But I’d made Drake chase me plenty.
Dixie would be walking me down the aisle one day, handing me over to the fucking Genghis Khan of love.
He had nothing left to prove, and if perseverance, dedication, and commitment were part of our evolution, Drake was the perfect specimen.
I shoved a last bite of eggs into my mouth and washed it down with OJ. “Well, he’s sweating enough for one man, waiting for me outside. I need a quick shower and change.” I stood.
“He’s out in the car? Why didn’t you invite him in?”
I tilted my head to the side. “Seriously?”
She put a hand on her hip. “Oh, come on now. I’m not that scary.”
I loved my mom’s sass. And I loved handing it back to her. “You are that scary. But not to Drake.”
“Ha! Not to Drake? Well, that’s good. That’s a start, Maeve. I definitely wouldn’t give my blessing if he was.”
“We’ll arrange a peace talk another time. I just wanted to hurry in and out and thought it might not be the most comfortable fast turnaround if we all had to sit around and pass the pipe now. I need to get to work.”
She stood and went back to the dishes at the sink. “You do indeed.”
I rushed over and kissed her on the cheek. It was soft and comforting and reminded me of the warmth I used to seek from her before I became a teenager. “Thanks for breakfast, Mom. Honestly, it was incredible, and I wouldn’t get through this day without it.”
“Mmmhmm. Eat and run. I see how it is,” she joked.
I ran upstairs, took a bits and pits shower, not wetting my hair, threw on a dress, and grabbed my makeup bag. I’d sort my face in the car.
When I ran outside, Drake was already back at the car, sitting on the hood, scrolling through his cell.
He glanced up, sensing my approach. “Did she microchip you?”
I lifted my cell and wiggled it. “We’re all microchipped nowadays.”
He opened the door for me.
“At least she hasn’t been worried.” I got into the car. “And someone knocked some sense into her, too.”
Drake leaned against the door. “What do you mean?”
“She finally admitted she shouldn’t have blamed things on you and been mean.”
“Damn. Gotta love rehab. I didn’t expect this outcome. The few times I stayed out without calling home when I was younger, my mom chased me around the kitchen with a wooden spoon. She never hit me but said she wanted to. Kind of makes me laugh now. Made me laugh then to be honest. Anyway, she sure as hell never decided it was a good time to apologize for something.”
I widened my eyes. “Trust me, I did not expect that. But thank God.”
He tapped the top of the car. “Come on. Let’s get you to work.”