Page 19 of When the Time Is Right
“Sounds like she won, buddy.” His mom shrugged with mock sympathy. “Bet’s a bet.”
Lauren might have been as prim and proper as they came, but there’d been a time when she’d had mud under her fingernails just like me. She’d been the only child next door, and our house had been the hub when it came to stray kids. Not that she was neglected in the slightest, but her parents were a shit-ton more intense than mine. I could only imagine how they’d reacted to her getting pregnant her senior year at Georgia Tech.
“If you don’t have the cash on you now, that’s fine. But next time I see you, it’s gonna be twenty-one.” Life was hard, but the sooner he learned how the games were played, the sooner he’d quit losing. But to let his mom know I wasn’t being a total asshole because I’d never actually keep it, I winked at her and added, “Late fees.”
“Late fees? Aw, man. What?” he whined.
“It’s a cruel world, my man.”
“So that’s why your dad warned me you might hit me up for back pay on an allowance I know nothing about,” Lauren teased.
“All the guys get allowances,” he contended with gusto, even tilting his head to the side. He was going to be a handful in his teens.
With that thought, I chuckled because I couldn’t wait to see how Lauren and Hud would deal with him. With his father’s blue eyes and stubbornness and his mother’s brains, Jack was going to be a force.
“Who are these guys? It’s just you and Nolan,” she said, shaking her head.
I poked the bear. “Yeah, don’t you still sleep with a nightlight?”
He rolled his eyes and groaned, heaving the door open and then slamming it when he got inside.
“I hated missing the wedding,” Lauren said.
I could see she was sincere, but she was focused on her career and I respected that. “How does it feel to be God’s favorite? You missed a circus.”
She covered her mouth as she laughed. “I heard.”
“Oh, well. Mrs. and Mr. Vanessa Lawson are happy. I guess that’s all that matters.”
From inside their car, I heard her son chide, “Are we going? I’m hungry.”
“Always hungry,” she replied under her breath. “Tell Judy and David hi for me.” Then she got in her car. Off to feed the poor, starving child.“Craig left me at the reception,” I contended—as if I could blame him. Although it wasn’t a bad excuse. After all, he could have said goodbye.
“Well, honey, some people don’t want to party all night,” my mother explained as she took a bite of her homemade chicken salad sandwich.
“Exactly. That’s not the kind of energy I’m looking for. Besides, it literally was a party and it lasted until midnight. It’s not like I was doing body shots at four in the morning.” Anymore. College had been fun, and so were many of the nights I’d spent traveling the country with Brenden. But that was neither here nor there.
“Okay. Okay,” my dad interjected in his even-keeled I’ve had enough voice. “She didn’t like him, Judy. She’ll find somebody else.”
I picked up a chip and replied, “Or not.” Then popped it into my mouth.
Yes, I sometimes made things harder for myself. Still, I was twenty-eight and had a lot of experience being on my own, and I didn’t need a man. Sure, it sucked sometimes. That’s life.
“Anyway, are you guys going to Hilton Head?” A perfectly timed change of topics if ever there was one. They wouldn’t be able to resist talking about their favorite place on Earth. The pristine vacation home they had right on the ocean—and predictably right next door to Lauren’s family there too.
Dad bobbed his salt-and-pepper-covered head as he chewed and swallowed. “Next week. Wanna go? Come up for a long weekend?”
Oh, how I missed the sand and the early mornings, watching the sun come up. “I’d love to, but I’m not sure I’ll be able to take off. Maggie is due soon. So work is kinda hectic.”
“How do you like your new job, sweetie? I bet it’s fun working with Maggie again. A bit different from the waitressing you two did back in the day, huh?”
“Yeah. My attitude wasn’t really conducive to tips.”
“It’s a wonder you made any money at all,” my father teased.
“Watch it, Davie,” I warned and shoved my index finger into his shoulder. “I believe I come by it honest, Mr. I-Almost-Didn’t-Walk-In-My-Own-Graduation-Because-Of-A-Senior-Prank.”
“Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.” He tipped his sweet tea to his lips and shrugged at my mom, who was glaring at him as if it had happened only yesterday.
“Your father almost killed you, David,” my mom reminded him.
“He would have had to catch me first.” Mischief sparked in his green eyes as he winked at me.
“Anyway,” my mother said, shifting the conversation back. “You said Maggie was having a boy. He’s going to have them wrapped around his little finger from day one.”
