Page 37 of Use Me

“She wasn’t feeling well, so they aren’t coming,” Mom stated.

I shrugged. It was probably better they didn’t come because my mother always asked when I was getting married when I was around them. My mother wanted to have a slew of grandchildren, and apparently, that entailed me getting married in her eyes. However, she never did ask me in front of Bridgette, and she had never asked me when I was going to propose to Bridgette.

“Where’s your girlfriend?” Dad asked. It had never struck me until now that they never referred to her by her name.

“We broke up.” I took a sip of my water that was already on the table.

“Oh, thank heaven,” my mother breathed.

I smiled. “You’re glad I’m single?”

“I’m glad you finally saw you could do better.”

“Like Ashtyn Valor?” I asked, knowing full well that my mother would be happy if I were dating Ashtyn.

Mom’s blue eyes grew wide. “Yes. Are you dating her?”

I shook my head. “No, but I’m friends with her.”

Mother leaned forward, resting her elbow on the table and her chin in the palm of her hand. “What’s she like?”

My mother always watched Ashtyn’s broadcast, saying that the other anchors bugged her. Maybe it was the class Ashtyn brought to the news or how her smile made you feel as though she was generally happy about the story she was reporting. I was always captivated when I saw the airing of her broadcast when I was at my parents’ place for dinner because Ashtyn was hot. Plain and simple. I’d wait until after the news was over to drive home just so I could watch her.

And now I was sleeping with her.

“She’s everything you’ve imagined her to be and then some.”

“So youaredating her?” Dad asked.

I smiled, thinking about this morning … and last night. “No. We’re really just friends. She actually lives across the street from me.”

Dad eyed me curiously as though he knew what I really meant.

“Can I meet her?” Mom asked.

I nodded. “I’m sure she wouldn’t mind.”

“When?”

That was a good question because if Ashtyn had her date soon, then there was a chance all of this would go away. “Well, I need a date for the Emmys now.”

Every year the News & Documentary Emmy Award was present by the National Academy of Television Arts & Science. It was typically held in the fall, but Chicago and the Midwest were having the ceremony in early December.

“I’ll buy my dress this week.”

Dad shook his head. I figured he was annoyed because he knew my mother’s true motives. It wasn’t because she wanted to meet Ashtyn. It was because she wanted to meet any women she could set me up with.

“Can we stop talking about his love life now and start talking about the Hawk’s season? You think they’re going to bring home the cup this year?”

Bridgette:Can we talk?

I stared at my phone as I sat at my desk going over the stats for tonight’s game. If I didn’t respond, the texts would keep coming.

Me: I’m busy.

Of course, she texted back right away.

Bridgette: Can I come over after the game?