Page 60 of The Love We Make

Austin shakes his head. “Stone-cold sober. She told me she made a huge mistake and asked if she and I could meet. To catch up and talk about… things. Is she completely delusional?” He glares at me. “Nothing happened, right? When you went to meet her at that bar?” He rakes his gaze over me from head to toe. “I don’t know. There’s something different about you tonight. It’s not her, is it?”

“If there is, it has nothing to do with Cathy.” I boil some water for a cup of tea. Two years of nothing, and all of a sudden my ex is back, and I slept with Nora Levine. “I’ll make sure she doesn’t contact you again.”

“I told her that myself. Don’t get in touch with her. I’ll warn the girls they might get a call from her. Tell them not to pick up.”

“That’s very sweet of you.”

“Yeah, but seriously.” He tilts his head. “I can’t put my finger on it, but… I don’t know. I’m probably imagining things.” I’ve often wondered if my son and I aren’t too close—that I can read him like an open book is only normal because I’m his mother, but it shouldn’t be like that the other way around. “Unless there’s something you’d like to share.” He bats his lashes.

I’m in two minds about telling him. It’s still so early and this is Nora Levine we’re talking about. I’m not sure he can handle the information. On the other hand, do I want him to find out from Juan instead of me? But if I do tell him, I can’t ask him to keep it a secret from his sisters. Or can I? Maybe Nora was right, and this is more complicated than I thought.

“Mom?” The kettle boils. “You’re being awfully quiet.”

“Let me make the tea and then we’ll talk.”

By the time I sit, the huge expectation is visible on Austin’s face.

“Who is it, Mom?” Clearly, he has no idea.

“Listen, darling, the thing is that I shouldn’t be telling you anything yet because it puts way too much pressure on something that is only in the very early stages and delicate and fragile—”

“Mom.” This is my son I’m talking to. “You’re killing me.”

“I’ve been, um, seeing Nora and yesterday, things got more serious very quickly.”

His brow furrows. “Nora? Nora Levine?” He says it as though I just told him I’m dating the pope or someone else completely inconceivable. “Are you and Juan pulling a prank on me? Because Nora doesn’t date. She’s like Jennifer. And even if she did date, why would she…” He scratches his stubble instead of saying what he’s about to say—before insinuating that I’m the very last person on earth he would expect Nora Levine to be involved with.

“I’m telling you because I wanted you to hear it from me. Juan must know by now and I’m sure he can keep a secret, but I’m your mother and it doesn’t feel right to keep this from you, what with you and Juan dating”

“Is this serious?” He sinks back in his chair. “I didn’t notice anything when we were at Nora’s.”

“You’re suffering from a small bout of tunnel vision at the moment, darling.”

“How long has Juan known?” He shuffles in his seat.

“There hasn’t been anything to know before today. I think Nora’s telling him tonight.”

“That’s why he couldn’t make dinner. He had to go see Nora.” He brings his hand to his mouth and shakes his head. “This is humungous news.” His face goes a little pale. “Did you, I mean… I can’t even go there. But you and Nora, it’s, um, sexual?”

“We’re seeing each other, and I think it’s serious.” It’s probably a pretty safe bet because Nora’s not the type to strike up anything not serious with anyone. “I spent the night at her house last night.”

“Mom. Come on. You’re seeing Nora Levine?TheNora Levine? I know we’ve been to her place and it was cozy and wonderful, but it was still out of this world.” He rests his chin on his palms, covering his cheeks with his hands. He looks as flabbergasted as I’ve ever seen him—rivaling that time, more than ten years ago, when he told me he had such a crush on his male lab partner. “Nora Levine likes my mom.”

“I suppose it’s too much to ask you not to tell your sisters?”

“I’m having lunch with Lauren tomorrow,” he says, as though that says it all. As though sitting across from his sister physically makes it impossible not to tell her. “Besides, if I don’t tell them and they find out that I knew all along by the time you’re ready to inform them, they will not be happy sisters. I don’t need that kind of aggravation in my life.” He beams me a smile.

“Look, Nora, she’s… well, as you just said, she doesn’t date a lot. I’m her first in a very long time. Surely, you understand that this whole thing can still go so many ways.”

Austin huffs out some air. “You want me to keep it a secret?”

“I would very much appreciate that. You can talk about it with Juan all you want, but don’t tell your sisters yet, darling. Do it for Nora.”

“I can keep a secret for Nora.” He slides his hand in my direction. “And for my other favorite person in the world. I get it, Mom. I don’t want to be the one to screw this up for you.” He gives my hand a quick squeeze. “I might have to skip Sunday brunch, though. I’m strong, but not that strong.” He chuckles.

“Bring Juan. It will distract them.”

“Fuck me, Nora Levine is going to be my stepmom.”

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