Chapter Seventeen
Kincaid
“You spent the night,” my mother pointed out.
She waited four whole days since I stayed with Tori to remind me of this. “I know, Mom. I’m an adult. Do I need to remind you of that again? It’s not like I’m even a fresh adult, I’m thirty-three years old.”
“I know, I know,” my mother exclaimed. “I’m just, you know, I’m excited. You haven’t had a “relationship”.”
She used air quotes around the word relationship. I sat down at the small round table in the kitchen and sighed.
“Mom, I haven’t...ugh.” I ran a hand through my hair. “I dated some in high school, and college, and here and there, but the life of a hotshot firefighter isn’t great for long-term relationships. I’ve had other priorities.”
“So you’re saying you don’t have a relationship with Tori?”
I rolled my eyes and flattened my palm on the table with a muted thump. “Mom. We went on one date. To a fundraiser. And yes, I spent the night.”
She opened her mouth, but I cut her off. “I like Tori. A lot. But I don’t know what’s going to happen. For God’s sake, please don’t go around town acting like we’re about to get married. You’re going to chase her off if you do.”
My mother’s brows hitched high as she studied me. Her mouth dropped open slightly before she let out a satisfied little huff. “Oh. So it matters if I chase her off?”
“Oh, my God, Mom,” I warned. I leaned my head back, staring at the ceiling like it might offer me divine assistance with this moment. Bringing my gaze back to my mother, I replied, “I like Tori. I would like the opportunity to see where things go.”
“Willow Brook is full of firefighters. Seems like a great place for you to have a relationship,” she pointed out in her helpful tone.
“What?” I sputtered.
“Yes!” she said, nodding emphatically. “I’ve met plenty of them—Beck, Levi, Graham—he has kids! He was a single dad before he met Madison. Cooper, Griffin, so many of them. They’re all good guys, and they’re all in committed relationships.”
“I know, Mom,” I replied, trying to keep my frustration out of my voice. “Could you just relax about this?”
“I just want you to be happy.”
“I am happy,” I ground out. Because I was. I was content with the life I had.
Maybe. But maybe Tori made me want things I hadn’t even contemplated before. That said, I didn’t need my mother sharing her theories about my potential love life with everyone from the gas station to the grocery store.
“Can you just let things play out for me? Please.”
“Yes.” My mother straightened in her chair and clasped her hands together. I knew that meant she was feeling gleeful. God help me.
“So anyway,” I said, trying to get back on track. “The whole point of this was me letting you know I’m going out to dinner tonight, and I may or may not come home after that.”
“Oh, my gosh!” Now, she clapped her hands, looking downright delighted. “I hope you don’t come home. I hope it’s amazing. I want you to fall in love!”
I took a slow breath, gritting my teeth. “I love you, Mom. But please—I’m begging you—please don’t make things complicated.”
She let out a heavy sigh just as the doorbell rang. “That’ll be Chris,” she said, calling toward the door. She shouted for him to come in. As soon as he stepped into the kitchen, she beamed up at him, and I braced myself.
“Chris, Kincaid has a second date. He already spent the night with her!”
“Yeah, you told me that, Claudia,” Chris replied, barely concealing his laugh.
“Oh, my God, Mom.” With a groan, I dropped my face into my hands and ran them through my hair, letting them fall to the table with a thump. “Chris, could you please get her to stop gossiping about my love life?”
Chris grinned as he leaned down to kiss my mom on the cheek.
Straightening again, he eyed me. “It’s a small town, man.
I’m sure your mom isn’t the only one who knows you two went out.
You were at the fundraiser. That was a big event for Willow Brook.
” He held up a hand, as if preemptively preparing me.
“Someone else saw your truck leaving her driveway the next morning.”
“Oh my God...” That was all I could say to that.