“And he wouldn’t do it! That bastard. He said he wasn’t sticking fruit inside my body and slurping it out. So, I told him I’m not seeing him anymore,” Lola laments, making me laugh.

“Maybe he’s not into food play,” I giggle, turning the car down the street the next afternoon. “It’s not for everyone. I don’t even think it’s for me, Lo, really, but ...”

“But it’s Barrett Fucking Landry!”

“Exactly.”

“So Isaac is on ice. I’m just going to find someone else that will indulge my newfound food fetishes.”

Laughing, I shake my head. “But Isaac is such a nice guy, Lo.”

“And apparently nice isn’t what does it for me.”

“You’re impossible.”

“Are you working the charity thing that hit the schedule at Luxor last night?”

“Yeah,” I sigh. “I just switched days at Hillary’s House today so I can be off. The tips will be astronomical; I can’t say no.”

She sighs too. “Right? I’m so over working these shitty jobs. I just need to land a rich man and be retired already.”

I roll my eyes, but grin. The chatter with Lola is my tried and true way of relaxing from work before getting home to Hux. The stress of the job is diluted by her antics and it’s my own form of therapy.

“You do that,” I laugh.

“I expect to. But in the meantime, you need to corner Isaac and let him know he needs to—”

“I’ll do no such thing!” I laugh. “I’m not about to tell him how to have sex with you, Lo!”

“You’re simply not the friend I thought you were,” she huffs.

“Apparently not. But I’m pulling in the driveway and am beat, so I need to get off of here.”

“Okay. Talk later.”

I end the call and pull up beside my mother’s car. Every day it’s the same feeling of being grateful she’s here to help with Hux and frustration that I’m in the position of needing my mother so much to help with my child.

Opening the door to the house, I smell the aroma of freshly baked snickerdoodles. I follow the cinnamon scent to the kitchen where my mom and son are sitting at the table with a plate of cookies and tall glasses of milk.

“Hey, Mom,” Hux says.

“Hey, buddy.” I kiss the top of his head. “You smell like outside.”

“He’s been outside tossing a ball around all day. He even had me out there playing catch,” my mother says.

“You? You played catch?” I laugh. “I bet that was a sight.”

“Some man called here earlier this afternoon, shortly after Hux got home—”

“It was Lincoln!” he beams. “We’re going to go work out today!”

I cast a confused glance at my mother. She twiddles her thumbs and looks at me with raised brows.

“He said you’d take me to see him when you got home,” Hux says, standing. “So can we go, Mom? Please?”

“Go wash your face,” my mother instructs him.

“But Grandma ...”

“Huxley. Now.”

He stalks towards the bathroom and when he’s out of earshot, the room gets smaller. Much, much smaller.

“So ...” she draws out, waiting for me to give her information.

I don’t.

“Alison, why is a Major League baseball player calling the house to play baseball with my grandson?”

I shrug like I have no idea, but she doesn’t buy it.

“There’s also a beautiful bouquet of flowers in your bedroom,” she states. “Hux told me to take a look, said the mayor of Savannah sent them to you.”

“It’s nothing,” I say, turning away from her.

I wait for the impending question and answer session, but nothing happens. The bathroom door closes down the hall and my mom’s chair scoots against the tile floor. But she doesn’t speak.

I can’t take the anticipation any longer. Turning to face her, I see her looking at me, a wide smile on her face.

“What?” I say, fighting a grin of my own.

“I want to ask you a million questions ...”

“There’s nothing for me to answer. Not really,” I add on, the grin getting harder to conceal. Just thinking about Barrett makes my stomach flutter and it’s ridiculously hard to not show it.

“So you met him somehow and you’re seeing him?”

“No,” I gasp, then catch myself. “Actually, yes. Kind of. But if we—”

“Oh my gosh, Alison! You’re kidding me!”

“Mom, please,” I say, sounding like Hux when he’s embarrassed. “It’s nothing. We just met awhile ago and have been spending some time together.”

“I can’t say I’m sad about this,” she teases. “He’s handsome and well-to-do ...”

“We’re friends. That’s it, Mother.”

She tsks me and crosses her arms over her chest. “Being friends with someone doesn’t put that look on your face,” she teases.

Taking a deep breath, I know I can’t hide anything from her. It’s pointless. “We’re trying things out, feeling our way through ... whatever this is.”

“I’m so happy for you, Ali.”

“Don’t get all crazy,” I say, rolling my eyes. “And please don’t mention it to anyone. It’s nothing official and I don’t want people asking about it.”

We exchange a look, one filled with memories we’d both like to forget.

“Understood.” She walks around the table and pulls me into a quick embrace. “I won’t meddle, but if you need anything, just ask.” She starts to leave but pauses at the doorway. “I knew someone would sweep you off your feet ...”

“Friends, Mom!” I laugh, exasperated.

“Friends. Right,” she shrugs, and shortly after, the front door closes.

Then it opens again.

“Alison, there’s a man that’s just pulled up in a Range Rover?” She peeks her head around the front door. “I’m guessing that’s something to do with your friend?”

My jaw hangs open. I have no idea why Troy would be here, besides that Lincoln called, but I’ve had no time to get ready.

“Yeah,” I say, “go on. It’ll be fine.”

She smiles too brightly and leaves, but the door stays partially open. Before I can get to it, Lincoln pops his head around the corner.

“Hey there,” he grins in his adorable way. He chuckles when he realizes how gobsmacked I am. “Expecting me?”

“Not really,” I laugh.

“Well, I called earlier because I need a good workout. I thought Hux could head to the Farm with me and play some ball, if that’s all right?”

My brain scrambles for something to grasp on to. “Yeah, I guess. I mean ...”

“And,” he draws out, “my brother has had a terrible day. I’m sure he’d like to see you, if you don’t mind accompanying us.”

“He doesn’t know you’re here?”

His head shakes. “Nope. It’ll be a surprise.”

“Lincoln, with all due respect, I’m not sure this would be something Barrett would appreciate. I know he has work to do, and I don’t want to intrude. Nor do I know how he’ll take it if I bring Hux there.”

He leans against the doorjamb and I’m glad Lola isn’t here. If she were, she’d be tackling him and having her way with him. He’s ridiculously handsome in a boy-next-door kind of way, if you live by a boy that could possibly show up on the cover of a magazine.

“Alison, with all due respect, you aren’t intruding.” He looks at the ceiling before finding me again. “You’ll be my guest. How’s that?”

He snickers at my reaction.

“Yeah, that’ll go over really well,” I say.

“Exactly. You show up with me, and I’ll guarantee you Barrett will fall all over himself to be with you. He’s not going to leave us alone together,” he winks.

“I’m taking that to mean you’ve had arguments over girls before?”

“Nope,” he says, popping the last sound, “because my brother has never had one before you that would’ve been worth my time.”

My cheeks heat at his words and his cocky little grin goes wider. A dimple sinks into his cheek just like it does Barrett’s.

“Today, my brother needs you,” he says, laughing as Huxley comes barreling down the hallway with a grin a mile wide. “So if you think as much of him as I think you probably do, which is half as much as you should think of me,” he smirks, “get your stuff and let’s go.”