Page 26 of Love Deep
“I can’t see how.” I shrug.
“I think the waffles will make you feel better,” Riley says. “I’m feeling better after some of my pancakes. Mom says it’s the sugar.”
I grin at her. “Good advice, Riley.” I dig into my waffles.
“Pancakes and mom snuggles. That’s the secret sauce that always cheers me up.”
I glance sideways at Juniper, and she’s trying not to laugh.
“I’m not sure I qualify for mom snuggles,” I reply. “But these waffles are delicious.”
“Best in the tristate area,” Riley says wisely.
Juniper laughs. “The tristate area? Who made you, kid?”
“You did! And Dad.” Riley’s expression turns sullen. “My dad moved to Orlando with his new family.”
A pang of sadness hits me in my chest. I know that feeling. Everything changing and you not being able to do anything about it. Not knowing if you’re going to see your dad again. It’s all… a lot.
Juniper chews on her bottom lip. “It’s an adjustment,” she says.
“Yeah, I get that,” I say. “My mom and dad got divorced when I was a kid.”
“Really?” Riley asks.
“Really,” I say, trying to keep my voice even. “It takes time, but new becomes old pretty quick.”
“What does that mean?” she asks.
“It means it hurts. And it’s difficult to imagine, but it will hurt less someday.”
Riley shrugs and takes another mouthful of pancakes.
Juniper slides her hand onto my thigh and pats it under the table before going back to her eggs. I’m not sure if it’s a thank-you for trying to make Riley feel better or anI’m sorryyou went through that. Maybe it’s both. It’s nice.She’snice. So’s Riley. Juniper’s not someone trying to make me think she’s one person when she’s actually another. She’s still the beautiful, insightful woman I met. But she’s also a mother.
“Riley, what do you think about me taking your mom to dinner sometime this week?” I ask.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Juniper’s eyebrows rise up into her hairline.
“What, like at Pizza Meet Ya?”
“Pizza Meet Ya?” I ask. “Wow, that’s a mouthful.”
Juniper laughs. “The pizza place on the corner,” she clarifies.
“Maybe,” I say. “Does she like Pizza Meet Ya?”
“She does,” Riley says. “We don’t go very often though.”
I glance at Juniper. Her expression is open and happy. It’s comforting and warm.
“If you’d like to go to dinner, that is?” I ask her.
She nods. “That would be nice.”
“Do you want to be her boyfriend?” Riley asks.
Juniper splutters on her drink and goes to speak.
