Chapter 21
Chapter Twenty-One
Ulysses
“Why are you not nervous?” I smoothed my shirt.
Finn chuckled. “Because she’s my mother. I’m never nervous when I see my mother. Relax, okay? She’s going to love you.”
I had my doubts. Still, as I perched on the edge of Finn’s sofa, I waited as patiently as possible.
Last night, after the hug—which had been a little epic—I’d followed Finn home. To make certain he got here safely. He’d been wrecked.
Only he’d invited me in.
And we’d made love. No fucking into the mattress.
Just…slow lovemaking. And he’d fallen into a deep sleep.
I hadn’t been able to find it in myself to leave.
So, I hadn’t. Today, while he’d been cooking, I’d chased down two damn leads that led nowhere and I was no closer to solving the mystery.
I’d run home to grab a fresh shirt. He ribbed me for being so gussied up.
In truth, I couldn’t remember ever dressing up for him.
I need to do better. I needed to show him how much he was coming to mean to me.
A thought I wasn’t willing to examine too closely as his mother was due any moment.
Headlights cut across the front window.
“Good timing on Mom’s part, but I have to pull the lasagna out of the oven.”
“Oh, let me do that. I’m sure your mother would prefer to be greeted—”
“Go let her in, Ulysses. Don’t make Mom wait.” He opened the oven.
I hustled over to the front door and opened it.
The woman before me wasn’t quite who I expected. Sure, Finn had photos of the two of them—but I’d never studied them carefully. I certainly had never noticed how short she was. Especially in comparison to her rather tall son.
“Hello Mrs. O’Sullivan. Lovely to meet you.” I offered my biggest grin.
“It’s Ms. O’Sullivan. I never married Finnegan’s scoundrel sperm donor.” She eyed me. “You may call me Valerie.”
“Okay.” I sounded the word quietly.
She grinned. “And you’re Ulysses.”
“Yes, ma’am…Valerie.” I cringed.
“You’ll do.” She handed me a pie plate. “Blueberry—Finn’s second favorite. I was going to bring lemon meringue, but the berry crop this year was a good one. I hope you like it as well.” She also had a salad container.
“I love blueberries.”
“These were fresh from the summer’s bumper crop. Now, let’s go see what my son’s been up to while we’ve been out here introducing ourselves.” The curvy redhead, who was barely five feet tall, swept past me and into the house.
Obediently, I followed.
She’d shucked her shoes and was already in the kitchen hugging her son by the time I closed the front door.
“Lasagna?” She sniffed.
“Yep.” Finn beamed.
“From scratch?”
“Yep. With extra cottage cheese for you.”
“Oh, lovely. And I brought blueberry pie.” She gestured for me to move into the kitchen—which I did. “As well as the salad I promised.”
Finn took the pie and put it on the counter. “You ready to eat? We can have the Caesar salad while the lasagna cools a little.”
“Sounds lovely.” Valerie turned to me. “I’m wanting to hear all about how you two met.”
Heat rushed to my cheeks. I was grateful my dark skin hid what would’ve been, I was certain, an epic blush.
“Mom.” Finn used his best chastising voice.
“What?” She batted her eyelashes. “I want to hear about the man who’s stolen my son’s heart.”
I sputtered.
Finn rolled his eyes. “You promised. You’re exaggerating. Now, please sit. Water okay?”
“Of course.” Valerie sat at the head of the table.
Finn and I would be sitting to either side of her—facing each other.
I grabbed three glasses of water and delivered them while Finn brought the salad. He and I sat and watched as Valerie served herself.
She passed the salad to me. “My son has never introduced me to someone in his life. He can try to tell me that you’re just a friend, but a mother knows.” She cast her blue-eyed gaze upon her son.
He blushed. Then he ran his hand through his copper hair—so like his mother’s. Finally, after a long moment, he served himself some salad. “It’s not like that.” He handed me the salad.
“Finnegan.” I gave him my sternest voice.
His gaze shot to mine.
I took the salad bowl and held his gaze. “Don’t lie to your mother. It’s exactly like that.”
Valerie snorted.
Finn cussed.
I grinned and dished up salad.
We ate in silence, then, when Finn rose to get the pasta, Valerie again turned her attention to me. “I like your writing style. And I like how you’ve freshened the paper. So in need of an update.”
“I’m trying my best.”
“So how long are you sticking around?”
“Mom.” Finn placed the glass container holding the lasagna on a trivet. “No interrogations.”
“Asking casual and insightful questions is not the same as interrogating. Police interrogate. I seek answers to burning questions. Ulysses understands, don’t you? The need for answers?”
“Yes, Valerie, I do.”
Finn gestured for his mother to hold her plate up so he could put a piece of lasagna on it.
I did the same. Then waited until he had his pasta as well before picking up my knife and fork.
My first bite was barely onboard when Valerie continued. “Did he meet you on Davie Street? Or through an app? I’ve heard those things are wild—”
“Mom.” Total Finn exasperation.
Something I was familiar with.
Glad I’m not the only one who pushes his buttons.
“What?” Valerie cut a piece of pasta. “I’m trying to be a hip mom. Someone who’s accepting, but also cautious.”
“I am capable of taking care of myself.”
“Like when you got the flu?” She eyed me. “You brought him chicken noodle soup?”
“Yes. Seemed the least I could do.”
“Well, you seem to be a good man. You’ll do.” She took a bite of pasta.
Finn caught my gaze.
I smiled.
He smiled back.
Dinner meandered in easy conversation after that. I directed any probing questions into my work history or my personal life into ferreting out anecdotes about Finn and his childhood. Apparently he’d always had a daredevil streak in him.
Valerie’s refusal to let him play football still rankled.
“You did just fine in soccer.” She pointed her fork at him. “And now you help by coaching basketball. See? No expensive gear needed.” She turned to me. “And you?”
“None of the above. I tried hockey. Once. Complete disaster. I was not designed for skates.”
“I could teach you. I’m pretty proficient.” Finn grinned.
“Uh, no. But thanks.” Memories of my bruised ass after my one attempt was enough to keep me off blades forever. I gestured to Valerie’s empty plate.
She handed it over. “I think I need a break before I tackle dessert.”
I snagged Finn’s cleared plate, created a pile, and headed to the kitchen. “That sounds like a good idea.”
“Ulysses owns a motorcycle. Likes to drive it fast.”
I put the plates on the counter and turned to face Finn as he stood.
Valerie pivoted her attention to me. “Seriously? Do you know what nurses call motorcycle riders?”
“No. And I probably don’t want to.” I glared at Finn.
Who just gave me a shit-eating grin.
“Organ donors.” Valerie picked up her glass of water and headed to the couch. “I’ve seen it happen. A shame. Those things are so damn dangerous.”
Finn snickered.
“You think I don’t know about you riding Bobby Jansen’s motorcycle in grade eleven?” She wagged her finger at him.
He blanched.
I chuckled.
He glared.
“Mothers know these things. You never could keep secrets from me.” She sat on the couch. “Which is why I’m surprised you kept Ulysses a secret for so long.”
“We’ve only been dating a few weeks.” Finn held my gaze.
“But you hooked up in the summer.” Valerie sipped her water.
“Who told you that? Spring?” Finn rubbed his forehead. Then he pointed an accusatory finger at me.
I pressed a hand to my chest. “I swear I didn’t tell anyone anything.”
Valerie laughed. “You two are a hoot. Now come and sit with me.”
Obediently, we moved to the living room. I sat in the recliner while Finn joined his mom on the couch.
I told Finn, “I think it’s nice to have someone who cares that much about you. Even if they are a little…intrusive.” I met Valerie’s gaze.
She snickered. “You’d think Finnegan would’ve learned by now. Nothing’s a secret.”
“Slowly it’s dawning on me.” I sipped my water.
“Anonymity in the big city?” She eyed me.
“Something like that.”
“You’ve never married?”
“Mom.” Part exasperation. Part warning.
“Never met anyone who made me want to tie the knot. Hell, it wasn’t even legal when I was in high school. Then Canada legalized same-sex marriage and I graduated high school and…it never happened.”
“You studied journalism?”
“Yes. At UBC.”
“Good school.”
“Yes.” And very expensive. Even back then, I’d had to borrow a pile of money to make it all work. The day I’d paid off that loan had been one of the happiest of my life. I liked living debt-free.
“Why journalism? That’s an unusual career path.”
“Pie?” Finn stood. “Technically anything is an unusual career choice since every job is different, right?” He made his way over to the kitchen. “Are we heating the pie and adding ice cream?”
His mother persisted, “I’m just saying—”
“What?” Finn reappeared from behind the corner. “Careful.” He directed that to Valerie.
I cocked my head.
“I’m not a racist, Finnegan. You bloody well know me better than that. Your grandmother would have something to say about this relationship, but that’s on her, not me.”
“Mom.” More admonishment than frustration.
Clearly I was missing something. “Is this because you don’t see as many reporters of color?
Because that’s certainly changing.” Even in the eighteen years since I’d earned my degree, several of the lead anchors of news shows in Vancouver now were minorities.
The top echelon was still whiter than perhaps necessary—but things were changing. They were improving.
Valerie met my gaze. “I just didn’t picture you behind a desk.”
“Because I’m more of a shoe-leather reporter. I have no interest in being in front of the camera—I never have.”
“You’re attractive enough for it.”
“Mom.” Now complete exasperation.
“I thank you for the compliment. I prefer the written word.”
“You used to do some hard-hitting reporting in Vancouver. Nothing like the fluff you’ve been relegated to doing in Mission City.”
“Oh my God.” Finn handed his mother a plate with a slice of pie and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
“It’s okay.” I smiled. “You can’t always believe what you read in the newspapers.”
“Well, that’s a damning statement.” Valerie pointed her fork at me. The look in her eyes told me, yes, she’d seen not just my longtime byline but the whole mess at the end.
I shrugged, acting like I didn’t care what Finn’s mother had read about me. “I’ll admit to making a bad mistake and coming to Mission City for a fresh start.”
“How’s that working out for you?” She ate a forkful of pie.
“Looking brighter by the day.” I met Finn’s gaze as he handed me a plate.
He rolled his eyes.
I sank my fork into the ice cream. “I’ll endeavor to do right by Finn, if that’s what you’re asking.”
She nodded as she swallowed. “I suppose that’s all I can ask for. I just want Finnegan to be happy. I want him to be with someone who will treat him properly.”
And my misjudgments of the past meant I might be a bad bet. I understood her skepticism. I wouldn’t be able to sweet talk my way out of this mess. “I’ll do my best.”
“See that you do.”
“Mom.” Complete exasperation. Finn sat on the couch next to his mother with his plate of pie. “Don’t make me regret inviting you.”
I chuckled and it didn’t sound too fake. “All good—we’re just getting to know each other.”
Valerie nodded her evident approval.
I’d passed muster.
At least for the time being.