“Can I stay over with Daniella tonight?”
Amanda raised a brow. “You’re going to give up a private bathroomand a bed to yourself to sleep on the floor of your sister’s dorm room?”
Cal lifted a shoulder and looked away. “Yeah.”
“Where’s the party?”
He rolled his eyes and let out an exasperated sigh. “Mom.”
“I’m not saying you can’t go, I just want to know the specifics.”
He sighed again. “It’s Daniella’s roommate’s boyfriend. Wait.Girlfriend? What do you call a non-binary person you’re sleeping with?”
“Um, partner?”
Cal wrinkled his nose. “That sounds super old.”
Amanda pulled through the toll booth and got on the thruway.“Maybe not the thing to say when you’re asking me for something.”
“I didn’t mean you’re old. I meant it sounds like what adults do.Are. You know.”
She did. Giving him a hard time felt like both a right and aresponsibility, though. It kept him in line, but it also gave them rapport, thekind of rapport that would hopefully become the cornerstone of theirrelationship as he became an adult. “I do. So, where do they live?”
“On campus in one of the apartments. It’s going to be superchill.”
She wasn’t sure she’d go that far, but she preferred it tooff-campus or, worse, a frat house. “And how will you get back to Daniella’sdorm after?”
“We can walk. It’s all on campus and there are those blue lightseverywhere.”
She knew the answer, but wanted to make sure he did, too. “Allright.”
“All right I can go?”
He’d be in college on his own soon enough. He might as well get ataste of it under the wing of his serious older sister. “You may. But we’restill leaving at nine and all her things need to be packed up. I have a weddingcake to finish and deliver tomorrow night.”
Cal leaned across the seat and gave her a kiss on the cheek.“You’re the best.”
It was her turn to sigh. She didn’t want to turn back the clock,but moments like this gave her a tiny pang of they grow up so fast. “I know.”
He pushed the button to turn on the radio. “In honor of yourawesomeness, you get to pick the music. What’ll it be?”
She smiled. Control of the radio in the car was a big deal. She’dlost track of the number of fights through the years. It said something that heoffered after she’d already said yes. “Yacht rock all the way.”
He groaned but laughed, then sang along with her to Hall &Oates and Michael McDonald. And in that moment, all felt right with the world.
After picking up Daniella, they headed to the restaurant whereshe’d made reservations. They hadn’t been seated two minutes when her phonepinged. Mel.
Any chanceyou’re doing dinner before the concert?
Amanda frowned at the screen. Justsat down. Why?
Flying soloand would love to join you.
She closed her eyes. Not exactly how she wanted to spend herevening, but not having to see Bella at all would be a perk. And while familydinners had become increasingly rare as the kids grew up, both Daniella and Calloved it when they all sat down together. Roux.We’ll add a chair and order appetizers.
* * *
Amanda basked in parental pride while her kids talked nonstop.The recital had been perfect, with Daniella looking poised and confident aspart of the ensemble performance and during her brief solo. Sure, it wasn’t atthe caliber of what the music majors put on, but the fact that her daughtercould do it while also studying molecular biology? Well, it was more than anymother could ask for.
She dropped Daniella and Cal off with promises to stay safe andbe ready to go in the morning, then headed to her hotel. Maybe she’d order aglass of wine and take it to her room. Now that she wasn’t bunking with Cal,she could take a bath and lounge around in one of those cushy robes. Itshouldn’t, but it made her feel better to know Mel would be spending the nightalone, too.
Mel. She’d been so weird at dinner. The concert, too. Charmingand deferential. Hell, she’d been attentive. Amanda couldn’t remember the lasttime Mel had been attentive to her. Long before the divorce, that’s for sure.She couldn’t decide whether to enjoy it or be suspicious of it.
When she pulled into the garage at the hotel, Mel was waiting,ostensibly for her. Next level weird. Not to mention the sort of gesture thatmade Amanda fall for her in the first place all those years ago. At this point,she had to wonder if Mel was having a rare moment of sentimentality or wantedsomething. Probably the latter. Sentimentality didn’t seem to be in her DNA.Angling? Absolutely.
“Everyone make out okay?”
Amanda shrugged. “I think so. Daniella won’t get into trouble andshe’ll keep an eye on Cal.”
Mel frowned. “You think Cal would get into trouble on his own?”
She didn’t. Not really. But new situations and wanting to be coolcould inspire all sorts of shenanigans. “I’m glad they’ll be together.”
“This is why you were always better at the parenting thing thanme. You know when to tie them down and when to let them free range.”
Classic Mel—shirking responsibility because Amanda was better atit. It was exactly the kind of statement that would have driven her up a treeduring their marriage and the first few years of their divorce. Now that shedidn’t have to depend on Mel for anything, it didn’t bother her as much. “Stillworking the helpless angle, I see.”
Mel slapped a hand to her chest. “You wound me.”
Amanda raised a brow. “I think you’ll live.”
Mel grinned. “You always did know how to keep me in my place.”
She chuckled, more amused by the banter than she would haveexpected. “Someone has to.”
“Would you like to grab a drink? It’s early still.” Mel looked ather with hopeful eyes. Like an eager puppy—cliché but irresistible.
“You and me? At a bar?” Just saying it aloud felt like a badidea.
“Come on. We’re friends at this
