“That’s true,” their mom said.

“You’re always telling us to share ourselves with others, that having friends enriches our lives. Well, that applies to you too.” He paused then added what would surely fire her up, “Or are you too old to date?”

Their mother glared at him. “Too old? Boy, I’m barely fifty-two. I could have more babies if I wanted.”

“Oh, please don’t.” Auggie looked horrified.

“Shut it, you.” Cynthia pointed a finger at Auggie. But her lips quirked. “I’m done having children, you little bonehead. But I take your point, Xavier. I do miss having a companion to do things with. Book club and my Bunco buddies aren’t the same. I tell you what. I’ll get out there and try if you two will.”

“Done.” Auggie shook their mom’s hand before Xavier could caution her not to agree too readily. It was one thing to say they’d date, but another to prove they were. Because their mom liked to see—with her own eyes—proof in the doing. She’d been burned by Auggie too many times in the past to trust blindly.

“Excellent.” Cynthia smiled a little too widely at them, and Xavier wondered who had actually been manipulating who, exactly.

Auggie gave a tiny shrug. “Mom, a friend of mine wants to meet you. I was talking about you, and he asked if you were as good-looking as me, so I said, hell no. My mom’s a straight-up honey.” She laughed at Cynthia’s blush. “I’m happy to give him your number if it’s okay with you.”

Their mother looked happier. “Sure. If it’ll make you two stop nagging, then I’m all for it.”

Xavier gave her a stern look. “Nagging? Really? Because we care?”

“Don’t use that hurt look on me, boy. I perfected that pout with your father years ago.”

He grinned. “And just like Dad, you still fall for it.”

“Oh. For that, you’re doing the dishes.”

Auggie stuck out her tongue at him.

“And Auggie, you’re drying.”

“Crap.”

Xavier laughed and spent the remainder of the meal telling his mother about the latest advice cartoon he’d drawn and the bevy of Dear Aunt Truth emails they continued to receive.

But he made no mention of Justine, though she continued to remain in his thoughts throughout the meal.

And he didn’t understand why he couldn’t get the sight of her fine ass and amazing body, loosely covered in that old, overlarge tee-shirt, out of his mind’s eye.

CHAPTER 7

Monday evening, Xavier sat in the courtyard by the fountain in their apartment building, sketching in his notepad, and inhaled the fragrant scent of sweet peas, honeysuckle, and lilacs. To add to the variety in color, the red rhododendrons added another burst of vibrance to the verdant garden.

The fountain trickled, and a cool breeze eased the warmth of the encroaching summer, a surprising heat wave hitting them early.

He sat at a picnic table, enjoying the darkening blue sky with the umbrella closed, and watched Top kneeling, getting in a last bit of weeding and pruning around the bushes in one corner of the courtyard.