Page 48 of Fierce-Michael

“I am dating someone,” he said.

“Tell me about her if you’ve got some time.”

He looked at his watch. He was going to Kelly’s tonight. She was cooking for him and she asked if he could spend the night. There was no reason to say no. But he said he’d show up at four and it was only twenty minutes away.

“I’ve got some time,” he said. “Her name is Kelly Gifford.”

“Where did you meet?”

“She works for Cade at Fierce.”

“Oh,” his mother said. “Is this one of Jolene’s things?”

He snorted. “No. Not that either of us are aware of. And we aren’t telling anyone right yet so we aren’t bugged about it.”

The more he and Kelly talked about it, the more he realized that he didn’t want that headache of everyone asking him things or knowing his business.

Even making Jolene comments that he’d heard with other couples that had been set up in the past.

“Alex has no idea?” his mother asked.

“No,” he said. “She’s a little busy right now.”

“True. And a lot of other things on her mind too,” his mother said. “How long have you been dating?”

“A few weeks,” he said. “It’s been a rocky start with all my plans getting canceled.”

“Because of Electra?” his mother asked. “But since you’re going out tonight, how does Kelly feel about everything?”

“She’s good with it. Maybe knowing each other for a few years helped. There weren’t a lot of secrets in the fact that I had custody of Ty.”

“But she didn’t know the events around it?”

“No,” he said. “She knows now. She’s fine with it. No issues.”

“I find that hard to believe,” his mother said. “Everyone has issues.”

He let out a sigh. “They do at some point. I expect if things build up it might come up. Right now, she’s very understanding and I’m trying to make up for it.”

“You shouldn’t have to make up for things out of your control.”

“Mom,” he said. “I appreciate the support and help, maybe not always the advice. But I do have to try harder if I want someone in my life. I’m not kissing ass, but I understand my situation is different and not ideal. Most women would have walked after being canceled twice in a row and then their date being interrupted last Saturday.”

“Which was ridiculous and completely like Electra.”

“I can’t change her. I can only deal with what happens. I wasn’t going to let Ty stay there screaming sharks were going to eat him.”

“Of course not,” his mother said. “I’ve got a spray bottle with peppermint essential oil in it in case it happens here. I might just spray the room down anyway beforehand.”

He rolled his eyes over that but appreciated that his parents played along. “Thanks. No problems again. I don’t have to worry about him watching anything to give him a nightmare here or eating so much junk food he’ll throw up.”

“Never,” his mother said. “Sorry if you feel I nag at times. We just want you happy.”

“You do nag but in the best way possible. I want to be happy too,” he said.

His mother leaned up, then pulled him down, so she could kiss him on the cheek. “Good,” she said. “I’m glad you’re trying and not just out there jumping in bed with women.”

“I don’t need to talk to you about that,” he said. “I didn’t do it before.”

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