I’ve heard the stories of how true-mate love works. It’s basically a fast-forward through the awkward does-he-or-doesn’t-he phase of a relationship, but you still need to learn about each other. So jumping from barely knowing a person to spending every night at his place might be a bit much. Or so I tell myself every morning as I drive back to my house, but by the end of the day, I can’t wait to be back in Lance’s arms, and my logical side shuts up.

I grab my favorite jeans out of the dryer and toss them in my overnight bag. The zipper of my tote hums as I tug it, and I make a mental list of what I need at the grocery store for dinner. It’s Friday night, and to kick off our weekend, I’m making the Crab Shack’s famous crab cake recipe for Lance since he promised to stop by the fish market on his way home from work.

My phone rings as I’m walking out the door, and I manage to get the lock turned just in time to pick up a call from my mother. We spoke a few days ago, and she said she had finished training her replacement and would call again when she had the details of her arrival.

“Hey, Mom.”

“Dawn. Can you hear me okay? I’ve got you on speaker phone.”

The faint blare of a car horn makes me think she’s driving. “I can hear you just fine. Did you get your flight sorted out?” I ask as I open my car door to get inside.

“Flight? Goodness no. I’m driving to see you.”

“Really?” I plop down in my seat. “That’s like a twenty-hour trip.”

“More like twenty-five, but I’m not—for the love of Pete!” she screams, and I bet the loud horn I hear is hers. She mutters, “Goddamn city drivers.” She lets out a sigh before returning to her previous cheerful state. “I love a good road trip. Snacks, music, cute truckers.”

I laugh at her. “Great, you’re going to find a new love in a big rig and hit the road for the next chapter of your life.”

“Don’t knock it. Think of all the diner pie I could try.”

I grin as I picture my mother creating a chart and keeping track of the best diners for pie across the country. “You have a point. Maybe a food blog is in your future.”

She laughs. “Actually, I’m taking a page out of your book instead. I’ve decided I want a future that uses my magic.”

“That’s awesome, Mom.” I’m getting chilled, still sitting my car in my driveway, and I start the engine so I can turn on the heat. “I think you’re going to love getting back into it. I’m having a blast.” Although that has increased tenfold considering my current love life.

“So anyway, I’m calling because I’m going to get to you sometime close to midnight.”

“Wait. What? Tonight?” I glance at my overnight bag sitting on the passenger seat.

“Yup. I’m in New York right now, and I’m too keyed up on coffee to stop. So I figure I’ll just keep going until I get to you.”

“Um.” It’s wrong that my first thought is disappointment over the fact I won’t be sleeping at Lance’s tonight, and I force out a happy voice. “Great! Can’t wait to see you.”

“I can’t wait to get there, honey. I—mother of all that’s magical!” she yells. “I gotta go.”

“Bye, Mom,” I say, but she doesn’t hear me because she hangs up before I get the words out. I let out a sigh. I am glad I get to see my mom soon, but it puts a wrench in my dinner plans with Lance. I can still cook for him, but the dessert part is going to have to wait since I should make sure to get back in time to clean and get the guest room ready for my mom. I call Lance to give him the news.

“Hey, baby,” he says when he picks up. “I was just thinking about you.”

A grin covers my face as my heart swells with emotions. “Yeah?”

“Yeah. So I’m at the fish market, and I’m wondering how hungry you are, because I’ve got mussels, oysters, the crab, of course, and I’m eyeing a nice tuna steak.”

I laugh as I think about his appetite. “I have no doubt you can eat it all, and I’ll try to make a good dent in it too. But I’m calling because my plans have changed slightly. My mom is arriving around midnight.”

“That’s cool. Would it be easier if I came to you? I’ll make sure to clear out before she arrives.”

“No. You have all the right things to cook with. I’ll still come to you. It just means I won’t be staying overnight.”

“Okay.” His next words are muffled, and I think he’s talking to the fish guy when he says, “Two pounds should do.” His voice gets clear again. “You must be excited to see her. I’m looking forward to meeting this woman I’ve heard so much about.”

“She’s going to love you,” I say as I click on my seat belt. “I’ll be there soon. I’m on my way to the grocery store and then to you.”

“Sounds good,” he says before we hang up, and I shift into reverse to back out of my driveway.

As I make my way to the market, I think about my mother. It shouldn’t surprise me that she decided to drive and called me to announce her arrival six hours before she’ll get here. She’s a take-charge kind of person who expects everyone around her to fall in line. She doesn’t spend time outlining her plan. She acts. It worked well for her at the restaurant since she managed us all, but behind her back, my dad and I call her Hurricane Eliza.

I realize now that her steamroller approach is how I ended up in Maine. Looking back on it, I can see that the reason I came was more about what she wanted than what was right for me. Although I did get a soul mate out of the deal, so I’m not complaining. But I do wonder what she’s going to think about my new love life and what she may try to push on me as a result.

As I pull into the grocery store parking lot, I notice a man walking toward his car. He’s got gray hair to his shoulders, and he’s wearing a baseball cap. He reminds me of my father, and sadness washes over me. I think about how lonely my dad must be without his hurricane of a wife. While he teased her for being busy all the time, it’s also what he loved about her. She got him out of the house and trying new things, and I’m afraid he’s going to hunker down in their home with his easy chair and way too much TV. I can’t help but feel I should be with him during all of this, even if I know he’d rather I live my life and not worry about him.

I shake off thoughts about my parents once I get out of my car, because I have a smoking-hot boyfriend to cook for. I smile and take a moment to enjoy the sunshine as I walk toward the market. Vapor escapes my mouth as I breathe the frigid air, and I notice I’m not cursing the cold. I might even be enjoying it. Just a little bit. And that has everything to do with being in love with Lance. Metal clashes as I grab a shopping cart, and I float toward the produce section with delirious thoughts of my soul mate that even worry for my parents can’t keep away.