His eyes hold mine. “The most beautiful woman in the world.”
My stomach does a somersault and I try to wipe the goofy grin from my face.
“Oh, let me speak to her,” his mom pleads.
He laughs out loud and I know it’s because we are drinking this champagne like water. “No way, you will scare her off.” He laughs.
“Oh, Stace.”
I hold my hand out for the phone and he shakes his head. “No,” he mouths.
I open and close my hand out for the phone.
He laughs and shakes his head again.
I stand and walk around to his side of the table and snatch the phone from him.
“Hello.” I smile nervously as I fall back into my seat.
“Hello, dear. You are out with my Stace?” Her voice is warm and loving. Oh, she sounds so nice.
“Yes.” I smile. “I’m a lucky girl.”
This time it’s him who smiles goofily.
“Is he okay? I worry about him so much.”
I fake a smile as my heart drops. She has good reason to worry. He has gotten himself in the shit up to his eyeballs.
“He is wonderful.” I smile. He picks up my hand and kisses the back of it.
Oh God, he is just so…
“Please look out for him, dear.”
Stace rolls his eyes and holds his hand out for the phone.
I smile at his embarrassment. “I will.”
“Promise me.”
I laugh as he tries to snatch the phone back.
“I promise to look out for him.” I laugh. “He’s snatching the phone back from me. Nice meeting you.” I laugh.
“Goodbye, dear. Hopefully you will come meet me in person one day.”
He takes the phone back from me and winds up the conversation, but my mind is still on the meet her in person one day parting. What I wouldn’t give to meet her in person one day.
Reality—the bitch—comes back with a thud. Stop it, it’s just one night. He hangs up the phone and I fake a smile.
He shakes his head as if embarrassed. “Sorry, my mom is…” He hesitates.
“Lovely?” I smile.
He rolls his eyes. “She is always worrying since Justin.” He cuts himself off as his face falls.
“Since Justin what?