off or something?” That had real possibilities. There was no way in the world anyone else had landed someone that gorgeous, unless they were dating a male model or an A-C.
“Or something.” Mom sighed again. “What else did you and Charles talk about?”
“How do you know we talked?”
Her eyes rolled. “You told me he’d said he’d go to the reunion if you would.” She shook her head. “He’d do anything you wanted, you know that, right?”
“Yeah.” My turn to sigh. “He sounded worried but okay.”
“Have you seen him recently?”
“No.”
Mom glared. “So, you’ve abandoned the man who’s always been there for you?”
Where was this coming from? “No. Mom, Chuckie’s still one of my two best guy friends. It’s just . . . I can’t tell him about my life now. And he knows when I lie. I just . . . I don’t want to lie to his face, okay?”
Mom’s expression softened. “I understand. But maybe you should see him anyway. The reunion would be neutral ground.”
“Neutral ground? You mean we’d be joined together against the forces trying to kill us, at least if it’s anything like high school was. We haven’t had a fight or anything, it’s not like we need to kiss and make up.”
I got another shot of the “dense” look. “Kitten, I just want you to be sure you’ve considered all your options.”
“Mom, I’m in a serious relationship with, last time I checked, a guy you and Dad both like. What’s wrong with Jeff that you don’t want me with him suddenly?”
“Nothing’s wrong with Jeff .”
I considered this. “But . . . ?”
“But . . . what does his family think of you?”
Ah. This suddenly made sense. My turn to sigh. “No idea. He won’t let me meet them. And, it doesn’t matter, right? Because there’s no interspecies mating allowed. That’s what this is about, right?”
“For the most part, yes. Mixing families is hard enough when both sides are enthusiastic about it. When they’re not ... ”
“Yeah. Well, I’ve been trying to meet them. I’ll keep on trying.”
“Keep on thinking about your options, too,” Mom said seriously. “Your father and I both love Jeff, but we want you happy, and disapproving in-laws aren’t a recipe for happiness.”
“I will, but Jeff can pick it up.” And he didn’t like me considering other men as romantic options almost as much as he didn’t like that I still talked to Chuckie regularly and hadn’t changed his ringtone. Martini’s jealousy was almost as impressive as his bedroom skills.
“A little competition now and then is good for him, I’m sure.”
“As soon as I identify this supposed competition, I’ll be sure to let you know.”
Mom sighed. “You are so dense sometimes.”
“It’s a gift.”
CHAPTER 7
MARTINI ARRIVED JUST AS THE roast was coming out of the oven. He looked pissed. “I hate dealing with the C.I.A.,” he said by way of hello. “Any way we can get rid of them?”
“Not that anyone’s ever discovered,” Mom said dryly as the cats all started purring and sashayed over to Martini for petting. He had one cat on either shoulder and one in his arms in a matter of moments.
The dogs heard Martini’s voice and shrieked their demands to see him. Our dogs loved us, but they adored Martini. The dogs’ and cats’ love of Martini carried great weight with my parents for some reason. Funny, but true—they took the animals’ opinions as more important than mine.
As the cats leaped for safety, Dotty, our Dalmatian, reached him first, but Duke, the black lab, and Duchess, our pit bull, were right there, too. Our Great Dane, Dudley, actually took his time, but that was so he could monopolize Martini by putting his paws up onto his shoulders and giving him a face wash.
Standard animal greetings over, Martini went to clean up, and we got dinner on the table. Routine chitchat ensued, until the subject of my high school reunion somehow surfaced. My parents and Martini all tried to
“Or something.” Mom sighed again. “What else did you and Charles talk about?”
“How do you know we talked?”
Her eyes rolled. “You told me he’d said he’d go to the reunion if you would.” She shook her head. “He’d do anything you wanted, you know that, right?”
“Yeah.” My turn to sigh. “He sounded worried but okay.”
“Have you seen him recently?”
“No.”
Mom glared. “So, you’ve abandoned the man who’s always been there for you?”
Where was this coming from? “No. Mom, Chuckie’s still one of my two best guy friends. It’s just . . . I can’t tell him about my life now. And he knows when I lie. I just . . . I don’t want to lie to his face, okay?”
Mom’s expression softened. “I understand. But maybe you should see him anyway. The reunion would be neutral ground.”
“Neutral ground? You mean we’d be joined together against the forces trying to kill us, at least if it’s anything like high school was. We haven’t had a fight or anything, it’s not like we need to kiss and make up.”
I got another shot of the “dense” look. “Kitten, I just want you to be sure you’ve considered all your options.”
“Mom, I’m in a serious relationship with, last time I checked, a guy you and Dad both like. What’s wrong with Jeff that you don’t want me with him suddenly?”
“Nothing’s wrong with Jeff .”
I considered this. “But . . . ?”
“But . . . what does his family think of you?”
Ah. This suddenly made sense. My turn to sigh. “No idea. He won’t let me meet them. And, it doesn’t matter, right? Because there’s no interspecies mating allowed. That’s what this is about, right?”
“For the most part, yes. Mixing families is hard enough when both sides are enthusiastic about it. When they’re not ... ”
“Yeah. Well, I’ve been trying to meet them. I’ll keep on trying.”
“Keep on thinking about your options, too,” Mom said seriously. “Your father and I both love Jeff, but we want you happy, and disapproving in-laws aren’t a recipe for happiness.”
“I will, but Jeff can pick it up.” And he didn’t like me considering other men as romantic options almost as much as he didn’t like that I still talked to Chuckie regularly and hadn’t changed his ringtone. Martini’s jealousy was almost as impressive as his bedroom skills.
“A little competition now and then is good for him, I’m sure.”
“As soon as I identify this supposed competition, I’ll be sure to let you know.”
Mom sighed. “You are so dense sometimes.”
“It’s a gift.”
CHAPTER 7
MARTINI ARRIVED JUST AS THE roast was coming out of the oven. He looked pissed. “I hate dealing with the C.I.A.,” he said by way of hello. “Any way we can get rid of them?”
“Not that anyone’s ever discovered,” Mom said dryly as the cats all started purring and sashayed over to Martini for petting. He had one cat on either shoulder and one in his arms in a matter of moments.
The dogs heard Martini’s voice and shrieked their demands to see him. Our dogs loved us, but they adored Martini. The dogs’ and cats’ love of Martini carried great weight with my parents for some reason. Funny, but true—they took the animals’ opinions as more important than mine.
As the cats leaped for safety, Dotty, our Dalmatian, reached him first, but Duke, the black lab, and Duchess, our pit bull, were right there, too. Our Great Dane, Dudley, actually took his time, but that was so he could monopolize Martini by putting his paws up onto his shoulders and giving him a face wash.
Standard animal greetings over, Martini went to clean up, and we got dinner on the table. Routine chitchat ensued, until the subject of my high school reunion somehow surfaced. My parents and Martini all tried to
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