Page 119 of Reckless Harmony

He laughed and leaned over to kiss her pout away. “Are you sure you want to have dinner with her, Rayna? I appreciate you being accommodating, but Mom will understand if I tell her we’re heading straight home.”

“Are you kidding me? Your mom seems like a total hoot. I’m dying to meet her,” she said.

“She’s nothing like me,” he warned. “She’s nice.”

The lightness in his voice had disappeared abruptly, and there was a vulnerability in his gaze that tore at her heart.

She cupped his face in her hands, smoothing his beard with her thumbs as she stared gravely at him. “You’re nice, Isaac. No, scratch that… you’re more than just nice. You’re kind and generous, and you are one of the best people I know. Don’t ever doubt that.”

“Thank you,” he said, his voice a little choked and emotional.

She brushed her mouth against his. “You’re welcome. Now, take me to meet your mother.”

“Are you sure you had enough to eat, Rayna?” Isaac’s mother handed her a cup of tea and then sat next to her on the couch.

“I did. It was delicious. Thank you so much, Mrs. Stark.”

“Oh, darling, I told you, you must call me Angela,” she said, settling into the sofa and smiling at Stark, who sat in an armchair across from them.

Rayna really didn’t know what to expect when she parked in the driveway of Angela’s mid-century modern home, located on the edge of downtown New Cassel. She had a sudden and unexpected bout of nerves as Isaac guided her into the house, his big hand on her lower back, but his mother was right there with a warm smile and hugs for both of them.

She had immediately felt at ease, and dinner had been a delicious chicken stew accompanied by homemade biscuits. She was fascinated by Isaac's close relationship with his mother and loved how kind and respectful they were to each other. They were fond of teasing each other, and Rayna had laughed more than once at their antics.

Angela had a knack for asking questions that didn’t feel nosy or intrusive, and Rayna found herself sharing more than she normally would with someone she’d just met. But Angela’s friendly warmth made it easy to share.

“You have a beautiful home, Angela.” Rayna sipped her tea as she studied the room. They had left the dining room for the comfort of the cozy family room. “I love your decorating style.”

“Oh, you are so sweet,” Angela said happily. “I am enjoying you so much more than the previous girlfriends Isaac has introduced me to.”

“Mom,” Isaac said.

“Sorry, your lady friend who you are currently kissing,” Angela said with a wicked grin, making Isaac sigh loudly.

Rayna couldn’t help but laugh, and Angela smiled at her. “I’m serious, though, Rayna. The fact that you’re actually interested in me and not just eyeing up every piece of art in my house and wondering how much you can sell it for when I kick the bucket is a relief.”

“Mom,” Isaac said. “Lilith was an art dealer. That’s why she showed so much interest in your artwork.”

“Oh, my sweet summer child,” Angela said with a soft smile before turning to Rayna. “Isaac likes to think the best of people. It’s one of his best qualities, and I do love that about him, but it can occasionally get him into trouble. Like with little Ms. - I love your artwork, remind me again how old you are, Mrs. Stark - Lilith.”

“She was not waiting for you to die, Mom,” Isaac said.

Angela stared at him with a raised eyebrow, and Isaac made a noise of defeat. “She wanted me to convince you to move into assisted living and give the artwork to me so she could sell it immediately.”

Rayna’s jaw dropped, but Angela burst into laughter. “I knew it!”

“In my defense,” Isaac said to Rayna, “I broke up with her as soon as she said that.”

“I was only fifty-five and in the middle of a resurgence of my bang everything that moves era that I so enjoyed in my early forties,” Angela said. “I would never have agreed to move into an assisted living facility. The women outnumber the men in those places by a significant margin, and I’m only into men.”

“Oh my God,” Isaac said, his face turning red. “You’re sharing too much, Mom.”

“Am I sharing too much with you, Rayna?” Angela asked.

“Not with her, with me,” Isaac said.

Rayna laughed again as Angela winked at Isaac. “Sorry, sweetheart.”

A sudden gust of wind rattled the windows. With a frown, Isaac stood and crossed to the closest window, pulling up the heavy wooden blind that covered it. “Shit.”

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