“Something like that.”
“And you don’t eat what you want for breakfast?”
He knew what she was implying. He wasn’t going to argue, either. Nina was a little controlling. He nodded. “Point taken.”
She held her hands up. “Sorry, it’s not my place to judge.”
“No worries. You’re right. But does that mean you’re going to share your Pop-Tarts with me?”
“Sure. You did buy dinner.” With a smile, she headed to her room. “See you in the morning.”
“Sleep well.”
He waited until her door was shut before he shut his. The thought of her in the bath just a few rooms away was tantalizing. And not an image he could easily shake.
A call to his mom would help that. He dialed and lay down on the bed to talk to her.
“Hi, honey.”
He smiled. “Hi, Mom. How are you?”
“I’m doing great. I love that meal delivery service you sent me. Sarah Jane comes over once a week and we cook together.”
“That’s nice.” Sarah Jane was his mom’s neighbor, another older but very active woman. They walked almost every day and went to the gym together three times a week. They did a lot of things together. “How’s she doing?”
“Pretty good. Her arthritis is bothering her a bit, but what can you do?”
“Not much. What else is new? How’s Molly?”
“Oh, that dog is going to get me kicked out of the neighborhood. She chased Mr. Murphy’s cat again. I told him if he doesn’t keep that cat out of my yard, there isn’t anything I can do.”
“Don’t you keep Molly on a leash?”
“Yes, but she rips it out of my hand. She’s crazy about that cat.”
Ethan grinned. Molly was a black lab. And Mr. Murphy was a grump who also happened to be the president of the HOA. “Please don’t get kicked out. You’ll be miserable if you have to move.”
“Speaking of moving, how’s your new town?”
His first thought was of Undrea. “It’s good. Really good. And that’s kind of why I’m calling.”
“Oh?”
“Nina and I broke up.”
“You did? Is this a temporary thing or permanent?” The amount of hope in her voice surprised him.
“Permanent. She’s not the right one for me, Mom.”
“No, she’s not.”
He almost stared at the phone in disbelief. “I thought you liked Nina?”
“I liked her for your sake, but she never seemed like a good fit. You’re not an uptight guy, Ethan. You never were as a kid, either. You’re like your father in that respect. Easygoing, roll-with-the-punches kind of guy. Nina is too regimented. Too concerned with appearances. That’s the old money in her.”
He nodded. “You’re right about that.”
“Plus I was a little concerned she was a gold digger. I know she has her own money, but your money makes hers look like green stamps. Not that you know what those are.”
“Mom.” He laughed.
“Well, honey, it’s a real consideration. You’re a very wealthy man. Money makes women do stupid things.”
“I love you so much.”
She laughed. “That’s very good to know. So. What’s her name?”
He sat up. “Who?”
“You could have left Nina last year. But now that you’ve moved into a new house in a new town, you make that decision? People don’t do hard things that quickly without meaningful incentive. So what’s her name?”
He swallowed. “Undrea. And she’s really something.”
“She must be to get you out of a two-year relationship. Tell me everything.”
And so he did, from their first meeting in the lake to the fact that he was lying on Undrea’s guest-room bed. All the in-between stuff, too. About how Bowie loved her and how she knew all about fish and had her own business and ate Pop-Tarts for breakfast.
When he was done, he waited for his mom’s response.
“She sounds wonderful. Just the kind of girl my boy should be with. I’d like to meet her.”
“I’d like that too. How about you fly down here as soon as Nina’s out of the house?”
“That might take longer than you think.”
“Maybe. But I don’t know.” He shrugged. “I hope not.”
“Tell her I’m coming. That’ll speed her up.”
“Why? Nina likes you.”
His mom snorted. “Oh, sweetheart. Men can be so oblivious. She liked me enough to make you think she liked me.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
What surprised him about his mother’s response was that she hadn’t said anything about the timing of it all. “So, Mom, about Undrea. You don’t think I’m rushing into this? That it’s all happening too fast?”
“What’s fast about it? This is how love works. Sometimes it’s slow, sometimes it’s fast, but it’s rarely when you want it or expect it. Don’t worry about that. I can tell by your voice that you’re happy. And you never sounded that way with Nina.”
“I didn’t?”
“Not even once.” She sighed. “I love you, son. I don’t like that you’re still too far away, but I’m glad you’re out of the city. I never liked you living there.”
“I think you’d love this place. Hey, I have an idea. Why don’t you and Sarah Jane both come? Make a little vacation out of it?”
“Oh, that would be wonderful. I’ll talk to her tomorrow about it. But I’m not sure she can afford it right now.”
“Mom, just use the credit card I gave you. For both of you. The trip is on me.”
“Honey, that’s too much.”
“Whatever it costs, I’d pay triple to see you.”
She laughed. “You’re my favorite child, you know that?”
He grinned. “I’m your only child. And I love you too. Thanks for talking to me.”
“Anytime. Night or day.”
He smiled at her standard answer. “Talk to you soon.”
“You know it. Night.”
They hung up, and he let the phone drop to the bed beside him. He stared up at the ceiling. He felt like his mom had just given him her blessing to be in love.
There was nothing standing in his way now.
Nothing but Nina in his house. He frowned. He had to get her out of there. And he had a thought about how to make that happen.
Undrea stripped down while the water was still running. She couldn’t wait to get in the tub. She needed to shift more than ever, especially with Ethan being so close. The ache in her legs would only get worse if she didn’t, and at a certain stage, it would become unbearable.
She never let it get to the point of pain. There was no reason to. Why would anyone want to feel like they were walking on razors if they didn’t have to?
As the water level rose, she wound her hair up on top of her head in a messy bun and secured it with a wide elastic. She put a hydrating face mask on too. One of those sheet masks that had been positioned as an impulse buy near the drugstore register.