She smiles. “I am excited, but I worry about you being here alone.”
Tell her.
Instead, I try to reassure, “I have friends so don’t worry.”
She rolls her eyes, shaking her head. “Your only friends are Aiden and his soon to be wife.” Narrowing her gaze, she adds, “Although there is Diego. He’s a good guy and was great company at dinner the other night. I think he’s lonely. There’s Kasey as well.” She pauses. “I know the last time you went to the bar with them Diego ended up in hospital, but no reason why you can’t do that again. Perhaps a different bar this time.” Andie shrugs and slips her arm through mine. “Let’s go and pay for these things and then have lunch.”
Smiling, Andie leads me to the checkout and while we pack everything up, I tell her, “Don’t think you’re off the hook yet. I want to know why the sudden interest in Italian cooking, and I’ll know if you’re lying to me.” I laugh at the sudden blush on her face. “Hmm.”
I quit teasing her and walking out of the store I hear my name being shouted. So turning, I watch Kasey jog toward us.
“Hey, where are you off to?” he asks, looking between us. He reaches for our heavy bags. “I’ll put these in your car.” Before either of us can answer his original question, he’s heading toward our parked car. I fumble with the key fob before finally releasing the locks.
We catch up to him when he’s just closing the trunk. “Thank you. We’re just about to head off to get something to eat. You’re more than welcome to join us.” I smile and raise a brow while waiting his answer.
He pauses, maybe surprised by my offer. “You’re sure that you don’t mind me joining you.” Glancing over my shoulder to Andie, he adds, “It’s okay with you?”
“Kasey, you’re invited to lunch. Trust me, she won’t give up until you say yes, so please save us the next ten minutes,” Andie jokingly rants, turning to walk toward the restaurant.
I roll my eyes. “Always so dramatic, daughter.”
“Yes, mother.” She laughs, turning to look over her shoulder and waiting for Kasey and I to catch up to her.
“You okay?” Kasey whispers for my ears only.
“Yes of course, why?” I frown at Kasey and he won’t meet my gaze. “Kasey?”
“Don’t worry about it.” He avoids eye contact, brushing off my enquiry.
“Well, I am going to worry now. Diego’s okay, right? Or is it something else?” I ask, worried.
“He’s fine.” Kasey wraps an arm around my shoulders. “Look, I saw Mom leave the store in a temper and when I glanced inside I saw you standing there looking…upset. I followed Mom and she was livid.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“I know that, Rae. Trust me, I know what my mom is like right now, so I know you wouldn’t have said anything to tick her off. I just don’t know how to handle her because this isn’t her, you know? Diego tried talking to her this morning, which probably didn’t help when she saw you in the store. Neither of us know how to handle her right now, scrap that, none of us really know how to manager her at the moment. I think Diego is going to talk to Dad and find out if there’s anything else going on with her.” He squeezes my shoulder lightly, offering what comfort he can give. “Just stand by Diego, okay? Don’t let her scare you away because that would break Diego’s heart.”
“I don’t have the strength to walk away from him.” I’m honest. “He's in my heart, Kasey. It hurts so much that your mom won’t give me the time of day. I can’t even rationalize why she would hate me so much. I mean, I know when I first arrived here there were a few misunderstandings because of my friendship with Aiden, but I haven’t done anything other than fall in love with her son.”
Kasey stops and tugs me to a sudden stop. “You love him?”
With a shy smile, I admit, “With all my heart.”
We stare at each other for what feels a long time, but it’s really only seconds when Andie interrupts, “Will you two stop whispering to each other. It’s rude.”
“I hope to find that one day,” Kasey admits before turning his attention to Andie. “Sorry… We are being rude.” He smiles and taking Andie by the arm, leads her inside the restaurant with me following at a much slower pace.
My daughter is always so animated around Kasey, which makes me wonder if he’s the object of her Italian cooking fascination, until I hear Kasey admit to Andie, “I’m not all that keen on pasta. I’m more of a pizza guy when I’m not watching what I eat.”
Okay…So not Kasey then.
“So when you’re training, no pizza, huh?” She asks, making conversation.
“None,” Kasey confirms. “Lots of protein and carbs. The healthy ones.”
Kasey holds the chairs out for us before taking his seat. “So Andie,” he starts, “you got a boyfriend at college?”
I pause in surprise with the water glass close to my lips and stare at my daughter. She looks like a deer caught in the headlights. Though I’m tempted to come to her rescue, I don’t because I’m really interested in this conversation, more so because it’s Kasey who started it.