Page 77 of Never Date A Player
She spreads mayo on the bread and adds ham and lettuce, then cuts the olives into tiny slices and places them on top. I cringe. “Yep, but a lot of programs offer online courses. Maybe you can take them during the winter months.” She cuts her sandwich in half and takes a bite.
“I’ll look into the online stuff.” I watch her leerily. “Good?”
She grins, knowing how much I hate her olives.
Switching schools isn’t the easiest path to take at this point in the game, but easy and safe are overrated. I’m tired of easy. I want meaningful and happy.
Chapter Twenty-Six
A quick Internet search shows that UNR does in fact offer online graduate courses. Not everything I’d need for a degree, but enough that I could take classes from home during winter and the rest in Reno over the warmer months.
I call enrollment and explain my situation. They provide me with information for several professors. I’ll need one to sponsor me to gain acceptance into the program. Given most have already selected students to work on their projects, it might be a challenge.
I leave messages with the professors and speak with all five the next day. Four out of the five can’t take on another student, but the fifth professor specializes in brain and cognitive science. He needs graduate assistants for a computer facial-recognition study. I participated in something similar for an internship at Dawson. It was one of the most interesting projects I worked on as an undergrad.
The professor says he’d be willing to take me on if my transcripts and test scores meet program requirements, but he doesn’t think it will be a problem given my undergraduate school. Everything is coming together and it feels like fate. If I could only get Blue to switch me from a temporary, full-time position to a permanent, part-time shift without Drake around, everything would be perfect.
I need to follow up on the sexual harassment claim. It’s been too long without word.
I lie on my bed, excited about the graduate work I’m about to embark on and contemplating who to talk to about shift requests—when my mother walks into the bedroom.
I sit up. “Mom, what are you doing here?”
She drops a large white snakeskin bag on the floor and kicks off green studded heels, then climbs on the bed. “Scoot over. I’m rooming with you for a few days until Fred returns from his trip. He’s meeting me for the mudder race.”
She’s picking now to be an attentive mother? “You can’t just show up unexpected and sleep in my bed.”
“Why not?” Her face hardens. “As much as you’d like to trade me in for a new one, I’m the only mother you’ve got and I love you more than anything in the world. Stop ignoring me.”
I leap off the bed. “You betrayed me!”
“How? By trying to protect you? Too bad! Mothers make mistakes.” She lets out a breath and her voice softens. “I’m sorry, Gen. The moment Jeb asked to be a part of your life, I should have told you about him.”
She crosses her legs like we’re two girlfriends having a chat. In some ways, she has acted like a sister more than a mother. But she’s right about one thing. I never doubted her love.
I lie back down and stare at the ceiling. She moves near and cuddles in close, and I let her. “I spoke to Simone,” I say. “I don’t know what you went through when you had me, as I’ve managed to successfully use birth control.” I glare at her and she rolls her eyes. “But I understand that not all decisions are easy to make and you did your best.”
“Genevieve.” She grabs my hand and holds it between both of hers. “I dated a lot of men after your dad—not for money. Good grief, I can’t believe you thought that. Your father hurt me when he left and I wanted to forget him, even while I still loved him. Especially because I still loved him. I let my pain influence my choices. Jeb’s new wife is much calmer, and that’s good.” She grins. “I had too much salsa for his taco.”
“Gross, Mom.”
“But you are the best part of us and I will always be grateful he gave me you. I’m sorry you’ve paid for my mistakes. I can’t say I’ll never make more, but I’ll never keep anything from you again.”
I nod and we hug for a long moment. I’m still pissed at how she handled things, but she loves me and I love her. I’ll get over it.
She sits up, her expression cautious, but happy. “On that note, I know I’ve joked about Fred and I being married, but I’m sincere when I say we are getting married. After the mudder, in fact. It’s all set up and I want you to be by my side.”
I raise my eyebrows. “You’re serious? Isn’t that a little fast?”
She rolls her eyes. “Now who’s the parent? Fred and I have been together for two years.”
“True. Why do it up here, though?”
“Lake Tahoe is beautiful, and we wanted to be near you. I don’t need anything fancy, just my daughter there. For the first time in my life I’m in a healthy relationship with a man I love, who loves me in return. Fred can be across the room working on a New York Times crossword puzzle, and for some reason that makes me happy—just having him there. Not because I’m lonely, but because he gives me peace. It’s the only way I can explain it. Romantic love is complicated, sometimes elusive, but I’ve found it with him. He’s a good man.”
“I know.” She cocks an eyebrow. “I’ve known for a while. I like Fred and I’m happy you found a good guy.”
She draws me close. “I love you, honey. I’d like for us to be a family. Fred, Jeb, Simone, their daughter?—”
