Page 392 of Dark Love

I laugh. My mom was the one who suggested I go to this convention in the first place.

“Are you even going to speak to a single man all weekend?”

Possibly. Probably. Maybe. “Definitely.”

“A man that’s single and not trying to sell you something?”

Less likely. “Out of professional courtesy, most of them won’t.”

“Dahlia Prudence Fleur, you need to get out of your house. I bet you’ve already got your pajamas on and a book sitting on the table next to you.”

It’s a good book. “Guilty as charged.”

“You drive me out of my mind. Why did you even move to Urbium if you aren’t even going to try to meet new people?”

In the last couple of weeks, I’ve met more new people than I need to for a good long while. Not that I want to tell Mom about any of them. But I have to give her something or I’ll never hear the end of it. The question is who do I tell her about? Someone who can handle a full-on overprotective mother attack without blinking…MAX. “I’ve made friends.”

“Oh really. What is her name?”

And into the dark… “He’s a neighbor.”

“You have a boyfriend.”

“If by that you mean a friend who is a man, yes.” I roll my eyes. Though I might have a boyfriend soon. Boy isn’t really an accurate description of Vex.

“Is he single?”

“Very.” Not for long if Hope has anything to say about it.

There’s a lengthy pause on the other end of the phone. Is Mom taking a sip of her tea or hyperventilating? Probably a little of both. “Mom, he’s just a friend.”

“You’re talking to a single man.”

“He’s my neighbor, Mom.” She’s already taken this way overboard, just like I knew she would.

“You’re talking to a single man.”

And I need to defuse this. “A single father, with an almost adult child.”

“Becoming a grandmother instantly would be wonderful. When are you seeing him next?”

“Mom, I’m not marrying him.”

“You know how hard it is to get a reservation at the country club. I’ll see what’s available and put a deposit down this week.”

“Mom! We’re just friends.” What did I get myself into? This isn’t helping.

“When are you seeing him next?”

Um… I need to lie. Except I can’t lie to my mother. Not only am I terrible at it, but she always knows.

“When are you seeing him?”

“Probably tonight,” I mutter into my tea.

“TONIGHT!” Her screech is loud enough to be heard down the street. “You’re sitting there in your pajamas talking to me when you’re going to see a man. Have I taught you nothing? A man appreciates when a woman takes care of her appearance. You don’t let a man see you in your pajamas—and even then it’s only the sexy ones, not the fuzzy things you wear now—until you’re married. Don’t let him see you at your weakest until he’s thoroughly hooked.

Vex hasn’t ever seen me at anything but my worst. “Mom, Max is my friend. He doesn’t care what I look like.”

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