Loving Lawson: An Enemies-to-Lovers Standalone Romance (Lawson Lovers Series) by Britt McKenna

Author:Britt McKenna [McKenna, Britt]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-12-17T18:30:00+00:00

CHAPTER 18

Eric

I stand in front of the wall covered by one long mirror in my apartment’s state-of-the-art gym, watching my form to ensure I don’t pull something while doing dead-lifts, when my phone rings.

These days, there are only two people who call rather than text me.

The first are telemarketers.

The second, is Mom.

I let the weights hit the mat with a clang and straighten. I walk over to the exercise bench where I placed my belongings. I wipe my face with my towel and look at my phone.

Mom

I sigh.

After running into Charles Peters last night, I knew this call was coming. I just didn’t anticipate it coming so soon.

I hit the accept button and say, “Morning, Mom.”

“Good morning, Sweetheart. Care to tell me why you didn’t tell me you are dating someone?”

I toss my towel onto the bench. “Geeze, Mom. Aren’t you going to ask how I am before starting the interrogation? Butter me up and all that?”

“You and I both know you don’t respond well to being buttered up,” she retorts. “And I’ll ask how you are after I hear everything about this young woman Charles Peters saw you with last night.”

I roll my neck, trying to loosen the tension threatening to form. “Her name is Julianne. She’s a grad student with me.”

“Ah, so she’s smart.”

“Very.”

“Is she nice?”

“Would I date someone who isn’t nice?”

My mother scoffs. “Forgive me for asking, Eric, but the last girl I met was quite an entitled piece of work.”

Caroline.

I smile at the memory.

My father had insisted I bring a date to Thanksgiving dinner a few years back. This was before he was vetted to run for office.

My father wanted to use the dinner as a way to present his picture-perfect family to the campaign committee, hoping they would approve of him and decide to support him in future campaigns.

So, I brought the most irritating one-night-stand from my contact list.

Caroline was beautiful and vivacious, but that’s where her attributes ended.

She wasn’t particularly smart. Or kind. And that became apparent very early on in the dinner.

I still chuckle when I remember how furious my father had been when Caroline insulted one of the party’s biggest donors on his choice of footwear.

It had been an awkward night, but at least I got what I wanted out of it. My father hasn’t insisted I bring a date to another event since.

My mother, on the other hand, is a different story.

“How long have you been together?” Mom brings my thoughts back to Julianne.

I wince, knowing my answer is going to make her angry. “Uh… a little over five months.”

“Five months! I’ve spoken with you every week, Eric. How could you not mention to me that you have a long-term girlfriend?”

I shrug even though she can’t see me. “I don’t know.”

I picture her glaring at the phone, wishing she were in front of me to chastise me face-to-face.

She releases a tired sigh. Then, she asks, “Well… is it serious?”

I remember the pain in Julianne’s eyes yesterday, and the potent fear I felt when I thought she was going to demand space from me.

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