“I’m so happy for you, Mom,” I said, deeply breathing in her familiar scent.
“Thanks, honey,” she said, caressing my back. “Are you happy?”
“Of course,” I said, pulling away. “Brian’s a great guy.”
“Thanks, kiddo,” Brian’s voice floated into the kitchen. “I was counting on your blessing.”
I smiled at Mom and hugged her again.
“Let me go, honey,” she said gently. “The asparagus is burning.”
I stepped away, letting her go back to the kitchen counter. From the spread of groceries on the dining table, I could tell she was in the middle of whipping up an amazing dinner.
“Eva, darling!” Brian hollered from the living room. “Milla brought us wine. When did she grow up so old, she’s bringing us wine?”
I grinned while Mom rolled her eyes.
“She’s even brought cake!” Brian’s excited voice reached us.
“Just go over to him,” said Mom. “He’ll be shouting until he has one of us to share the excitement. I’m glad you came home quickly or he wouldn’t let me cook.” She smiled as she complained.
Chuckling to myself, I went back into the living room.
“Here,” said Brian. “I got champagne for the occasion.”
He pushed a slender flute in my hand and filled it with the golden bubbling wine.
Taking a sip, I enjoyed the fizzy, cold drink running down my throat smoothly. “Yum.”
“Have some of these too,” he said, pushing a box of colorful macaroons toward me.
“These look so delicious. Thanks!”
Brian watched me with a fatherly expression as I stuffed my face with the delicious, delicate sweets.
Sipping my champagne, I wondered how Mom and I could get so lucky. Brian was definitely rich and someone who roamed in a very different circle from ours.
Even though he didn’t brag about his work, I was sure he was surrounded by women who were smarter, more sophisticated, and more established than my mom.
The protective side of me was glad to know Brian didn’t choose Mom to get something from her.
No. He sincerely loved her and wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.
“Hey.” Brian’s deep voice broke me out of my thoughts. “What are you thinking about?”
I shook my head. “Nothing.”
He gave me a look like he knew I was lying.
“Have you told your sons yet?” I asked after a while.
He let out a tired sigh. “Not yet.”
Brian rarely talked about his three sons. As far as I knew, they attended Silverlake University as well. For some reason, he was always cryptic, keeping me away from them.
In the beginning, I thought he didn’t want to complicate matters. There was no need for them to know about Mom when they’d started going out.
Somehow, seven years passed by, and his sons still didn’t know about us. It was going to be one awkward conversation between Brian and his sons.