Deanna’s throat closed with emotion. Her mother could always tell, even through the phone line, whenever Deanna was upset about something. It boggled her mind how she did that. “Not really.”
“Is it Jonas?” she gently prodded.
Nothing like a mom’s soft voice to make you feel better almost instantly. “Yeah. I’ll tell you about it when I see you.”
“Okay, but be careful driving,” she cautioned.
“I will,” Deanna promised as she strode toward the door. “You too.”
“Love you, sweetie.”
“I love you. See you in a bit.”
Deanna ended the call and went out the door, locking it behind her. As she got in her car and started the engine, she took a moment to pull herself together. The only thing going through Deanna’s mind was the tone of Jonas’s voice. He’d been so quick to decide Valdez was a bad person and therefore she should drop him as a client. After everything they’d shared and all the little pieces of herself she’d freely given him, he thought to come into her life and start giving her orders?
Somehow, someway he needed to get it through his thick skull that she wouldn’t allow him to tell her what to do. A man leading her around? Uh-uh, not in this lifetime.
Deanna thought about how attentive and loving Jonas had been in Miami. So intent on making the weekend perfect for them. She wanted to go back there. To forget the last few hours had ever occurred. If only time would stand still, she thought wistfully.
Pulling into a parking spot near the front of Java Rush, Deanna killed the engine. She grabbed her keys and purse and headed toward the entrance to the little café. She and her mom had spent hundreds of hours mulling over life’s many problems inside the small, cozy restaurant. Now, like so many times before, her mother was the one person she could count on for sound advice.
Deanna spotted her mom, sitting with her hands wrapped around a mug at a booth near the back. When Deanna started in her direction, Billy, one of the waiters, caught her attention.
“Hey, Deanna. How’s it going?”
“Good,” she lied. “How’s school? Did you ace that test you were so worried about the last time I was here?” Billy was gorgeous, had beautiful dark hair that women drooled over, was flirtatious as all heck, and way too young for her, considering he was only in his sophomore year of college.
“Calculus, and no.” He blushed, which Deanna thought was adorable. “I suck.”
She tsked. “You don’t suck, but did you at least pass?”
“Yeah, it’s cool. They’re not kicking me out yet.”
She laughed. “It’ll be over before you know it; then you’ll have that fancy degree to brag about.” She winked. “Hang in there.”
“I will. By the way, have you thought any more about going out with me?” He grinned from ear to ear.
Deanna shook her head. “I’m not the woman for you, Billy. Besides, I’m too old for you.” She wasn’t exactly sure how old he was, but he was at least seven or eight years her junior. Not to mention the fact that Deanna had already handed her heart to Jonas—the idiot just didn’t know it yet.
“You’re not that old. Smokin’ hot? Yes. Old? No way.”
“How about a latte instead?”
“Fine, but I’m not giving up on you.”
She laughed. “Thanks, Billy.”
Just then, her mom glanced up from the table and waved her over. Deanna closed the distance, then leaned down for a quick hug. “Black coffee again, huh?” Deanna shook her head. “You know, they have a great variety of drinks here. You should mix it up a little every once in a while, Mom.”
“And I’ll bet Billy’s getting you a latte even as we speak, right?”
Deanna grinned as she shimmied out of her coat and tossed it onto the seat before sitting down. “Like mother like daughter, I guess.”
“Okay, what happened? Was the weekend horrible?”
That was Audrey Harrison, always direct. She didn’t dance around a problem. “It was wonderful,” Deanna answered, wishing she were back there all over again. “We went to the beach, and he took me shopping. We ate really terrific Mexican food.” She felt her cheeks heat when she leaned close and whispered, “And spent the rest of the time inside the house.”
She smiled and patted her hand. “Sounds like a fun time. So, when did the happy bubble burst?”