I pull her arms off me. “You know my mom is standing right here?”
“Yes.” She grins. “She gave me the go-ahead to call you that. In fact, she insisted.”
In the space of a day, Mom and Kate seem inseparable. I don’t understand why. Kate is great, but I made it clear that nothing would happen between us. At least, nothing else would happen between us.
Mom clears her throat, raising her eyebrows at me. I shake my head, forgetting that Morgan and her dad are standing beside me.
“Morgan, Max, please meet my friend Kate, and of course, my mom,” I say, toning down the enthusiasm.
“Mom, Kate… this is Morgan, my uh... girlfriend.” I gulp.
Morgan’s eyes widen. I don’t know what compelled me to call her that.
Kate extends her hand, shaking Max’s first, then reaching out to Morgan. I notice that Morgan’s withdrawn, and appears quieter than usual. She has that same expression on her face from when I first had that meeting in her office.
“I’m so happy to finally meet you. Noah’s told me so much about you,” Kate mentions happily.
“Interesting,” she says, monotone. “He never talks about you.”
There’s an awkward silence. Of course, I don’t talk about her. What’s there to say? We’re friends, that’s it. I don’t understand Morgan’s abrupt change of attitude. Beside me, Mom has struck up a conversation with Max, leaving the three of us alone as they walk toward where Lex is cooking.
Kate looks at me, raising her eyebrows. “It really is nice to meet you. I’m going to grab a drink. The good stuff is inside. Aunty Kate needs some grownup drink to get through the game of hide and seek that’s just about to start.”
She offers for Morgan to join her, but she refuses. Coming off rude and snobbish. With her dad walking back toward us, it allows me to excuse myself for a moment to head to the house. Both Mom and Charlie are in the kitchen, preparing some snacks for the kids.
“Mom,” I call. ?
??I need your help.”
“What have you done now?” she’s quick to question.
“Nothing... at least, I don’t know. Morgan’s acting weird all of a sudden and I want to ask her why but she’s with her dad. Can you distract him again, so I can pull her aside?”
“I noticed she seems introverted.”
“She’s normally not like that,” I say in her defense. “She just met Kate and then got all weird.”
Charlie and Mom look at each other, both of them with smiles on their faces like I’m missing out on their private joke.
“Noah,” Charlie says. “She’s probably jealous. I know you and Kate are really close, as in friends, but for those that don’t know that you guys look like a couple.”
“But we’re not.”
“I know that. Kate knows that. Women can be finicky. I can try to talk to her if you want?” Charlie suggests.
“No, I should probably try to fix this.” I sigh.
This, here, is why I don’t do relationships. Factoring in someone else’s emotions is draining. I walk outside and find them again. This time, Mom comes to my rescue, following with a plate of snacks, offering them to Morgan and her dad. Max continues to make more small talk with Mom, some joke about cheese which gives me a moment to pull Morgan aside.
“Thank you for coming today and meeting my family and friends.” I wrap my hand around her waist, pulling her close to me. I want her now.
“Your family is really nice, Noah.”
“And my friends?” I laugh.
“I’ve only met Kate, she seems nice.” And there’s that odd tone again.
“She is nice. But she’s only a friend, Morgan, nothing more.”