Natalie held on tight, breathing in the scent of her daughter, reveling in the feel of their embrace. "Cassie, honey, I missed you."
"Me, too, Mom."
Pulling back, Natalie brushed the long hair from Cassie's left cheek. She'd lost that innocent high-school demeanor, the look of a flighty senior ready to move away. In its place was a college student, more mature and self-sufficient. "You've changed."
"No way."
"Yes, you have. You look…different."
"I'm tired. I didn't sleep well last night, too excited to come home, I guess."
Sarah hugged her niece. "The girls have been asking about you."
"I brought them something. It's in my suitcase—if it made it here. O'Hare was crazy. We almost missed our flight"
Natalie presented her daughter with the white flowers, giving her a buss on the cheek. Her skin felt smooth and warm beneath her lips.
"They're beautiful." Cassie breathed in the fragrance.
"Are you going to introduce your friend?" Sarah questioned.
"Austin, come here. I want you to meet my mom and my aunt!"
It was then that Natalie homed in on the boy standing three feet away from them. He wasn't exactly a boy. He was a young man, twenty years old. Call it a mother's instinct, but Natalie didn't get a good feeling about him from the outset.
The photos had been correct; now seeing him in real life, Natalie's premonition was correct.
He had too much product in his hair which was a dull brown color. The style seemed greasy. His eyes were gray like fog, the eyebrows above flat and thick. A smile curved on his mouth, his teeth marginally crooked, but not overly so. His face was pleasant enough if she were being generous. But the fact remained Natalie didn't think he was good enough for her daughter. That conclusion was hammered home when she noted the sleeves on his plaid flannel shirt had been rolled up, revealing forearms colored with tattoos.
"Mom, this is my boyfriend—Austin Mably."
Boyfriend? Did Cassie have to call him that?
Cassie had never had a serious steady in high school, and that pleased Natalie. Her daughter was in-volved in school activities, big groups and sports. Barely four months had passed since she'd started at Columbia College Chicago. That seemed so soon to land a boyfriend, much less bring him home for Christmas.
Natalie stiffly extended her arm to Austin's outstretched hand. "Hi, Austin."
"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Goodwin."
"Natalie," she clarified before she thought better of it. She had to give him credit for addressing her respectfully, but she hadn't thought of herself as a missus in quite some time.
"This is my aunt, Sarah," Cassie said.
Sarah said, "So, your mom told me you two met at orientation."
"We didn't like each other at first." Austin scratched the light bristles of beard. Certainly not a day's growth—more like a few days'. "I thought she was too country for me."
Natalie stood taller. "Idaho isn't the country."
"He thought Idaho was where Iowa is." Cassie's laughter was soft.
If it hadn't been a common mistake, Natalie might not have nodded. "Where are you from?" she questioned Austin.
"Minneapolis."
"Not exactly New York City." There was a slight bite to her remark. Sarah caught it and nudged her with her shoulder. Natalie was wishing that she could rewind the moment and watch Cassie come toward her again, only this time, without Austin in the background.
"I'm not much for New York." Austin settled his hand on Cassie's shoulder. "I like Chicago."
Her daughter's face lit up as if it had been illuminated by a host of holiday lights. A stab of jealousy worked through Natalie, leaving a bitter taste in her mouth. She didn't want to share her daughter, not now. Not this Christmas. It was going to be difficult enough with Greg taking their daughter for half her stay.
"Well…1 guess we should get your luggage," was all Natalie could think to say.
As they walked to baggage claim, Cassie snuggled next to Natalie, hooking her arm through hers. In a low voice she said, "I want you to like him. Give him a chance, Mom. Please."
Natalie kept her gaze straight, her throat tight while her pulse beat at the base of her throat. "Honey, I've reconsidered the issue of your Visa card. I'll extend your limit."
"You will? Thanks, Mom."
"I just thought maybe it would be something to make you feel happier."
"But I am happy."
"I mean like…happier about your life in school. Maybe refocus on the schoolwork."
"My grades are doing okay."
Panic momentarily held Natalie. "Just 'okay'? Cassie, I really don't think—"
"Mom, not now." Cassie squeezed her arm, smiling up into Natalie's face. "We just got here. I have to call Dad."
"Dad?"
"Austin's staying with Dad, remember? Unless you say it's okay to stay with you?" Hope raised her voice an octave. "I never asked because I thought for sure you'd say no. But, Mom…would you?"
"Let him stay in the same house as us, you… and me? Cassie, now, I don't think that's a good idea."
"I didn't think you would, which is why I didn't ask.
But modern moms are cool with it, you know. My friend in art history—her mom is letting her boyfriend stay in her bedroom with her."
"Not a chance. At the very most, he could sleep on the foldout bed in the den."
"Oh, thanks, Mom!" Cassie stopped, kissed Natalie's cheek and then turned to Austin. "Change of plans. My mom said you can stay at her house with me—but in the den."
Stunned, Natalie's jaw dropped. In a half daze perpetuated by the events of the past few minutes, she replied, "I…1 hope you'll be comfortable."
"Thank you, Mom." Cassie kissed her cheek. "Love you."
"Love you, too." Natalie gave her only child a sideways glance.
Then she let her gaze stray to Austin whose gait was slightly shuffled, his hands shoved into the pockets of his overly baggy jeans. He grinned at her, startling Natalie. She was helpless to do anything but smile in return, all the while thinking she should have upped that Visa limit when Cassie first asked.
Chapter Four
-Off Clearance Days
Kim and Parker didn't show up for the
