mother regarded Aaron’s wife’s premature death as an opportunity for me. At least she paused for decency before asking, “What does he look like?”
“Dreamy,” I said without hesitation. “Mom, he’s tall, slim, has beautiful skin and the sexiest bedroom eyes you’ve ever seen.”
“He sounds wonderful. Uh…you know, I can always stay home tonight. I can open the door for your date.”
I was glad to see Mom brighten, but the last thing I wanted was to have her gaping at Aaron. “I don’t think that’s necessary, Mom. I won’t have a problem opening the door. You go on and play bingo. I’ve got a feeling you might hit the jackpot.”
“No, dear,” Mom said with a big smile, “ you’re the one who’s hit the jackpot.”
Chapter 6
“Y ou look lovely, Emily,” Aaron said.
“Thank you.” I wore the only other dress I’d brought with me, the black dress with the peplum. Something told me we wouldn’t be going to the Burger Shack, so I wanted to look nice. One look at him and I knew I’d made the right move. He wore a navy suit with a light blue shirt and geometric tie and actually looked more formal than he had at Rosalind’s last night. “Please have a seat.”
He sat on the sofa and glanced around Mom’s small but immaculate living room with its well-worn furniture that dated back twenty-five years. I guess I could understand the reluctance of people my parents’ age to invest in furniture that would probably outlive them. I knew the room looked a little raggedy and I cast a sly glance at him to study his reaction, but his impassive expression gave nothing away. It made me wonder if he came from a background as modest as mine.
“Would you like a drink?” I offered.
“I should probably wait until we get to the restaurant. I don’t think we have time now.” He looked around the room. “So this is your mother’s place?”
“Yes.”
“It’s very cozy.”
I shrugged, thinking about my lack of a bedroom. “A little on the small side, at least for a mother and a daughter. My mother’s out tonight. I’ve been encouraging her to start up her usual activities. She didn’t have a lot of free time while my father’s health was failing. She was afraid to leave him alone too long.”
“How’s she coping with the loss of your father?”
“Pretty good, actually. We were all worried about how she’d handle it, but Mom’s a lot stronger than she lets on. Actually, I think it’s easier on the family when there’s a gradual decline in health; a sudden death can be devastating.” I felt it would be immodest for me to add that I believed my presence helped her.
“I agree. There’s no time to get affairs in order, and survivors often have to scramble to locate an insurance policy or a will to pay funeral expenses.” Aaron fixated those sexy eyes on me. “Tell, me, Emily, do you plan on staying here with your mother permanently?”
Something in his voice suggested he hoped I’d reply affirmatively. As good as it felt to have him interested in me, I didn’t want to lie to him. “I have to say I’m not planning on it. I like Indianapolis. There’s so much going on there. It’s a whole other world from Euliss…unless you count the bad roads, which are about the same.”
“Do you have a room of your own here?”
“No. You’re, uh, sitting on my bed,” I said with a smile.
Instead of looking shocked or embarrassed, he patted the seat cushions with his palms. “It feels comfortable.”
He certainly seemed quick on the draw. I wondered if Aaron ever found himself in a situation where he virtually didn’t know what to say or do. “Actually, it pulls out to a bed. There is a two-bedroom apartment in this building, but I don’t know if it makes sense for Mom to move to a place where the rent is higher when she’d only need it for a few months. Besides, people in this area tend to hold on to apartments like they’re heirlooms. Sometimes they even arrange for family
“Dreamy,” I said without hesitation. “Mom, he’s tall, slim, has beautiful skin and the sexiest bedroom eyes you’ve ever seen.”
“He sounds wonderful. Uh…you know, I can always stay home tonight. I can open the door for your date.”
I was glad to see Mom brighten, but the last thing I wanted was to have her gaping at Aaron. “I don’t think that’s necessary, Mom. I won’t have a problem opening the door. You go on and play bingo. I’ve got a feeling you might hit the jackpot.”
“No, dear,” Mom said with a big smile, “ you’re the one who’s hit the jackpot.”
Chapter 6
“Y ou look lovely, Emily,” Aaron said.
“Thank you.” I wore the only other dress I’d brought with me, the black dress with the peplum. Something told me we wouldn’t be going to the Burger Shack, so I wanted to look nice. One look at him and I knew I’d made the right move. He wore a navy suit with a light blue shirt and geometric tie and actually looked more formal than he had at Rosalind’s last night. “Please have a seat.”
He sat on the sofa and glanced around Mom’s small but immaculate living room with its well-worn furniture that dated back twenty-five years. I guess I could understand the reluctance of people my parents’ age to invest in furniture that would probably outlive them. I knew the room looked a little raggedy and I cast a sly glance at him to study his reaction, but his impassive expression gave nothing away. It made me wonder if he came from a background as modest as mine.
“Would you like a drink?” I offered.
“I should probably wait until we get to the restaurant. I don’t think we have time now.” He looked around the room. “So this is your mother’s place?”
“Yes.”
“It’s very cozy.”
I shrugged, thinking about my lack of a bedroom. “A little on the small side, at least for a mother and a daughter. My mother’s out tonight. I’ve been encouraging her to start up her usual activities. She didn’t have a lot of free time while my father’s health was failing. She was afraid to leave him alone too long.”
“How’s she coping with the loss of your father?”
“Pretty good, actually. We were all worried about how she’d handle it, but Mom’s a lot stronger than she lets on. Actually, I think it’s easier on the family when there’s a gradual decline in health; a sudden death can be devastating.” I felt it would be immodest for me to add that I believed my presence helped her.
“I agree. There’s no time to get affairs in order, and survivors often have to scramble to locate an insurance policy or a will to pay funeral expenses.” Aaron fixated those sexy eyes on me. “Tell, me, Emily, do you plan on staying here with your mother permanently?”
Something in his voice suggested he hoped I’d reply affirmatively. As good as it felt to have him interested in me, I didn’t want to lie to him. “I have to say I’m not planning on it. I like Indianapolis. There’s so much going on there. It’s a whole other world from Euliss…unless you count the bad roads, which are about the same.”
“Do you have a room of your own here?”
“No. You’re, uh, sitting on my bed,” I said with a smile.
Instead of looking shocked or embarrassed, he patted the seat cushions with his palms. “It feels comfortable.”
He certainly seemed quick on the draw. I wondered if Aaron ever found himself in a situation where he virtually didn’t know what to say or do. “Actually, it pulls out to a bed. There is a two-bedroom apartment in this building, but I don’t know if it makes sense for Mom to move to a place where the rent is higher when she’d only need it for a few months. Besides, people in this area tend to hold on to apartments like they’re heirlooms. Sometimes they even arrange for family
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