Peter managed not to groan. “I have a lot of friends you never meet.”
“Of course, dear. But she’s special, isn’t she?”
He didn’t answer, partly because he was embarrassed that his mother had been able to read him so easily and partly because he didn’t know what to say. Of course, Kelly was special. But no one in the world knew that—particularly not Kelly.
“A mother can tell,” his mother added. “I don’t understand what young men are thinking these days—sitting around and hoping a lady will just drop into their laps from on high. You have to step up, dear, and pursue her, if you’re really interested in her.”
“Mom—”
“I know, I know. It’s none of my business. I just worry about you, all by yourself out there.”
“I’m not all by yourself. You didn’t expect me to still be living with you at twenty-four, did you?”
“I don’t see why not. You know, Martha Harris’s son still lives at home, and he’s almost thirty. You’d be so much more comfortable here, or we could buy you a nice place of your own, if you’d just—”
“I don’t want to join Dad in business,” he gritted out. “I don’t want to live on money I didn’t earn. Why is that so hard to understand?”
“Well, you don’t have to be mean about it.”
Peter bit back another groan. “I’m sorry. I just don’t know how many times we have to have the same discussion.”
“Maybe one day you’ll change your mind. I know you want to do hotel management, but your Dad and I could buy—”
“I don’t want you to buy me a hotel!”
Occasionally, Peter would wonder if he should just accept his parents’ help. He and Kelly had talked for a long time about running a property together—planning out the details of how it would work and what each of them would do. He loved that idea, and he would be thrilled to have it happen more quickly.
But, at eighteen years old, he’d made the resolution that he would earn his success on his own, and nothing in the last six years had changed his mind about it. He’d been steadily saving his money from his job so he could afford a down payment on a modest property when he graduated. It would be a start, and it would be his alone.
“Okay. Okay. I just hate to see you struggling.”
“I’m not struggling. I’m working, like most people do. And I haven’t finished college yet, anyway. I’ll be fine, Mom. I promise I’m not starving.”
“Do you have enough money to take your young lady out? You know a woman needs to be wooed, if you’re going to—”
“I’m not wooing her, Mom!”
Most people would never be in the position to speak those words out loud, but this was his life, and it wasn’t likely to change.
She clicked her tongue. “Well, that’s your problem, dear. You’ve got to woo her, if you’re ever going to win her.”
Peter wasn’t ready for that yet. He didn’t have his degree yet, and he didn’t have enough money saved up to really start a life. Plus, Kelly had never once looked at him in any way except as a friend.
Maybe that would change one day, but he wasn’t going to ruin what they had if there wasn’t any hope for something more.
“I’ve got to go, Mom. I’ll call you later, okay?”
“Okay. Be good, dear.”
Peter was shaking his head as he hung up the phone. Surely most guys at his age didn’t have their mothers still calling them up and telling them to be good.
He’d already hurt his family enough by his decision not to go into the family business or accept any of the family money. The least he could do was answer his mother’s calls.
He and Kelly had agreed to meet in a half-hour, and it had only been twenty minutes, but he was bored and restless, so he left the room and knocked on Kelly’s room across the hall.
In a few seconds, she swung the door open, smiling at him.
His heart gave a familiar little twitch. “I’m early.”
“That’s okay. There was nothing for me to do in here anyway, except call Grandmama.”
“How is she doing?”
“She’s fine. Deanna is staying with her for the weekend. Grandmama told me not to let any stray suitors follow me home, so you’ll have to keep your eye out for them.”
Peter chuckled. If he thought his mother was bad, she was nothing compared to Kelly’s grandmother. “I’ll do my best to beat them off for you.”
“Let me grab my purse, and I’ll be ready to go.”
Peter watched as Kelly bent over to pick up her purse. Her ass was small and tight and rounded beneath her jeans, and he felt the irresistible urge to touch it. And also her long legs and her breasts and her face and her hair.