Chapter 22

The next day, I slid behind the wheel of my sleek, black Porsche. The engine purred to life as I headed out of the parking garage on my way to visit my mother. The sun beamed through the windshield, casting a warm glow on the leather interior.

Today was all about her—a drive through the city and lunch at her favorite spot. She didn't want a Porsche of her own, even though I offered to buy her one. I did manage to get her to accept a very sensible Toyota Camry.

My phone buzzed with an incoming call from Spencer. I answered via Bluetooth. "What's up?"

I was in a pretty damn good mood. Getting laid would do that for a guy. When it was more than just sex and happened to be one of the most incredible sexual encounters of my life, it really left me beaming like the sun.

"I saw you leave with Isadora last night. Please tell me that went well?" he said, his voice echoing through the interior of my car.

I chuckled, a faint smile gracing my lips. "Yeah, things are definitely moving in the right direction," I replied, keeping the details vague. Spencer was a good friend, but some things were better left unsaid.

"The right direction?"

I laughed. "I said things are good."

"Fine, then where did you guys disappear to last night?" he asked.

I thought about how to answer. "We went back to my place."

He whistled. "Good job."

"Don't congratulate me," I said, groaning. "That's weird, man."

"What? I'm just happy for you. Do you know how old her daughter is? What exactly are you getting yourself into?"

"I don't know how old she is." I shrugged. "I caught a glimpse of her on a FaceTime call once. She sounded like a teenager. That's about all I know."

"Damn, teenager," he said. "Are you sure you want to jump right into the parenting thing with a teenager?"

"I'm not jumping into anything. We're seeing how things go before I even meet her. Don't get ahead of yourself."

"Fair enough, man. Fair enough."

"We'll talk later," I said and hung up.

At a red light, I sent a quick text to Isadora, letting her know that I had a great time last night and asking if she had plans for the evening. If she would let me take her out, I would jump at the chance.

It wasn't all about sex. I wanted to get to know her again. I was curious to learn about the woman she had become. I waited a second, but she didn't text back. I figured she was busy.

I got out of the car and made my way to my mother's door. Today was about spending time with her. If Isadora wanted to see me, she would let me know.

I knocked on the door and waited. Mom opened it with a warm smile and outstretched arms. It had been longer than usual since I last visited. "You look so handsome," she said.

"Thanks. I'm sorry I've been so busy."

"Don't worry about it," she said.

"Is this a new blouse?" I asked.

She beamed with pride as she stepped back. "It is. Norma and I went shopping. This was on sale."

I had to fight to keep my mouth shut. She was still very frugal. I had told her over and over she could spend whatever she wanted, but she always shut me down, saying it was wasteful.

"It's very pretty," I said. "Are you ready to go?"

"Let me grab my purse."

We got into the car. My mother made a big show of putting on her seatbelt and her sunglasses that were way too big for her face. She was bubbling with excitement, and I was glad to be taking her out.

She chattered away about Spencer and the guys at the office, eager to catch up on all the details of my life. I didn't hold much back from her. She was one of my closest friends. All of my friends knew her and loved her as well.

"What did you have to do in Boston?" she asked.

"It was just a quick meeting with a nervous client," I told her.

"I bet you saved the day."

I laughed. "I had a little help."

"Of course."

"Anything special you want for lunch?" I asked her.

"Wherever you want to go."

I knew she didn't like fancy restaurants all that much. My mother was and always would be a woman that preferred practical. The price on the menu didn't matter. All she cared about was whether the food was good.

I pulled into the parking lot of one of the casual restaurants we often went to. They served the basics, which was what my mother and I both liked, and they did it well. I liked scallops and wagyu steaks, but I would never turn down a good meal. We settled into our seats, ordering drinks before scanning the menu.

I ordered my usual, a grilled chicken salad with avocado, while my mom opted for her favorite, the country-fried steak with mashed potatoes and gravy. I liked it too, but I was trying to stay in shape. Isadora was worth looking my best for.

As we waited for our food, I took the opportunity to ask my mother about her shopping trip with Norma. "Mom, you really shouldn't be so frugal all the time. You work hard, and you deserve to treat yourself. I wish you would use that credit card I gave you."

"You do more than enough for me."

"Mom, I have more than enough for both of us." I smiled. "I can give you anything."

She shook her head and shrugged. "I like working. I like being independent. You've worked very hard, and you deserve all of your success. You don't need me to mooch off you."

"Mom! You could never mooch off me. You took care of me all my life."

"I'm your mother. That's my job."

"And I'm your son," I argued.

"So, have you found anyone special yet?" she inquired, a playful glint in her eyes as she easily changed the subject. "I want grandchildren, you know. Then I'll use that credit card plenty, spoiling them rotten."

I chuckled, shaking my head at her persistence. "Actually, I might have rekindled something with someone," I admitted, a smile tugging at the corners of my lips.

Her face lit up with genuine excitement. "Who?"

"Isadora," I replied.

"Really?" she asked with surprise. "My goodness, it's been a lifetime since I heard the name. How did that happen?"

"She applied to work as my assistant," I explained.

She frowned. "Wasn't her family very wealthy?"

"Yes."

"Why is she slumming it as your assistant?" she asked, smiling.

"There was some drama with her father," I answered without getting into the details. "And now she's back with me. We've been reconnecting. It's nice."

"Did you ever tell her the truth about what happened back then?" she asked quietly.

My mind flashed back to the painful memories I had buried deep a long time ago. "No," I confessed, avoiding her penetrating gaze. "It doesn't matter anymore. It's in the past and bringing it up doesn't do anyone any good."

"The truth always matters, Graham. You know that."

I sighed, knowing she was right, but I couldn't bring myself to damage Isadora's already strained relationship with her father. I had no intentions of ever revealing the truth to Isadora. I was good with leaving that pain in the past.

"I always did like that girl." She smiled. "I never cared for her family. I didn't understand how she turned out so kind and sweet coming from that group of snakes."

I laughed. "She is very kind. And beautiful."

"She always was a very attractive young woman. And she made you happy."

I grinned. "She's even more attractive now."

Our food arrived and we quickly dug in. Mom caught me up on the gossip with all of her friends. I was glad she was in good spirits. Losing my dad had been tough on her. She deserved happiness and safety.

"If things go well with you and Isadora, I would love to see her again," she said.

"I'm sure we can make that happen." I nodded and took a bite of my salad. "She asked about you. Her mother passed away around the same time as Dad."

"Oh, poor thing," she said. "She was so young to lose her mother."

"I know," I said, leaning forward. "She has a daughter herself now."

My mom's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Yes."

Mom clasped her hands on the table. "How old?"

I grimaced. "I don't actually know. We haven't met."

"Is she divorced?"

"No, never married. She said the father wasn't in the picture." I shrugged.

My mom frowned, a look of concern in her eyes. "I hope you're being cautious, Graham. You know you don't need any more complications in your life, especially with your company's success. I want you to find happiness, but you need to put yourself first."

I chuckled and nodded. "Don't worry, Mom. I can handle it. I'm a big boy."

"Just be careful," she warned. "I want grandkids, but I'd rather you weren't hasty about it."

I wondered if there was any point in life when my mother would ever stop mothering me. I'd been getting the condom lecture since I was fourteen. There was no reason for her to worry. I'd been with plenty of women, and I hadn't been careless enough to get any of them pregnant yet.

I supposed I was just lucky.

We finished our meal and headed out. On our way back, we cruised through the city, catching up on life and enjoying each other's company. We happened to be driving by the rec center when a familiar sight caught my attention out of the corner of my eye. I saw Isadora and nearly crashed into the car in front of me.

The young woman standing next to her was the girl I saw on the video chat. That had to be her daughter. My heart skipped a beat as I confirmed what I suspected the night before. Isadora's daughter wasn't as young as I had initially assumed.

Isadora put her arm around her daughter, who was nearly as tall as her mom. I didn't want my mother to notice and quickly put my focus back on the cars in front of me. She would want to stop and say hi, and I couldn't think of a more awkward introduction to Isadora's daughter.

Putting Dora behind me, I resumed talking with my mother, enjoying our time together. Isadora would have to wait.

I walked my mother inside her apartment. "Thanks for hanging out with me today," I said.

She smiled. "I'm glad you had the time. I'm so proud of you, but sometimes I wish you weren't quite so successful. I feel like I never see you."

"I know," I said. "Work is a beast. I promise I will make more time."

"Don't feel guilty. You're doing all you can. I still love you."

I gave her a hug and said my goodbyes. It had been a nice day, but now that I was alone again, I couldn't shake the image of Isadora and her daughter from my mind. My curiosity was killing me. I wondered why she didn't tell me how old her daughter was. Maybe she didn't want me to know how fast she had moved on after I left.

I checked my phone and saw Isadora had texted me back. My heartbeat kicked into high gear, pounding like I was a fucking teenager again. How could she have this effect on me? No other woman had ever come close.

Reading her words put a smile on my face. She told me she had a good time and wanted to see me again, but today she was busy with her daughter. Selfishly, I wanted her all to myself, but I wasn't about to be jealous of her kid. After the day with my own mother, I understood how important bonding time was, even if I was disappointed.

I didn't tell Isadora I saw her. She would think I was stalking her or something. While I would have gladly followed her around all day, feasting my eyes on her curves, it wasn't in the cards for me. I had to keep my burning desire reined in—for now.

As I drove home, longing dimmed some of the shine on my sunny day. I had no one waiting for me. Being with Isadora again stirred up old dreams that I had put away a long time ago. I thought about what it would be like to have a family to go home to. A wife and daughter maybe.

I shook the silly thought from my mind. I was getting way ahead of myself. After my mother's request for grandkids, it was on my mind. I wasn't going to rush anything with Isadora. If things worked out and she wanted to introduce me to her daughter, that would be great. But I wasn't going to push her and risk losing her.

I got home, changed into my swim trunks, and headed downstairs to the pool in my building. My soul in turmoil, I jumped in the cool water and started doing laps, allowing my mind to wander. My muscles sang with every stroke of my arms and kick of my feet. I had been on the swim team in high school and in college, and I loved it. My dreams of starting a successful company took priority over training eventually, but I still felt energized every time I swam.

And it always helped to clear my head. Swimming laps was like meditation, just focusing on the movement of my limbs and my breathing, blocking everything unimportant out.

After spending an hour in the pool, I climbed out and headed up to my penthouse for a night alone. The prospect was slightly less depressing than it had been earlier. The laps had helped.

Now I only missed her with half my heart instead of all of it.