and a good thing I still have your spare key.”
He put a clamp down on his anger. “Did you at least try knocking first?”
“Of course. No one answered.”
So she just let herself in. In her world, that probably made perfect sense. She had an issue with boundaries. The issue being that she had none. “That typically means that either no one is home, or whoever is home would rather not be disturbed.”
“Well, lucky for both of us she was still asleep. She didn’t have to wake up to an empty home with an equally empty refrigerator. You’re welcome.”
She meant well, he knew she did, but she still drove him nuts. Although in retrospect, she had a valid point. He should have made sure Lucy had everything she needed before he left. He wasn’t used to being responsible for anyone but himself.
He relented and told his mom, “I appreciate you coming by, but I’ve got it from here.”
“This was a novelty for me,” she said. “It’s not often I get to meet your girlfriends.”
“She’s not—” He shook his head. “Never mind.”
“Tony, sweetheart.” She laid a hand on his chest and patted affectionately, regarding him as if he were still a clueless kid. “Promise me you’ll be patient with her. It’s a very confusing time. She’s going to need all the support she can get.”
A couple of hours with Lucy and she thought she knew her? He’d known Lucy for over a year, and he still had no idea what went on in her head. She was one of the most self-sufficient women he knew, and one of the most insecure. “I appreciate the advice. And I know you mean well, but you don’t even know her.”
“Oh, sweetheart,” his mom said, her smile sad. “I was her. I know exactly what she’s going through.”
Come to think of it, she probably did. And it would be in his best interest to listen to her. “So what do I do?”
“Be there for her. Protect her. And just give her time. She needs you, even if she’s afraid to show it. And for heaven’s sake, take her shopping. She showed up empty-handed. There must be a million things she needs.”
“Like...?”
“Shampoo, deodorant...a hairbrush. And some decent-fitting clothes.”
These were things he should have realized himself. What the hell was wrong with him? Had seeing her again and learning about the baby really zapped him so hard? He was acting like a selfish ass. This was why he avoided serious relationships. He was no good at it. Perhaps because the longest relationship of any kind that he’d had with a woman was with Lucy. It was so...easy. She had her life and he had his and every so often those two worlds would collide. It was a pretty cool arrangement. One that he’d thought was working for the both of them.
His mom to the rescue again.
He lifted her hand off his chest and kissed the back of it. “I will, Mom. I promise. And thank you.”
She smiled and patted his cheek, making him feel six years old. “My good boy.”
That was him, always the obedient son. But maybe it wasn’t so bad this time. She may have driven him nuts from time to time, but her intentions were good. She did it out of love. It was easy to forget that.
“I’m going to go talk to Lucy.”
“And I’m going to go home. Your father promised to take me out to dinner tonight. Call if you need anything.”
“I will.”
After she left he walked to his bedroom, hoping his mother’s visit hadn’t been too traumatic for Lucy. And he was so used to having her around, he didn’t stop to think about her privacy as he opened the door.
Five
T hough she wasn’t typically shy about her body, and Tony had seen her naked more times than she could count, when Lucy turned to see him standing in the bedroom doorway, her hands flew up to cover herself. Her bra and panties covered the essentials, yet for some reason she felt utterly exposed. Then she realized that no one other than the clinic doctor had seen her undressed in the past four months.
What if Tony found her
He put a clamp down on his anger. “Did you at least try knocking first?”
“Of course. No one answered.”
So she just let herself in. In her world, that probably made perfect sense. She had an issue with boundaries. The issue being that she had none. “That typically means that either no one is home, or whoever is home would rather not be disturbed.”
“Well, lucky for both of us she was still asleep. She didn’t have to wake up to an empty home with an equally empty refrigerator. You’re welcome.”
She meant well, he knew she did, but she still drove him nuts. Although in retrospect, she had a valid point. He should have made sure Lucy had everything she needed before he left. He wasn’t used to being responsible for anyone but himself.
He relented and told his mom, “I appreciate you coming by, but I’ve got it from here.”
“This was a novelty for me,” she said. “It’s not often I get to meet your girlfriends.”
“She’s not—” He shook his head. “Never mind.”
“Tony, sweetheart.” She laid a hand on his chest and patted affectionately, regarding him as if he were still a clueless kid. “Promise me you’ll be patient with her. It’s a very confusing time. She’s going to need all the support she can get.”
A couple of hours with Lucy and she thought she knew her? He’d known Lucy for over a year, and he still had no idea what went on in her head. She was one of the most self-sufficient women he knew, and one of the most insecure. “I appreciate the advice. And I know you mean well, but you don’t even know her.”
“Oh, sweetheart,” his mom said, her smile sad. “I was her. I know exactly what she’s going through.”
Come to think of it, she probably did. And it would be in his best interest to listen to her. “So what do I do?”
“Be there for her. Protect her. And just give her time. She needs you, even if she’s afraid to show it. And for heaven’s sake, take her shopping. She showed up empty-handed. There must be a million things she needs.”
“Like...?”
“Shampoo, deodorant...a hairbrush. And some decent-fitting clothes.”
These were things he should have realized himself. What the hell was wrong with him? Had seeing her again and learning about the baby really zapped him so hard? He was acting like a selfish ass. This was why he avoided serious relationships. He was no good at it. Perhaps because the longest relationship of any kind that he’d had with a woman was with Lucy. It was so...easy. She had her life and he had his and every so often those two worlds would collide. It was a pretty cool arrangement. One that he’d thought was working for the both of them.
His mom to the rescue again.
He lifted her hand off his chest and kissed the back of it. “I will, Mom. I promise. And thank you.”
She smiled and patted his cheek, making him feel six years old. “My good boy.”
That was him, always the obedient son. But maybe it wasn’t so bad this time. She may have driven him nuts from time to time, but her intentions were good. She did it out of love. It was easy to forget that.
“I’m going to go talk to Lucy.”
“And I’m going to go home. Your father promised to take me out to dinner tonight. Call if you need anything.”
“I will.”
After she left he walked to his bedroom, hoping his mother’s visit hadn’t been too traumatic for Lucy. And he was so used to having her around, he didn’t stop to think about her privacy as he opened the door.
Five
T hough she wasn’t typically shy about her body, and Tony had seen her naked more times than she could count, when Lucy turned to see him standing in the bedroom doorway, her hands flew up to cover herself. Her bra and panties covered the essentials, yet for some reason she felt utterly exposed. Then she realized that no one other than the clinic doctor had seen her undressed in the past four months.
What if Tony found her
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