence. My heart is frozen in my chest as I wait for her reaction. “Oh?”
“Yeah, her name is Posey. She’s actually our special teams assistant coach.”
“Is that smart, to mix business with pleasure?”
“Probably not, but she’s totally worth it. She’s amazing, Mom. I really like her,” I say with a grin. “I think you will like her too.”
“I don’t know, honey. After Julia, I don’t know if I can like anyone else.”
“Funny, I felt the same. But then I met Posey.”
“I have to say, I’m really surprised by this. I didn’t think you’d want to be with anyone for a long time after her.”
“I didn’t. I have been single for over a year,” I say softly before taking in a deep breath. “I was ready to swear off all women, but Posey’s different.”
“How so?”
“She’s funny and quirky. She’s so damn strong, Mom. Like you. Really independent and doesn’t take anyone’s shit,” I say, and I can feel the grin on my face growing. “We’ve only been dating a few days, but I like her a lot.”
“Okay, so when do I get to meet her?”
“I guess when you come down. We can do a whole big awkward dinner of first meetings.”
She laughs. “That sounds like something I want to avoid. I don’t like awkward.”
“Eh, we’ll be there. It’ll be a party.”
“This is true,” she agrees, and then she sighs. “This is good. I was worried when Julia did what she did.”
“I know you were.” I turn off the car, getting out. “But like you said, I had to figure it out and get back to me.”
“You have, and I’m glad your happiness wasn’t just brought back by a girl.”
I laugh. “Nope. It was hockey and Wes. He’s been my best friend.”
“Lord, you and that boy. Big goofballs,” she teases, and I laugh. “How is he?”
“Good. Doing Wes things.”
She laughs. “I love him. Tell him hi for me.”
“I will,” I say as I head into the building. “I’m walking inside. I gotta go.”
We share an I love you and then a good-bye before I reach Wes. He stands up from the bench where he is waiting for me. “How did she take it?”
I shrug. “Sounded good, but I think we were both trying to play nice. Apparently, she’s in love.”
Wes’s eyes widen. “No shit?”
“Yup, with that Wilbur dude.”
His brows come in. “But she thought he was a huge dork.”
“He’s her dork,” I say in a teasing tone, and Wes laughs.
“Okay, so what are you thinking? How are you feeling about it?”
I shrug as we head down the hall. “I mean, after Julia, I realize happiness doesn’t come easy.”
“That’s the damn truth,” he agrees, and I nod. “I think it’s good for her. She needs someone to grow old with.”
“Yeah, I think so.”
“He’ll treat her good. I can feel it.”
I glance over at him. “How?”
“He’s a dorky dork. Your mom is fine—hello, he won’t give that up,” he says. I would kick his ass for calling my mom hot, but before I can, he continues, “You know, same with you and Posey. She’s too good-looking for you, so you’d never leave her.”
But she could leave me.
No. No, she won’t. We’re good. “Fuck off.”
Wes laughs wholeheartedly. He doesn’t realize he’s sent my head spinning. “How’s it going with her?”
“Good,” I say, and I remind myself that things are good. Really good. “She’s awesome.”
“Still on the down-low?”
“Yup, it’s for the best right now. I don’t want anything messing up our careers. And you know…there’s Shea Adler.”
He does an exaggerated shiver. “Ooh, say it again,” he says in his best hyena voice from the Lion King.