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“She is,” she said. “We are her family now. She feels as if she has no one. She isn’t talking to her parents at all the last I knew.”
“I know that feeling,” he said.
“Does your mother know we are dating?” she asked suddenly.
He sighed. “No. I’ve talked to her twice since we’ve been dating. The first time when she tried to say Blaze needed money when he didn’t and then last week when she was screaming at me.”
“Which was wrong of her.”
“My mother never thinks she does anything wrong. I’ll tell her at some point. Maybe. Does that bother you?” He turned to look at her.
“No,” she said. “I wouldn’t tell you how to handle your family. Blaze knows about me so you aren’t keeping me a secret.”
“No secret,” he said. “I sent him a bunch of gift cards for Christmas. Mark’s parents had this huge gift basket sent two days ago.”
“They did?” she asked. She hadn’t been to his house since last weekend and only stopped to get him so they could get on the road today. She hadn’t missed that he’d changed the subject some too and would go along with it.
“Yeah. It was full of meats and cheeses, crackers and chocolates. It was nice. They didn’t need to do that.”
“I’m sure they were relieved by what you did.”
Even if Knox’s mother didn’t appreciate it.
“They were. I told Blaze to let Mark know he’s welcome any time.”
“I bet Blaze might come up this summer,” she said. “To work for you.”
“Do you think?” he asked. “I bet he goes with his father.”
“If he can’t go with his father, he will with you. Do you think maybe he wants that in his life too?”
She’d noticed that at times it seemed to her that Blaze almost looked up to Knox, but she didn’t know if he saw it or not.
“No clue,” he said. “What am I missing?”
“You didn’t catch how many times he said your house was cool. That he wanted to be his own boss. That you were doing everything he’d want to have.”
“I did, but I figured it was just him talking.”
“I think there is more to it,” she said. “But I don’t know him like you do.”
“I don’t know how well I know him,” he said.
“Better than you think,” she said. “Remember that. You wouldn’t have made that offer if you didn’t want to spend more time with him.”
“You’re right,” he said. “I think we were both left floating and handled it in different ways.”
“A common bond that you’ve got. The age difference is there, but only if you make that be part of it.”
“We’ll see what happens in a few months,” he said. “Change of subject. Does your nonna really make seven fishes?”
“Oh yeah,” she said. “You’re in for a real treat.”
That was enough of a subtle move for her to know the talk of their pasts was over with.
She got more out of him than she thought she would.
The last thing he’d want was for her to feel sorry for him so she’d keep that to herself.
