Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 75775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
“Nonsense. Everything will be done. Courtney, you should let me fix you up. Tammy’s son, Johnny, is single.”
“Isn’t Johnny in his thirties and doesn’t he still live in her basement?” I shiver at the thought.
“He’s finding himself,” Mom defends, and it takes everything I have inside me not to burst out laughing.
“I don’t need your help finding a date, Mother.” I sound like a broken record at this point. I’ve repeated that very same line to her more times than I can count since Chloe set a wedding date six months ago.
“Oh.” The change in her tone is instant. “Does that mean you have someone in mind?” She sounds hopeful. My mother loves me. She’s just... a helicopter mom. Something Chloe and I have both vowed never to be when we have children of our own.
“I’m at work,” I remind her, avoiding the question we both know the answer to.
“You’re on break,” she tosses back. “Courtney, you need to take this seriously.”
Tears prick my eyes. Not from sadness but from anger. I know she means well, but her constant nagging is tearing me down. It’s stressing me the hell out, if I’m being honest. Not only that, it makes me feel like I’m not good enough. Her nagging always does. I know that’s not her intention, but knowing doesn’t change how it makes me feel.
My eyes land on a picture of my boss, Jordyn, and her family. She married Ryder Kincaid, who is one of nine siblings. They’re all in the photo. Even their parents, Raymond and Carol Kincaid, and all of her nieces and nephews. They’re all happy and functional. Why can’t we be that way? Every family photo we have has a memory of “stand taller girls” or “smile wider girls.” Again, I know my mom means well, but it’s been twenty-two years of constant hovering, and it’s wearing on me.
She’s smothering me with her love, and it’s only pushing me away as I get older.
I know that’s who she is and she’s not being mean, but damn, a girl can only take so much. My eyes land on Merrick Kincaid, one of the twins. The twins are the youngest of the nine brothers. He’s the only one not married or attached. At least I don’t think he’s married or attached. I’m certain in this small town if he were, I would have heard about it by now.
In the picture, Merrick has his niece Blakely in his arms, and she’s got her arms wrapped around his neck. Every single person is smiling widely, and I’m certain there was no one there whispering to them out of the corner of their mouth to do so.
Guilt washes over me. My mom means well; however, she’s just too much. She’s taking this whole “Courtney must have a date” campaign too far.
“Courtney, are you there?”
“I’m here, Mom.”
“Well, how about I set you up with Johnny? Tammy and I were talking about it last night.”
“I’m dating someone. I have a date,” I blurt and cringe when I realize what I’ve done.
“What?” she screeches with excitement. “Why didn’t you tell me? Who is he? Do we know him? Is he from Willow River? Oh, I bet he’s handsome. Is he good to you?” she rattles off what feels like a million questions.
“Mom,” I say loudly to get her attention. “Take a breath.”
She takes an audible breath and blows it out. “Tell me more.” Her voice is calm and her tone even, but it does nothing to hide her excitement. “Who is he?”
Panic hits me. I open my mouth to tell her I lied, just to get her to be quiet, but her words stop me.
“I’m proud of you, Courtney. I just worry, is all. I want you to find the happiness your father and I have. I want you to have what Chloe and Rodney have.”
Guilt. It sits heavily on my chest like an elephant. My mind races with how to break the news to her. She’s going to be hurt and pissed all at the same time. If I thought her nagging was bad before, it’s going to be brutal once I make my confession.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
“Courtney? Honey, are you still there? Did I lose you?”
“I—I’m here.” Although I wish I wasn’t. I should have sent her call to voicemail.
“Oh, I thought we lost connection. I can hear you clearly. Now, tell me everything.” I can picture her in my mind, doing a little victory dance as she prepares to hear about my fake dating life.
She sounds happy, and I’m about to smash that feeling to bits. After months of her nagging me to find a date, and pressuring me to put myself out there more, I lift her up with news to only shoot her back down.
I’m never going to hear the end of this. My eyes go back to the picture of Jordyn’s family and the word vomit is flowing over the line before I even understand what I’ve just said.