The Silver Fox (Red's Tavern 3)

“Go say hi to your crush.”

“Shush, Isobel,” I said.

I felt my phone buzz in my pocket. It was Mom, who was just about the only person I’d answer the phone for during work. I went out back and held the phone to my ear.

“Hey, Ma,” I said.

“Sweetie, I know you’re working,” she said. I heard the sound of a movie in the background. “I just wanted to invite you and Rock to a dinner party I’m hosting in two weeks. I’m already too lonely after the reunion.”

“I’ll be there,” I said. “Don’t know if Rock will be able to make it.”

“What?” she said, sounding alarmed. “But he’s the whole reason I wanted you to come.”

“Oh, really?” I said, teasingly. “You didn’t want your own son to come?”

She chuckled. “Of course I want you there. But maybe I’ll postpone for another week so that he can make it.”

I bit the inside of my cheek. “I don’t think he’ll be able to make it at all.”

There was a short pause in the conversation. I leaned against the brick wall at the back of the tavern, taking a deep breath. I knew Mom was processing what I’d told her, and I knew she wasn’t going to like it.

“What does that mean?” she finally asked, her voice quiet.

I swallowed. “We aren’t together,” I said.

“Bullshit.”

I furrowed my brow. “What do you mean, bullshit?”

“There’s no way,” she said. “You guys are like lovebirds. That man would hang the world for you.”

“Well, that must not be true,” I said. “I’m not with him.”

I definitely hadn’t planned on telling my mother about our fake “breakup” this soon, but ripping the Band-Aid off seemed like the only option. I’d already lied to her enough during the reunion and I didn’t need to prolong it now.

“What the hell happened?” she said. Coming from anyone else, it might have sounded harsh, but all I could hear in her voice was disappointment.

“It didn’t work out,” I said.

“Clearly.”

“We can talk about it more when I’m not at work, okay, Ma?” I said.

I heard her pull in a long breath, sighing. “I just wish I understood,” she told me. “It’s your life. It’s your decision. But I liked Rock so much.”

“I liked him a lot too,” I said. “Still do. I’m sure we’ll still be friends. Friendly, at least. He’s at the tavern right now, actually.”

“Is he?” I could hear the glimmer of hope in her voice.

“Yes. And I’ve got plenty of other paying customers who are going to be mad if I don’t get back to the kitchen soon.”

“You never know, Per,” she said. “Talk to him. See if you can work things out. I was really looking forward to seeing him again.”

“I appreciate that,” I said, “and I love you. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

“Good night, sweetie.”

Guilt sunk over me like a weighted blanket on my insides. It was easy to tell that Mom was trying to be gentle with me, but her disappointment was undeniable. Rock coming to the reunion really had made it a better experience for her and for me. But was it all worth it if it only led to this?

I had been alone for so long, and after a while, I’d started to feel numb to it. But the one person who always made me question that was Mom. I didn’t owe her anything, but I knew she wanted me to be happy. Nothing in the world mattered more to her than seeing me and Cam live our best lives.

And for a short week, I had been that person.

The best version of me, whatever that meant. Sharing things with someone instead of staying steadfast as the lone wolf I’d always been.

But I really did want to be Rock’s friend. I could take it. I could live a life with him in it, even if he wasn’t mine. Settling didn’t always have to be a bad thing. And tonight, I could make him a cake he loved and maybe get to see him smile because of it.

I headed back into the kitchen as the front door swung open.

“Isobel,” Red said, appearing in the doorway.

“What’s up, boss?”

“We need a big order of crudite for a party of ten, stat.”

“Crudite?”

Red and I both looked at her. “You don’t know what crudite is, and you work in a kitchen?”

“I’m guessing it’s something crude? Penis-shaped, maybe?”

Red let out a bright laugh. “Celery and carrots, with hefty servings of ranch and blue cheese dips on the side. They want lots, too.”

“Oh, pregame snacks! That’s all you had to say. I’m on it.”

Isobel flitted into the back to get the pre-cut veggies and in another minute, she was out front, already starting to chat with all of the guys in the big party.

“That girl lives on another planet, I swear,” Red said.

“She drives me crazy,” I said. “And I love her for it.”