Lola
A couple of days later…
“Good morning.” I kissed my mom’s cheek. “I brought you something.” I held up a small white bag.
“Lola.” Mom’s eyes lit up, and she squeezed my hand. “I didn’t know you were coming in today.” She grabbed the bag. “Is this what I think it is?” She winked.
“Your favorite.” I pulled out a bar stool by the big table where they prepared bouquets for the customers. “I grabbed two. One for me and one for you.”
I didn’t need to come in today. Usually, I worked from home, managing social media, the website, and the blog for my parents’ flower shop. Then, I thought about Olly’s question: When is she going to meet Ryan? And by ‘she,’ he was talking about my mom.
“What if I don’t want to share?” Mom laughed and reached into the bag to grab a cinnamon roll.
“You can have both.” I attempted to close the bag. If my mom wanted to eat two cinnamon rolls, I was not going to stand in her way.
“No.” She pushed the bag closer to me. “Eat.” She took a bite and moaned.
The Bakery around the corner made out-of-this-world cinnamon rolls. “Seriously, the best.” I held the dessert with my fingers and marveled at its excellence.
My mom and I had a secret, and we made a pact to take the secret to our graves.
A few summers ago, we ordered a dozen cinnamon rolls intending to share them with my dad and Olly. Instead, we each ate six in one setting.
Yes, I felt so gross after, but I had no regrets.
“What are you working on today?” Mom pulled out a bar stool and sat down beside me.
“Um…”
“Uh oh, what is it?” She was about to take a bite but stopped and set the sweet roll on the white bag. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, fine.” I set my roll next to hers and brushed the glaze off my hands. “I need to share something with you.”
“Oh, you look so serious, should I be worried?” She reached for my hand.
“I’m dating someone.” I decided to just spit it out.
She gasped and flashed the biggest smile. “You are? Both my babies are dating.” She clapped her hands and then set them on my thighs. “How long have you been dating?”
“Close to two weeks.”
“Wait a minute.” She straightened. “You’ve never told me this soon. Does that mean it’s serious?”
“Maybe.”
“Lola.” She moved off the bar stool and stepped around my legs so she could lean in and hug me. “Tell me more.”
“His name is Ryan. I met him at The Market when I was talking to Jules.” That day flashed into my mind. I found myself enjoying the memory of his tall frame, lean hands, and stunning profile.
“Wow, this is serious.” She placed her hand on the side of my face. “Two weeks, eh?” I grabbed the cinnamon roll and took a bite. “Don’t stall. I can’t wait to hear about the person who makes you blush and light up a room just by the mention of a relationship. You haven’t even told me any of the juicy details yet.”
I laughed because I knew she was right. Every time I thought about Ryan, something would happen, and I would feel excited.
“Okay, okay, okay, I’ll talk.” I smiled and set the cinnamon down. “It’s weird, Mom. The first day I met him, it was like I knew he was the one.” I rested my forearm on the counter. “Do you believe in instant attraction?”
“Do I believe? Sweetie, I’ve experienced it.” She sat back down on the bar stool.
“Wait. Really?” Her confession took me by surprise.
“I loved your dad from the first moment I saw him.” She winked.
“Wow, how did I not know this?”
“We’ve never talked about it until now.”
I sighed, placed my elbow on the counter, and rested my head in my hand. “So, it’s totally normal.”
“Of course it is.” She patted her hand on my thigh. “When you know, you know.”
“Know what?” My dad stepped out of the office and walked toward us. “Oh, wait, this looks serious.”
“Not serious, Darling.” My mom smiled, and I could see from the look in her eyes that she loved my dad deeply. It was obvious the instant attraction was more than just a moment; it was forty-plus years of love.
“Um, okay.” He cleared his throat. “I need to go check on an order.”
“I thought all your orders were delivered yesterday?” I watched my dad turn and practically run back to his office.
“They were.” She looked at me and burst out laughing. “That man, I tell ya.”
Now I couldn’t wait for my mom and dad to meet Ryan. Before I said anything, I had to check with him. Meeting the parents this early in a relationship felt weird, too soon.
I grabbed my phone from my back pocket and sent Ryan a text message.
AUTHOR NOTE:
I adore how close Olly and Lola are with their parents. It’s really special. Do you think Ryan will feel apprehensive about meeting Lola’s parents only two weeks into the relationship?