Page 32 of The Sweet Part
“It just sounds weird coming from you.”
“It’s obvious. No wonder you’re a fan of his car show.”
I walk outside, hoping she doesn’t see the flush to my cheeks. She joins me. The pink Cadillac makes a slow turn around the building. Mason’s pointing and talking, giving Sophie more of the tour.
“He’s good with her,” she says.
“He’s just being polite.”
She gives me a searching look. “If you want me to look after Sophie so you two can go out—”
I put a hand up. “It’s not like that.”
“Okay, okay. Though I’m not sure why not.”
“I’m just not ready for dating. The one time I tried was a disaster. I take that as a sign that I’m not meant for a relationship.”
She gives me a sympathetic look. “Rick set the bar high.”
“Exactly. Besides, I’ve got too much going on right now to juggle one more thing.”
She smooths my hair back. “I know you’re busy, honey, and I know you miss Rick. We all do. But there are people who make your load lighter instead of adding to it.”
I think about Mason doing all those repairs for free, taking a big weight off my shoulders so I could focus more on the fun part of decorating the rooms and figuring out marketing ideas.
The pink Cadillac appears again. Mason backs it into the bay, gets out, and tosses the keys on the counter.
Sophie pops out of the car. “It’s like riding in a boat! It glides.”
Mason gestures toward the showroom. “Would you like to go inside?”
“Sure,” I say. “We always see it on the show. You must sell every car that’s on TV.”
He grins. “We do. Best advertising, and they pay us to do the show.”
“That’s a good deal,” I say.
Mason holds open the interior door from the bay to the showroom, and Sophie races through. Mom and I follow at a slower pace.
While Sophie rushes from car to car, peeking in all the cars’ windows, Mom takes the opportunity to interrogate Mason. Good thing I didn’t chase after Sophie. Now I can control the conversation before she shares too much about me.
Mom smiles serenely before saying sweetly, “So, Mason, where did you grow up? I don’t recall seeing you or your family before.”
“Right here in Eastman.”
Drawing him in before the kill.
“Mmm, that explains it,” Mom says. “I know most of the kids who went through the Clover Park school system. And how do you feel about your mother, do you have any sisters, and do you have a criminal record?”
Whoa! Too far.“Mom! You can’t accuse him of being a criminal.”
Mom leans toward Mason, speaking in a conspiratorial tone. “May’s dad was the chief of police, so it’s best to know these things up front. I do believe in redemption.”
Mason opens his mouth, but nothing comes out.
Kill me now. Also, since when has Mom been cool with me dating a former criminal? Is she that determined for me to find someone? I bet it’s because Alice and Charlie are blissfully happy together, always laughing and talking about their latest travel adventure. Not that I’m jealous. It’s just an unfair comparison.
“Dad’s retired,” I tell Mason.
