Page 39 of Six Wishes

“You are as beautiful as the pictures I saw online,” she leans in closer to me, almost like she’s whispering. “The ones on the beach were so… I mean I know he is my son, but…”

“Mom,” if Van’s tone is anything to go by, he is uncomfortable at a minimum, with a dash of embarrassment in there.

“What?” she turns innocent eyes his way. “You two make such a beautiful couple. I gave all the posts on Insta a heart, and I shared the most flattering one on my Facebook page. All the ladies from my book club were swooning.”

“Mom, that is not a book club you’re in. It’s a drinking club. And I can’t believe you said Insta,” Van shakes his head at his mother.

“What? I thought that’s what kids call it these days. Or is it the Gram now? I heard that too, but it doesn’t sound right to me.” I love the way five foot nothing Mary Boyd teases her giant of a son.

“Kids, Mom,” Van points out the flaw in her statement. “Not moms. And don’t share that shit around. I told you before not to do it.”

Mary puts her fisted hands on her hips and eyes her son with a stormy face. “Well, excuse me for being proud of my son and wanting people to know how accomplished he is. How good of a hockey player he is.” She then looks at me with a bright smile. “What a beautiful girlfriend he has.”

I am almost blushing by the time she’s done with all that. But she is not done.

“I am so happy that he found himself a good girl who lives here at home. I worried myself sick that he’d end up with some famous person who’ll move my boy all across the country,” her hands are holding mine now, and it is almost comical how she has to look up in order to look at me since I am so much taller than she is.

“Okay, Mom,” Van gets in between us and separates our hands. “We got to go now. We got shit to do.”

“Donovan Boyd,” Mary gasps in shock when he gently grabs her elbow and leads her back to her car where he helps her get in and put her seatbelt on.

“I love you, Mom. I’ll call you later. Or tomorrow.” He thinks better of it. “In a couple of days.”

“We’ll do dinner? Bring Chloe?” She’s straight up negotiating with her son now, and I cover my mouth to camouflage my snort.

“Yes, go now.” With a kiss on her cheek, he waves her off, then takes my hand back in his. “Mothers,” he mutters under his breath, but he is definitely just as amused as I am by the whole exchange.

“She seems really nice,” I try to make conversation.

“Chloe,” and I am really preparing myself for another horrible pickup line. “I need you to wait for me in the car,” he explains in a calm voice, and my eyebrows go up in surprise. “I am going to run like a bat out of hell in there and find the biggest box of condoms that I can buy. Then, I am going to hurry back. We are going to rush home as fast as safely possible, and I am going to fuck you until neither one of us is capable to blink, let alone do anything else.”

My lips are parted in surprise, and all I can do is stare at Van as he is staring back. He seems to have so much focus, he knows what he wants to do to the very last second. And picturing him rushing us into his house just so that he can have his way with me is making me embarrassingly hot.

“Minivan or condom, Chlo. What’s your wish? Choose, and fast,” he’s giving me an ultimatum.

I wish for lots of Van time.

I get in the car and wait.

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