Who am I kidding? I wanted to click my damn heels, too.
Because the man never shies away from physical affection, publicly or behind closed doors. This is so new to me. I guess I always sort of thought that your attraction to someone was a thing people kept private. I definitely was never the kind of girl to wear my desire for a man on my sleeve. But being around this man makes me feel freer about displaying my attraction, too.
My mother is deliriously excited at the prospect of me spending time with him. I had to remind her four times before we arrived that Jude and I are just friends. Although this thing between us definitely feels like ‘more’, we haven’t had that conversation yet and I don’t want to get ahead of myself only to be disappointed.
A few of the Paragons hang around in the sprawling backyard with their wives and girlfriends. I hang back in Jude’s shadow, clutching the bouquet I showed up with as a gift for Faith.
I allow Jude to say hellos and make introductions as we wander through the groups cluttered around the deck and lawn. There’s Knox and Jace, who I met a few weeks back when they showed up on my doorstep. Jace is extra rowdy and potentially wasted while Knox quietly grips his beer and makes hilarious snarky comments low under his breath. The guys are so different personality-wise, but they both make me laugh, so I decide that I like them.
There are a couple other footballers I haven’t met before. They made the trip down from Iowa for a little booze and team-bonding on their weekend off.
Mom finds a food table and sets down the potato salad she showed up with, then she wanders off, always content to do her own thing. I definitely didn’t inherit her peopling genes.
“Who’s your mom talking to?” Jude leans away from his conversation to ask privately into my ear.
I turn to find her in a group with a few older men. She’s clearly the center of attention, flirting and laughing like nobody’s business. I spy the beer bottle in her hand.
“Oh, God,” I groan. “I should have left her in the car.”
I’m only half-teasing. It’s always been like this. I can’t take her anywhere without her hitting on some stranger. She’s at her absolute worst at the grocery store.
I apologize to Jude and the couple we’re chatting with, breaking away from them to go handle my mother. We just met these people and I don’t want mom’s behavior getting out of hand.
But first, I’m gonna need a drink. I make a last minute detour and find the cooler. Just as I’m prying open the lid, a hand falls on my shoulder. “Lily, where have you—”
When I jump and turn to face the gorgeous redhead behind me, her words abruptly cut off.
“Oh, gosh. I’m so sorry. I thought you were Lily.” The woman walks away with a heated blush on her cheeks.
I shrug off the encounter and grab a can of hard lemonade. By the time I’m cracking open my drink, I don’t see my mother anymore. I walk around the yard a bit and finally spot her by the grill, laughing with a new group of guys who aren’t quite young enough to be her sons but definitely aren’t old enough to be my next step-daddies. Jeez, mom.
I only make it a few steps in that direction before I see someone waving at me out the corner of my eye. “Lily!” The guy is headed straight for me, until a few feet away, he halts. “Oh. My bad. From across the yard, you looked like Lily.”
“So, I’ve heard,” I’m left mumbling to myself as the stranger walks off.
Finally, I make it to my mom. Just in time to hear the tail end of a conversation I wish I hadn’t…
My mother lifts her cleavage then puffs up her blonde curls with her hands. “Always in the mood for corn on the cob.” She licks her lips at the guy handling the grilled vegetables. “Al-ways in the mood for corn on the cob.”
The beginnings of a headache crops up between my eyebrows.
The man gives her a confused blink as he hands one her way. “Uh, okay…Butter’s on the table with the condiments, ma’am.”
She notices me approaching and a wide smile dashes across her face. “Iris, meet everyone,” my mom says, sweeping her hand toward the three of four strangers she’s been chatting with. “Everyone, meet my Iris. She’s here with Jude.” I roll my eyes at her insinuation. She’s going to get me in trouble.
I give an awkward smile then squeeze her shoulders, guiding her toward the other side of the deck. “Mother…” I hiss sternly in her ear.
A syrupy smile pulls her flawlessly air-brushed face. "Yes, darling?"
"Remember that little discussion we had this morning? About—y’know—sexual harassment and such?”
She rolls her eyes like I’m the annoying parent in this scenario.
“I heard there’s apple cobbler inside. Why don’t we grab a slice?” I coax her, pushing her forward.
I catch sight of Jude, hanging out in the shade of an old oak tree with some of his teammates. He’s laughing and talking animatedly, the center of attention.
Our eyes meet, and even in the midst of all the attention he’s getting, he takes a moment to grin and send me a wink. I blush.
He’s regained so much of his confidence since that last doctor’s appointment. I love seeing it. Those smiles of his are real now, not just put-on to appease the crowd.
A group of women watch us shamelessly as we pass by. “Damn, girl. You really look like my friend, Lily,” one of them shouts.
“Uh. Yeah,” I mumble, rushing my mom into the house before she makes another one of her comments.
I can’t help but wonder who in the world this Lily is. We must really look alike if I’ve been mistaken for her three times in a twenty-minute span. It may be strange, but
