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I lifted my cell and tipped it side to side. “Mom called three times.”
His brows formed an ominous V. “This morning?”
I turned to my phone and back to him. “This morning.”
“It’s barely nine.”
It was.
“On a Sunday,” he continued.
And it was Sunday.
I bit my lip.
“Listen to it,” he ordered.
I went again to my phone.
But I looked back at Javi when he finished, “On speaker.”
I wasn’t sure that was a good idea.
“Javi, this is our special time,” I reminded him.
“Every minute with you is my special time,” he stated, making me blink and making my heart swell so huge, I thought my chest would burst open Alien-style (not that I’d seen Alien, I didn’t do scary movies or scary anything (except vigilantism), but I’d heard about that chest bursting thing). “But she’s gonna have to be dealt with, and when there’s shit to be dealt with that’s probably going to be shit, it’s better to deal with it sooner rather than later.”
I hated that was wise.
But it was.
I activated the phone, went to voicemail, and played the most recent one that had been left an hour and a half ago, which meant well before eight o’clock.
On a Sunday.
My mother’s voice filled the room and just hearing it, something I’d never noticed because it happened so much, something I for sure noticed right then, this being, deep down inside, I felt something deflate.
“I’m sure you’re incredibly busy with all the important business you have to see to in your career as a server…”
Not a good start, I knew, because her words hurt me, and worse, Javi released an infuriated growl that was more than a tad bit terrifying.
“…so I’ve managed to make a booking at Le Amé next Saturday at seven thirty to celebrate your brother’s birthday. They’re aware it’s a special occasion and their pastry chef will be crafting a special dessert for Easton. If you could free up your hectic schedule, it’d be lovely if you could join your family for this celebration. It’d also be lovely if you would deign to contact your mother to confirm your attendance.” She ended this with a stiff, “Have a good day, Harlow.”
I barely swiped out of the voicemail screen when Javi was talking.
Or, more aptly, laying down the law.
“Two choices. First, you call her back and tell her to change that reservation to five people because you’re bringing your man to dinner. Or second, you call her back and tell her she can go fuck herself until she can communicate with her adult child and do it with some fuckin’ respect.”
Mm-hmm.
That infuriated growl meant Javi was infuriated.
“Javi—”
He caught my chin in a firm grip. It didn’t hurt, but it definitely got my full attention.
And when I saw the look in his eyes, even if he had my full attention, I found more attention to give him.