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Her eyes widen and her intake of breath is audible It hasif this was a mistake He knows his mother better than I do—what if she )

“Hi Mrs…”

I glance down at Ro for him to supply his last name, our faces mere inches apart

“Whitaker,” his mom answers for him

“Hi, Mrs Whitaker My nahetti the other night, and it onderful—sohetti I’ve ever had And I consider ood-naturedly

I’ out reat with parents

And old people

Also: small children and pets

Mrs Whitaker’s eyes flit back and forth from me to Roman and Roman to me, and it’s clear she is stunned and not sure what to say It takes her a few seconds to gather her wits, and she sits up a little bit straighter in her chair It looks as though sheroom, seated at a table the sah one is certainly more formal

“You’ve tried ain “You should have coht Roht?”

His body sags beneath my palms “I did, Mom”

“I would’ve loved to come for dinner, Mrs Whitaker, but I was in a bit of a slu over his shoulder, the clean, freshly showered s , honestly “It was really nice of your son to bring h His new roommates are some of my best friends—that’s hoe met”

I’ she was about to ask, how the two of us met, so I fill in the blanks for him

Guys are so different fro at his mother, I already know she wants actual details about our relationship

She’s a woman and I’m a woman—details are my jam

“Where are you from, Lilly?”

“Plainfield, just four hours fro”

Hisfroh friends?”

“Yes, his new roommate Eliza used to be my roommate”