Chapter 49
Anna
"But whycan'twe go?" my mom said.
I gave her a pleading look. "Because I'd feel funny."
She frowned. "You didn't feel funny with Flynn Archer."
She was wrong. I'd felt funny all right, especially at the end. My mom had just suggested going to the steakhouse,of course, even though it wasn't yet noon, and I hadn't mentioned anything about taking her out to lunch.
Mostly, I'd been hoping to catch Becka before she left for class. I made a mental note.Next time, call first.
I tried to smile. "How about this? We'll order takeout. My treat."
"I don't want takeout," she said. "That's for people who can't afford to tip."
Oh, for crying out loud.Until last month, we'd been living off tips, mine from the waffle place, even if they weren't so terrific. Now, we were living off my income from Flynn whether my mom realized this or not.
Oh, she knew that's where I'd gotten my recent influx of cash. But unlike Becka, my mom had no idea that the romance wasn't real or that Flynn was technically my boss. Allsheknew was that Flynn and I had somehow become an item.
Ignoring her ridiculous comment about tipping, I said, "And besides, I just ate."
"So?"
"So…sitting in a restaurant would be kind of silly, don't you think?"
We were standing in what passed for a living room. It was small and shabby like the rest of the apartment. But my mom was dressed like she still lived in a mansion.
Her slacks were creased, and her blouse was stylish – or at least, ithadbeen stylish years earlier when she'd first bought it. For all I knew, it was still stylish. Unlike my mom, I wasn't a big shopper.
She replied, "ButIhaven't eaten."
I glanced toward the kitchen. "If you want, I'll make you something. I mean, there's plenty of groceries, right?"
Her shoulders sagged. "Never mind. Forget I asked." She glanced down. "Even if Iamalready dressed."
True. She was.And it had been forever since we'd gone out.
I gave my mom a closer look. The last few years hadn't been kind to her. Although she never spoke of it, the worry and desperation was etched into her eyes even when she smiled, which these days, wasn't very often.
It was this sad realization that made me relent. "Or, if youreallywant to go out, let's pick someplace different. Like, what about that Italian place you like so much?"
"It's not open for lunch."
"It isn't? Are you sure?"
Her chin lifted. "Well, Iama regular."
This almost hurt to hear. She wasn't a regular, not anymore. By now, she probably hadn't been there in years.
In front of me, she suddenly perked up. "But wait, is Flynn coming?"
"Where?"
"To the restaurant."
"No. Why would he?"
