The smell of bacon drifted into Leigh’s nose and woke her up. She blinked and looked at the clock. 10:00 a.m. She hadn’t slept that late on a Saturday for a long time. Going to bed after midnight the past two nights might have been the culprit. The hours had flown by on Jesse’s couch, curled up against him watching The Princess Bride and then Titanic last night. They’d had popcorn and talked and simply enjoyed each other’s company. She couldn’t imagine anything more perfect.
Another smell, this one sweet and fragrant, drifted through her room. Sniffing, she sat up, stretched her arms above her head, and saw the source. A big vase of pink roses sat on her dresser. Leigh smiled, threw back the covers, and rushed over to check them out. The card read:
Date tonight at 6:00 pm - dress up nice - I'll pick you up.
Love, Jesse
She huffed a laugh at the rather demanding tone. But it was hard to be mad with the pink, velvety petals of those gorgeous roses and their amazing scent right under her nose. Still, he could have asked her about it last night, the bugger.
Leigh made her way to the kitchen, where the bacon smell made her mouth water, as did the smell of fresh brewed coffee. Jo stood at the stove, manning their sizzling breakfast.
“Morning, Leelee. Sleep well?”
“Very.” She went straight to the coffeepot and got a mug from the cabinet.
“Did you see the roses?”
“How could I miss them? They’re beautiful. Who delivered them?” Leigh poured her coffee and added cream and a little sugar.
“Jesse.” Jo slid a sly glance at her while flipping the bacon.
“What? Why didn’t you wake me? Didn’t he want to give them to me in person?”
“He had some early morning plans.”
Leigh sank into a chair at the table and set her coffee down. She tapped her nails on the mug, unsure how to feel at the moment. On one hand, he’d brought roses, but then he’d sort of demanded a date and didn’t bother giving her the roses himself. Did he still have a hint of bad boy left in him?
“Don’t be mad at him, Leelee.” Jo set a plate of bacon, eggs, and toast in front of her.
“I’m not, I’m just…”
“Scared?” Jo sat down with her own plate. A soft, sympathetic smile deepened her laugh lines.
“Yeah. Is it possible that he could have been playing me this whole time?”
“I can’t be sure, but I’ve been around a while. I think he’s the real deal.”
Leigh picked up her fork, speared some eggs, and ate them. Their taste didn’t register. She and her mum had always been able to talk about anything. Yet, talking about this ranked up there with her most difficult counseling sessions in terms of dread.
She picked at a piece of bacon, watching Jo eat with her usual perfect table manners. She cut each piece with a knife and fork and drank tea between bites, her pinky stuck out daintily.
“What is it?” Jo asked when she caught her staring.
“Do you think I’m making a mistake? In getting involved with any man, I mean? I don’t know where it will lead, but what if it leads to marriage?”
“What if it does? Have you been honest with him?”
“Yes. I told him everything. Well, not everything…”
“What did you leave out? We can start there.”
“I haven’t told him about the prom. I don’t think he even knows that I was there.”
“He was a different person back then. But would you feel better if he knew?”
“I don’t know. Maybe. I’m so confused.” Leigh slumped on the table, chin propped limply in her hand.
“Do you love him?”
She hesitated, unsure how to step into this unchartered territory. Most young women had already been “in love” a time or two since high school. Leigh never imagined she’d be having this conversation with anyone, much less her mother.
Finally, she nodded. “Yes.”
“In that case, tell him. It’s better to get things out in the open so you can face them instead of holding them inside where they fester into resentment. Your father and I have had to learn this over the years.”
Leigh smiled. “That’s what I tell my clients too.”
“Then practice what you preach. If he’s the one, he’ll come through for you in ways you never expected.”
That sounded odd. Nibbling on some toast, Leigh watched Jo’s expression turn stoic as though afraid to show any emotion at all. Jo focused on her plate and even hummed a little tune as she finished her breakfast.
Leigh looked around the room and down the hall. “Where’s Dad?” He didn’t usually work on Saturday mornings, preferring to go to the car lot in the afternoon to help his salespeople when the weekend browsing hit its peak.
“He went in early.” Jo stood quickly and took her plate to the sink. “More coffee?”
“Not yet.”
Jo spun around, grinning like the Cheshire cat. “Let’s go have a little mom and daughter pampering before your date tonight.”
“Pampering?”
“Yeah, we’ll get manicures, pedicures, facials, massages, maybe even do some shoe shopping. What do you say?”
“Do I have a choice?” Leigh winked then took a bite of crispy bacon.
Jo laughed. “No.”
“Then pampering it is.”