Pucked Love (Pucked, #6)(35)

I look down at myself. I’m wearing dress pants and a button-down shirt. I suppose I can see how she might mistake me for a church type, but…did she just proposition me? I slip my hands in my pockets and glance over her shoulder, trying to see past her, but she takes up most of the doorway.

“I’ll have to pass on that. I’m here to see Charlene.”

Her smile falters as she inspects me in a new way. “Oh? Is that right? And who might you be?”

“I’m . . . uh . . . her boyfriend?” For some reason it comes out as a question.

“Oh! Yes, of course! Char-char can be so secretive about stuff like that.” She gives me a conspiratorial wink.

Char-char? “I guess?”

She motions for me to come inside. “She should be home soon. Would you like to come in?”

“Sure. Thank you.” When I enter the kitchen, I freeze. The counter is covered in sex toys. More specifically, the kind I typically find in Charlene’s I thought I might like it but I changed my mind trunk. What the hell is going on here? “May I ask how you know Charlene?”

“I’m so sorry. I’m so distracted. I haven’t even introduced myself properly. I’m Whensday, Char-char’s mother.” She extends a hand.

“Oh! I didn’t realize you were visiting Charlene. It’s nice to meet you.”

I’d tell her mom I’ve heard a lot about her, but the truth is, I haven’t. I know the basics. That she’s a Dominatrix, and has been since Charlene was a teenager. Before that they lived in a rural community, and Charlene’s father wasn’t a good man, so they left. Aside from those details, I know little about Charlene’s family or her early life. Neither of us is particularly keen to talk about our childhoods, so we don’t.

“It’s always nice to meet Char-char’s friends. A mother worries, you know.”

“I’m sure you do.”

I agree even though I wouldn’t know what that’s like. My parents gave zero fucks about me. I’m fairly certain that hasn’t changed in the past decade. And my grandparents, who did raise me, are about as warm as ice.

Charlene’s mom crosses to the counter where a plethora of dildos and other sex toys are laid out on dishtowels. I make a mental note to throw out every dishtowel in the house.

“It’s such a small world, isn’t it? Char-char had quite the adventure meeting your parents this weekend! The resemblance between you and your father is actually rather uncanny. So smart that they went into directing since porn stars have such a short shelf life. No one wants to watch boobs flop around when they’re trying to get off, do they? And don’t get me started on old balls, am I right?”

I’m not sure if she honestly expects me to respond. I’m also suddenly very aware that as fucked up as I might think I am, based on what I’m seeing and hearing, Charlene is just as much a mess. It doesn’t appear that her mother sheltered her in any way from her chosen profession. It makes me want to protect Charlene from all the bad things in this world, myself excluded.

“So how long have you been dating Charlene, exactly?”

I go with vague. “We’ve been together for a while.”

“Really? Hmm. . . Well, enjoy her while you can.”

What the hell does that mean? “I’m sorry?”

“Char-char doesn’t often let people get too close to her. Well, apart from her girlfriends, anyway.”

My mouth is suddenly dry. I contemplate how well I really know Charlene, because there’s some truth in what her mother has said. Charlene has always been the one to pull back in our relationship. I’ve allowed it because I don’t want to risk losing her by pushing her, but we’re two years into this, and I don’t have the sense of security I’d like to.

“It’s been nice visiting her. She has such fun friends. They all enjoyed themselves at the convention. You know, I tried to raise Charlene in a very sex-positive, shame-free lifestyle, at least once it was just the two of us.”

“That’s important.” I’m not sure what else to say to that.

“It really is, but sometimes I think it might have been better for Char-char if she’d had a more normal childhood. She was always so sweet, and smart as a whip! My God, she could recite her times tables up to twelve by the time she was four. It’s no surprise she works with numbers. If I’d had her smarts, maybe I would’ve made better choices.” She gives me a rueful smile. “I’d always thought maybe one day Char-char might want to travel the world with me, but she seems settled and happy here.”

“She is happy, and very much settled.” Her house is homey, her life has a routine and comfort in it, and I’m part of that.

She tips her head. “You play professional hockey, yes?”

“I do.”

“That means you travel often?”

“During the season, yes.”

“Mmm. . .” She says something that sounds like close but not too close. “That must make relationships challenging.”

“I’m in Chicago during the off-season, and Charlene is very independent, as I’m sure you know.” I force a smile, aware that even if she doesn’t have the most conventional job, she’s still a mother making sure her daughter is taken care of. “She also has good friends who are always here when I’m away.”