Billionaire Bachelor by Ali Parker

Author:Ali Parker [Parker, Ali]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: BrixBaxter Publishing
Published: 2018-02-16T06:00:00+00:00

13

Lanie

Mom opened the back door of her car and frowned at the pumpkins covering it. “You don’t think this is too early, do you?”

“It’s September.” The wind must have been listening, because at my words, it picked up, cutting through my sweater and making me wrap my arms around myself.

“None of the neighbors have pumpkins out yet.” She pressed her fingers against her lips in concern.

“You’re a maverick. Let’s get them out. It’s so cold.”

Not waiting for her next protest, I pushed my way forward and hauled out the closest pumpkin. Once we’d gotten all of them out and set on the front porch, we used the kitchen to escape the chill.

“One week before Halloween is a good time to carve,” Mom mused as she frothed milk using the fancy coffee machine Dad had given her on their last anniversary. The contraption was huge and bulky with two group heads for pulling shots of espresso. It could have replaced the espresso machine at the coffee shop near my apartment. Still, it only took up a minuscule amount of space in the huge kitchen.

Sliding into one of the seats at the corner table, I looked out at the backyard. Perfectly manicured hedges traced the property’s perimeter. Every time I went over to my parents, a part of me expected to go out back and find myself in the childhood home I’d grown up in. That place was long gone, though. They’d sold it while I was an undergrad and moved to a bigger house farther outside the city.

Some people downgraded as they approached retirement. For my parents, there was no such thing. Life was all about constantly moving up.

“You don’t want sugar, do you?” Mom asked, her hand hovering near the ceramic sugar dish while her eyes gave me that look that said, Don’t you dare.

“Yeah, I’ll take some,” I answered, just to mess with her.

Deep-red lips pursed, she carried the tray laden with lattes, and the sugar dish, to the table.

“Thanks, Mom.”

The gratitude calmed her some. “You’re welcome, sweetie.”

“Am I gonna see Dad today?”

“Are you staying for dinner?”

“No. I’m going to Erica’s tonight. We always have dinner on Thursdays.”

“Oh, well. He won’t be home for it, anyway. He’s taking a business meeting.”

Good lord, woman. Why hadn’t she told me that in the beginning?

Keeping my sigh checked, I sipped my latte. If ever I needed a reminder of why I lived on the other side of the city, all I had to do was return home for an hour.

“How’s school, sweetie?” Mom touched my arm.

“It’s good. I think I made the right choice.”

“That’s great to hear.” She smiled at me, but there was worry behind it. “Dad and I have been concerned about you.”

“Why? I’m fine.”

“But you’re so far away, and you only have Erica over there. You must get lonely.”

The smile I gave her was genuine. As annoying as my mother could be, she was also incredibly loving. She might have grated my nerves, but I knew I could go to her at any time and for any reason.

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