Page 130 of The Wild Card

Jesus. My mom is moving in with this tool? And I’m supposed to help her? He’s really not making a good impression here.

Hmm…I’m wondering if there’s a way to shove a handful of dead leaves in his mouth and make it look like an accident…

But Troy keeps keepin’ on, smiling like he’s on top of the world and talking about my mother to me like she’s not even here. It’s weirder thanweird.

He plants a slobbery kiss on the side of Mom’s face and it makes her flinch. “Prettiest girls in town,” he says again, looking between Nadia and my mother. “We’ve got it all, man. Two beauties. These ladies are both some sexy cougars. Yours a workaholic, too?”

I feel my girl stiffen in my arms. That’s it. Enough.

“Nadia is amazing at her job. And it makes her happy so it’s all good with me. And for the record, sitting around and talking down about an accomplished woman and her achievements—in the third person, like she’s not even there—only makes you look like a tool.”

Troy’s face falls.

I ease to my feet and extend a hand to my wife. “Let’s head back down the trail, shall we?”

Looking embarrassed, Mom rises and heads off with Troy on her heels, back down to the parking lot. They’re bickering quietly as they go, and that only makes me mad. Why is she putting up with this crap?

“Thanks for defending me back there,” Nadia says quietly to me. “I was just about to lose my cool and tell him off. Then later, I would have felt so bad for losing my shit in front of your mother.”

“Yeah, I should have put him in his place sooner,” I grumble.

“Are you okay?” My wife whispers, gripping my hand.

“Christ. My mom can do so much better,” I grit out, leaning down by Nadia’s ear.

My mother’s taste in men may be questionable, but she’s an amazing woman.

“I one hundred percent agree.” Nadia grimaces and squeezes my hand again.

When the four of us get back down the hill, Troy suggests that we drive to a nearby café and have hot drinks. But me? I’m just about done with this double-date. I decline the offer and Nadia looks relieved by my side.

Nadia and Mom exchange phone numbers to meet up one-on-one sometime soon.

As I’m hugging Mom goodbye, she gives me a tired look. “Oh, the movers are coming on Saturday morning. It was the only time I could book them. If you’re not available then, I can ask one of your brothers or…”

I lower my eyes to hers. “Mom,seriously?!Thatguy?” I glance over her back to where Nadia awkwardly waves to Troy and ducks into the car when he tries to move in for a hug.

Mom’s lips turn down knowingly. “Harry. Don’t. Please.”

I hold her gaze for a long moment. I know I won’t change her mind. “Fine,” I huff out eventually.

“Thank you,” she says, her blue irises full of doubt.

I kiss her on the forehead and watch her get into Troy’s car, waving at me from the window.

42

NADIA

“Ineed a shower and copious amounts of water.” I limp alongside Harry as we move from the free weights section to the cardiovascular area of the gym. I lift my arm to drag it along my sweaty forehead. I get a whiff of myself and—oh, oh. “And a couple fresh swipes of deodorant.”

He grabs me by the waist and pulls my back against his front, causing me to stumble into his chest. “I told you you don’t have to push yourself so hard. The first day back at the gym after an extended time-off can be hard.”

“Nuh-uh,” I tell him. “I desperately need to get back in shape. With all those positions you twisted me into last night, I need to be limber to do that again.”

We walk, his arm around my neck, my arm around his waist.

“If we’re getting technical, only one sexual partner needs to be doing most of the physical stuff at any given point. I’m good with giving you plenty of rest breaks and doing all that sexy physical stuff for you.”

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