Page 29 of Up All Night

“Ms.,” she corrected him with a flirty smile, holding his hand for a beat too long.

My mom had no shame. He might be sixteen years younger than her, but age in either direction had never stopped her. His designer suit and shoes screamed rich boy, and that was all she cared about.

He let go of her hand, looking slightly uncomfortable.

And that right there was why I hadn’t wanted my mom to meet him. It was embarrassing enough when this happened with random men we met in public, but this was my neighbor, someone I knew. A guy who I, for some reason, didn’t want knowing that my mom was a floozy. Whether I wanted to admit it or not, I didn’t want West thinking less of me. He already thought I was loud and inconsiderate, and I didn’t want to add possible gold-digger or cougar to the list.

“Ms. Parker,” he repeated.

“Why haven’t you told me about this handsome neighbor of yours, Halle?” she said to me but stared at West like she was a lion and he was her prey.

The way she looked at him turned the knots in my stomach to a throbbing pain, a feeling I couldn’t put a name to.

“Probably because he’stoo youngfor you,Mom,” I bit out, smiling to help cover the awkwardness and my distaste.

How embarrassing was it that my mom was blatantly coming on to West, a guy my age?

My mom’s bubbly laugh bounced off the walls, her hand dismissing my comment with a wave. “Oh, honey, not for me, silly. For you.”

My cheeks flamed at her response, which seemed loud enough that I was sure the entire apartment building had heard her.

Ugh, no.

Had she really just said that? I had thought my mom flirting with West in front of me was bad enough, but her basically telling him I was desperate to have a guy in my life—when I was not—was way worse.

I tried to smile to ease my embarrassment. It didn’t matter to me anyway what West thought of me. “First of all, I don’t need a man. And second, I don’t need help finding a guy—”

“Now that’s not true,” my mom cut me off and turned to West. “It’s been so long since Halle’s been on a date. The last guy she dated did a real number on her and—”

“Okay, Mom,” I interrupted loudly. “That’s enough. Remember, we need to get going. That burger isn’t going to wait forever.” I started to push her around West and toward the stairs.

I didn’t miss seeing the amused expression on West’s face throughout the whole exchange. “I’m glad I got to meet you, Ms. Parker.” His full smile was on display. “Enjoy your dinner.” His eyes shifted to me, and I could see the mischief in them. “Oh, and Halle? We’re still good to drive together to the gym tomorrow morning, right?”

My mom’s eyes lit up at his words, his goal accomplished.

I wanted to smack the victorious expression off his handsome face, but I smiled instead. “Yep. Try not to be late this time.” It wasn’t my best attempt at getting a jab in, but it was all that was coming to me right now since we’d been two minutes late today because of my car situation.

The mischief I’d seen earlier in his eyes turned to silent laughter. “You could help make sure I wake up on time by talking to me through our vents like you sometimes do at night.”

Now my mom was smiling like the Cheshire Cat.

It was official. The entire dinner conversation with my mother would be about how I should date West, and I had a feeling he knew it. The arrogant jerk.

“That’s one idea,” I said through gritted teeth.

His grin widened. “I hope you beautiful ladies have a good night.”

“You, too,” my mom cooed. “I hope we run into each other again soon.”

“Me, too,” he said before looking at me and giving me a wink.

My eyes widened, and I was pretty sure I looked like a deer in headlights. Had he just winked at me? What game was he playing at? And why in the world had that simple, if slightly cheesy, gesture given me butterflies?

11

West

Isat at a table in the corner, sipping on my drink, as I had been, for the past fifteen minutes, staring out over the crowded bar. Cannon had suddenly wanted a different drink when he’d seen a pretty redhead ordering herself a drink at the bar. He was now blatantly flirting with her, and she looked as if she was enjoying every minute of it.

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