I sigh at the sound of my mom’s voice. Not because I don’t want to hear from her, but because I suspect I know why she’s calling. “Hi, Mom.”
“I wanted to check in. A couple of reporters have reached out to my people today, asking about your relationship with Sebastian Navarro.” She pauses, waiting for me to interject, but I don’t. “I didn’t make any comments, of course. But the questions took me by surprise, as I didn’t think you’ve spoken to Sebastian since you were eighteen.”
There’s a hint of hurt in my mom’s voice that has me wincing. I probably should have told her about reconnecting with Bash, but she has so much going on right now. And if I’m being honest, I wanted to keep all of this to myself for as long as I could. The little bubble we’ve created felt so safe and welcoming.
“Yeah, I know. Sorry, Mom. He’s in Minneapolis and plays for their team. Lola and I went to a game, and he saw me, and well, we reconnected after that.”
There’s a pause before my mom says, “I thought you didn’t want to see him after what happened all those years ago?”
“Well, turns out all of that was a big misunderstanding,” I say slowly. My chest twinges. This is also part of the reason I hadn’t told her. Because now I’ll have to admit to being an idiot who ran like a coward and wasted ten years. “He was never with that girl. She kissed him, and I left before I could see him push her away.”
“Oh, honey.”
“Yep. But we talked it all out, and we’re dating now. It’s good. He’s the same in all the important ways, you know? And better in others. He’s… It’s new, but I’m really happy.”
“I’m so happy for you. You loved that boy so much. I know teenage love rarely lasts, but your father and I always believed that if anyone could make it, it was the two of you.” She makes a humming sound, and I can picture her wandering around the house with a nostalgic smile on her face. “He certainly grew into a handsome man, didn’t he?”
I bark out a laugh. “Yeah. Yeah, he did.”
“How is he in bed?”
“Mother!” Scandalized, my face heats, even though I have nothing to be embarrassed about. My mom is the one who should feel embarrassed about asking that question. “I’m not having that conversation with you.”
“I bet he’s better than Ryland, right? I always liked Ryland, but something tells me he’s a more selfish lover.”
“Oh my god. Shoot me now.”
My mom laughs as I groan. “None of that talk, Indigo.”
“Ugh. You’re the worst.” Some of the pressure in my chest eases the longer we talk.
“Seriously, though, do you want me to make a statement? Or I can get our PR on it.” And just like that, she flips the switch, going from concerned mom to international movie star who navigates intrusive gossip the way most people navigate annoying coworkers. It’s just another minor inconvenience. Just another day in the office.
“No, Mom, you don’t need to do that. And you don’t have to make a statement. Sebastian’s agent is aware of what’s going on, and they have a PR firm they work with if we need the help. But I doubt we will. People will be curious for a few days, then it will die down. They’ll realize we’re not that interesting, or someone will get arrested for drug possession, and they’ll pull the attention away from us.”
“I’m sure you’re right, darling.”
I can’t tell if their win last night helped quell the conversation about our relationship, but at least it didn’t seem to make it worse. If they can win tonight, hopefully the focus will stay on the Rogues and their skills.
“Your father probably isn’t getting questions since he’s on location, but he will when he gets back to the States in a week. You may want to give him a call so he knows what to say and what not to.”
My dad has texted a few times while I’ve been in the Twin Cities, but we haven’t spoken. He’s wrapping up a project in South America, and he’s been busy. If I’m being honest, I also don’t want to deal with Ryland learning about my relationship with Sebastian. Not that it matters one way or the other, but I hate that my ex still works for my father. It feels intrusive, and it’s caused me to pull back from my dad a bit.
“I’ll let him know.”
“Good. Do you need anything, since you and Lola are extending your stay?”
“No. Thanks, though, Mom.”
“All right, honey. Well, I have to run, but I’m really happy you and Sebastian have reconnected. He was always such a good boy, and I have no doubt he’ll treat you well. But on the off chance he doesn’t, you let me know and I’ll hire someone to ruin him.”
I laugh, because I’m certain she’s only partially joking. She probably does know people who could ruin him. Or at least try. “That won’t be necessary.”
“I hope not. I love you, darling.”
“Love you too, Mom.”
“Call if you need anything.”