Right Number, Wrong Girl

Mum walked further into the room and tilted her head slightly. “How well do you know her?”

Well enough to know what she sounds like mid-orgasm, although I doubted that was the answer she was interested in.

“Relatively.” That was a very careful answer.

“Are you interested in this girl?”

More than I had any right to be.

“I don’t know,” I replied. “I don’t know her well enough to answer that.”

“You just told me you know her relatively well.”

“I do know her relatively well, but not well enough to know if I’m interested in anything more than friendship.”

“Hmph.” Mum sighed. “While I’m here and we’re discussing women you may or may not be interested in—”

“Absolutely not,” I said firmly with a sharp shake of my head.

“Hugo.” She put her hands on her hips. “The Earl of Coventry’s daughter is single and ready to get back out there.”

“And I wish her the utmost success in her quest for love.”

“It would be polite for you to escort Lady Amelia to the party.”

“I will be escorting Grandma to the party.”

“You would be better placed with Lady Amelia.”

“You know as well as I do that protocol dictates I escort Grandma as the eldest single male and she a widow.” I put my phone screen down on the cushion next to me as it buzzed. “Why don’t you ask Henry to escort Lady Amelia instead?”

“Because I think the two of you will get along.”

I sighed. “We do. I am quite fond of Amelia and was sorry to hear of her breakup in November, but I am not interested in her in a romantic sense.”

“You could be.”

“But I am not,” I said, this time punctuating it with an annoyed look. “Mother, I appreciate your efforts to introduce me to people, but believe it or not, I am capable of finding my own romantic interests. I think we had this conversation a few weeks ago.” And not for the first time, either.

Mum crossed her arms over her chest, unimpressed. “Are you seeing anyone?”

“Does it matter?”

“It does to me. I’d like to know if you are. I might be more inclined to relax myself if I thought you were making an effort to pursue a relationship with someone.”

“Fine. Yes. I am seeing someone.”

“May I know who?”

“You may not.”

“Will I get to know?”

“It depends how things play out.”

I’d never seen my mother look quite as conflicted as she did right now. She clearly wanted to press the issue, but she also knew she’d probably gone as far as she could, given my admission.

That wasn’t entirely true.