Page 74 of I Love You, I Hate You

Because honestly, you’re gonna have to win the mom over sooner or later so you might as well start with that

Priyanka’s mom loves me, btw

Andy Lee

And we’re very happy for you but again, this is not about you.

Mark Olsen

It’s a little about me

Andy Lee

I think I found her on Facebook. She looks too young but I definitely met this lady at graduation and Victoria is friends with her.

Cassie says it’s for sure Victoria’s mom.

Owen Pohl

So I just what, send her mom a Facebook message and ask if I can crash their karaoke thing?

Mark Olsen

In a nutshell, yes

But the mom usually knows when you fucked up, so be prepared to grovel to her first

Andy Lee

Can confirm, moms always know.

Owen Pohl

Then here goes nothing

Chapter Twenty-seven

Kimmy lurched from her chair to hug her the moment she walked in. “How did it go?”

Victoria tried to keep her face somber but failed. “I got it!” she squealed, and together they jumped and hugged in excitement. “I’ve got to put my notice in at Smorgasbord, but you’re looking at RJ’s new in-house counsel as of the start of next month.”

“That deserves a drink,” Kimmy crowed, and sauntered over to the bar. The regulars parted for her like the Red Sea and within minutes she was back at the table with Victoria’s martini.

“To my baby, all grown up and protecting a woman’s right to choose,” Kimmy said, lifting her whiskey. They clinked glasses and Victoria settled back in her chair.

“How long until we’re up?”

Kimmy’s eyes darted towards the door and then back to Victoria. “Uh, a couple more people, I think,” she said.

Victoria twisted in her seat but the door to the gravel parking lot was closed. “You waiting on someone?”

“Nope. Just thought I recognized someone,” Kimmy replied breezily. “So tell me about the interview. I want all of the details.”

But when Victoria started talking, she couldn’t help but feel like her mom was only half listening. Kimmy kept flicking her gaze over Victoria’s shoulder, but the second she caught her looking, Kimmy would be focused like a laser on her instead. Up on stage, one of the other regulars was growling his way through Johnny Cash’s “Walk the Line.”

“No seriously, Mom—who the hell are you looking for?”

“No one.”