Page 34 of The Problem with Dating
Mom had the decency to look abashed. “Gideon, I’m-”
“What’s going on?” Nathan asked from behind her with Sayer coming back from putting the platter and bag on the deck table. “Why’d Echo leave?”
I glanced over at Nate. “When Mom invited her over, Echo had been under the impression that it was going to be a lunch with just the two of them. She wasn’t aware she’d be walking into a Hayes Family gathering.”
Nathan winced, and even Sayer grimaced a bit.
“Gideon-”
I love my mother, and the last thing I wanted to do was hurt her feelings, but what she’d done to Echo was wrong. It was wrong and someone needed to let her know that.
“Mom, I love you, and I’ve never said anything about your meddling before because I’ve always known that it comes from a good place, a place of love. The love you have for me, Sayer, and Nate. But you really overstepped this time.”
“I didn’t mean to upset her, Gideon,” she replied. “Yes, I misled her a bit, but only because I really believe that if you guys spend some time together, you’ll really get along together.”
I let out a deep sigh. “Mom, we’ve already been spending time together,” I informed her. “Me and Nate have been working on her floor and…well, we’ve been spending time together.”
Her eyes widened. “Why didn’t you say anything?”
“Because it’s none of your business, Mom,” I replied. “As much as you hate to acknowledge it, we’re grown men. Our personal lives really are entitled to their privacy.”
“Gideon-”
I looked up and over at my dad. “No, Dad,” I said, cutting him off. “Instead of letting things happen naturally, she set Echo up, and ambushed her, basically lying to her.” I cocked my head. “Am I really just supposed to say nothing when a woman I was hoping to build something with ends up feeling uncomfortable and embarrassed in front of my entire family because my mother lied to her? Really?”
“Gideon, I’m sorry,” Mom whispered. “I didn’t…”
I looked down at my mom. “I’m not the one who’s owed an apology, Mom,” I told her. “Whatever you were trying to accomplish by bringing her here, you’ve probably ruined.”
The look on her face was breaking my heart. “I’ll call her, Gid-”
I shook my head. “While I think you should, let me talk to her first, okay?” I asked. “And Mom?” I eyed her, so she could see how serious I was. “If she decides she’d rather end this thing between us before it even really begins, I expect you to respect that.”
“Gideon, I’m so sorry,” she repeated. “I really am. I…I’ll do better.”
I felt like throwing up.
Mom felt bad, and that was tearing me up inside.
Echo felt embarrassed and that knowledge was eating me alive.
But I knew which situation I had to fix first, and that was Echo. Mom’s turmoil was of her own making, while Echo had been an innocent bystander.
“I gotta go,” I told everyone. “I’ll talk to you guys later.” I turned and headed through the gate towards the front of the house and towards my truck. Just as I was about to shut the driver’s side door, Sayer called out to me.
“Hey, Gid.”
“What?”
“Look, man, I’m sorry about what happened,” he said, the big brother in him coming out.
“Not your fault,” I replied.
“I know, but still…”
I nodded. “I know.”
Nathan came jogging up behind Sayer. “Hey, man, hear me out really quick before you go over to Echo’s.”
