“Maybe. But you boys could still offer.”
“I’ll text the guys and make sure they’re giving her a hand.”
“Good. And make sure there are leftovers you can bring me on Thursday.”
I laugh.
“Don’t worry, mom. Brinley always makes extra food just for you.”
“Such a sweet girl.” She yawns. “And she makes some amazing mashed potatoes. Do you remember last year when mashed potatoes were the only thing I could keep down for nearly six monthsand—”
“Brinley made them every week so I could bring them to you.”
“And she tried to play it off like she just kept making too much, and they’d go to waste if you didn’t bring them to me.”
“I remember.” I grab her hand and give it a light squeeze. “She loves you; they all do. They’d do anything for you.”
“And they’d do anything for you.”
“I know.”
“So don’t be afraid to lean on them.” She forces a smile. “It’s okay to need someone, Zeke. It doesn’t make you weak if you don’t want to go through this alone.”
I sniffle, holding back my tears, and she instantly notices. She pats my hand, almost like she’s telling me we’ll work on it.
“Does she still have a crush on Jaxon?” she asks.
“I don’t know.” I shrug. “I think she’s seeing someone. Declan says she’s been denying it, but she brought him to the Halloween party, and something was definitely going on there.”
“Good for her. I always hoped Jaxon would get his head out of his ass and see that she was goo-goo eyes for him, but maybe this new guy is exactly what Brinley needs.”
“I’ve only met him once, but he seems great. Brinley seems happy.”
“And how does Jaxon feel about it?”
“He’d never admit it, but I think he’s jealous. I don’t know if it’s because Brinley might be seeing this guy or because their relationship has crumbled since the beginning of October. They don’t hang out like they used to, and I think seeing Brinley with Alex opened Jax’s eyes to the fact that they might never get back to how they used to be.”
“Alex? That’s the guy?” I nod. “What’s his full name?”
“Alex.”
“JustAlex? How are his friends supposed to give him a nickname? Are they supposed to call him Al? Like Weird Al? That’s not a fun nickname.”
“That’s what I said!” I exclaim, and suddenly, our smiles don’t seem forced. She understands me in a way no one else does. I’m definitely a mama’s boy. I always have been. And not in one of those weird mother-son relationships where the mom talks about her son like they’re gonna get married, but in the way where we’re so eerily similar, it’s sometimes scary.
She knows me better than I know myself.
I don’t know what I’ll do if I lose that.
“And what about Declan and Ember. You last told me that he was taking her on a date.”
“Yeah, he took her to this art studio and rented out the place just for them. She’s really talented, ma.” I pull out my phone to show her the picture he sent us of the painting.
“She’s definitely got a gift.”
“So, I guess they’re doing good. Cam doesn’t know, which I can tell is hard on both of them, but—”
“And what about you?”