“Mandy, please sit down.” It wasn’t stated as a question.
I reluctantly did as she asked and settled into the ladder-back chairs we’d had for decades.
Facing me, she forced a smile. “I just want you to be careful, that’s all.”
“He doesn’t ride crazy or anything.”
“This isn’t just about you riding around on the back of a motorcycle, which quite honestly, terrifies me to no end. It’s about you not having your heart broken again.”
I was more than a little stunned that my mom didn’t seem at all happy with the idea of Brax and me. She’d always doted on him when he was over, which was a lot. “Mom, I’m a big girl, and Brax is a really nice guy.”
The corners of her mouth lifted. “Yes, I know you’re a grown woman and can make decisions on your own, but I feel like I need to remind you that Brax is just twenty-two.”
“He’s mature for his age,” I blurted.
Reaching out, she touched my hand and squeezed. “Brax is at a different place in his life than you are. He’s never had a serious girlfriend, and to be quite honest, I don’t know if he’s ready…or if you are for that matter.”
What the hell? She had never gotten in the middle of my relationship with Ross, so I was really confused why she seemed so interested in my relationship with Brax. “What, because I’d been with a man for seven years and Brax’s longest relationship has only been a couple months in comparison? Christ, Mom, it’s not like we’re getting married.”
“Well, that’s a relief,” she stated, then seeing my stunned reaction, pressed her lips together.
This wasn’t adding up.
She breathed in heavily through her nose and released it out of her mouth. Her way of calming down, she always said. I felt like I was the one who needed to calm down. I hadn’t lived at home in seven years, and since I’d left I hadn’t had her tell me what to do, and I liked it that way. I was a grown woman and if I wanted her opinion, I’d ask her, thank you very much.
“Again, you’re just coming off the heels of a bad breakup...”
Great, like I needed that reminder. “Yeah, and speaking of my bad breakup, Brax has helped me forget I had my heart ripped out.”
She squeezed my hand again. “You just need time to heal and be single. Getting involved right out of the gate just isn’t wise, sweetheart. You don’t need to be Brax’s flavor of the month.”
Had she actually just said that?
I clenched my teeth together and had to refrain from getting up and walking out. I probably would have had my dad not chosen that moment to walk in.
He stopped short and looked surprised to see me. “Hey, Mandy. What are you up to?”
Every single time I saw him, I was reminded of just how much he had aged in the years I’d been away. He walked slower and had a belly that extended over the waistband of his work pants.
“Hi Dad,” I said, pulling my hand out from underneath Mom’s hand. “Mom asked me over for coffee, or rather, asked me over to be grilled.”
Mom cleared her throat and shifted in her seat a bit, looking slightly ruffled that I had thrown her under the bus. “We were just talking about Brax.”
Obviously they had discussed Brax, because Dad’s brows lifted and he said, “That would be my cue to leave…after I get my cup of coffee. I’ll be out of your hair in a sec.”
“Tell your daughter why you think dating Brax would be a mistake,” Mom said in the middle of him pouring a cup.
To his credit, he didn’t miss a beat. He continued pouring his coffee, then bringing the steaming mug to his lips, he blew on it as he leaned against the counter. “My dear, Amanda is a woman who is capable of making her own decisions.”
I could have kissed him.
My mom glared at my dad. “Well, aren’t you just Mr. Helpful.”
“I love the boy like he’s my own,” Dad said with a shrug. “If Mandy chooses to date him, then let her. He’s already like family, and Toby doesn’t seem to mind.”
Mom lifted her chin. “Actually, I don’t think he’s too happy about it. It’s just too soon for Mandy to get involved with anyone. I mean, like you, I love Brax. I do, but I also know his reputation.”