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Bliss said her mom was free spirited. I thought free spirited people were friendlier.
Beth lets go of my hand and goes to hug her daughter. “So glad you’re here,” she says. “Can you do me a favor and grab a lemon from the garden?”
My stomach dips as Bliss squeezes my hand. “Yeah, I’ll be right back.” I don’t want to let go of her hand. Please don’t leave me with her, I want to say, but of course, I let her go and follow Beth into her kitchen.
The smell of spices and herbs fill my nose. “It smells great in here. Do you need any help?” I offer, but she shakes her head as she ties an apron around her small waist.
“No thank you. I’m almost finished.” She rounds the island and motions for me to take a seat on the stool across from her. “Can I get you anything to drink?”
Clearing my throat, I nod. “Water. Thank you.”
She smiles and goes to grab a pitcher of water out of the fridge. I look around and see Bliss out the kitchen window in what seems to be the garden. She should look out of place in her dark jeans and off the shoulder olive t-shirt, but she doesn’t. I can tell the way she moves around that she spends a lot of time there when she visits.
I almost jump when a glass of water appears in front of me. Beth sees where my attention was. “She’s beautiful.”
“She is,” I agree. My girl is gorgeous. “She has a beautiful mind too,” I add, taking a sip of my water.
“That too,” Beth says softly before going to the other side of the island. “So, the last time Bliss spoke of you, it sounded as if you didn’t know if you liked her or not.”
Ah, Keith isn’t the only blunt one. I have to choose my words very carefully with Beth. “I’ll be honest. I had a rough year last year, and I was trying to get my life back on track. I didn’t see her coming. I didn’t expect the influence she would have on me.” I look Beth in the eye, because I know she thinks I’ll break her baby girl’s heart. “I didn’t plan on falling in love with her, but I did.”
She looks surprised. “Does she know?”
“Not yet.” I shake my head. “I’m going to tell her soon.”
She smiles, this time it’s a real smile. “I’ll be honest with you. I wasn’t sure how I felt about my daughter being with you, with you being an athlete. I’m sure you know about her ex.” She rolls her eyes, and I nod. “She just deserves the best.”
“And I plan on trying –”
“Trying what?” Bliss comes through the door. She’s carrying a basket full of lemons. “You never said how many you needed.”
Beth takes the basket from her. “I just needed one but maybe I can make some lemonade.”
Bliss slides on the stool next to me. “I didn’t know that you knew your way around a garden.” I nudge her smiling.
She blushes. “It’s not like I have a green thumb or anything.”
Beth tosses a towel at her. “You’re being modest. Her and my father would be out there for hours in the summer.”
Her mom finishes up making lunch and starts filling plates as she continues to tell me all about how Bliss started gardening. I notice that there are four plates instead of three and I glance at Bliss to see if she has noticed, but she’s busy squeezing all the lemons she brought in for the lemonade. She never mentioned anyone else joining us and also didn’t mention to her mom that I was now her boyfriend.
I try to get her attention when Beth turns away by throwing a napkin at her. She raises her head and looks at me confused. I point to the four plates that already have salads on them.
“Four plates.” I mouth and hold up four fingers just in case she doesn’t understand.
Bliss’s face scrunches up and shrugs. “I don’t know.” She mouths back. She doesn’t seem too concerned, so I just shrug back not knowing what to say back. I mean, it’s her mom.
Beth turns back around and begins setting sandwich halves on the plates. “I hope you like chicken salad, I forgot to ask Bliss.”
I give her a smile. “I love food.” It’s not a lie. There isn’t much I won’t eat.
She smiles back. Funny how she damn near snubbed me at the door but now she is smiling at me. Probably because I confessed my love for her daughter and because she hates Dex. I’m not a fan of him either and he knows it.
Beth pulls out a large floral tray and starts to put the plates on it. “Cuba, do you mind taking this out to the table in the back?” she asks. “It’s really nice out today so I thought we could eat by the garden.”
Sliding off the stool, I walk around the island. “Yeah, I’ll take it.” I wait until she sets four glasses and four cups in the tray as well. Looks like she’s just not going to mention the extra setting.
Bliss catches my attention and softly shakes her head with a smile, she is loving that I really want to know what’s going on. I roll my eyes at her but smile, picking up the tray.
