Sweet Persuasion (Sweet #2)(69)

Serena laughed again, enjoying the easy rapport between mother and son. It made her miss her own parents, though it hadn’t been that long since she’d last visited. It was easy to get caught up in work, become too busy to pick up the phone or stop in to say hello. After witnessing Damon and Jo’s grief over losing Damon’s father, she was going to make it a priority to see her folks as soon as she got back. Life was short. Damon’s father’s sudden passing was certainly a testament to that.

“My mom is great,” Serena said, suddenly compelled to talk about her own parents. “I probably was spoiled, but she raised me to be independent. To think and do for myself. She was one of nine children, and the only one to graduate high school. She put herself through college and got her teaching degree. I was always so proud of her. She doesn’t take any shit from anyone.”

“Sounds like my kind of lady,” Jo said.

“I think you’d get along well,” Serena said with a smile.

“And what do you do?” Jo asked. “If you don’t mind me asking.”

“This isn’t an interrogation, Mom,” Damon said mildly.

“No, it’s okay,” Serena said. For a long time she had felt discomfort over explaining her business to other people. But the happiness she brought her clients quickly removed any unease she felt over the legitimacy of Fantasy Incorporated.

“I own my own business. I fulfill fantasies,” she said.

Jo blinked in surprise. “What kind of fantasies?”

“Mom,” Damon said in warning.

“Not the kind you’re thinking,” Serena said as she hid her smile. Not unless having her own sexual fantasy fulfilled counted.

“I create scenarios for people. A fantasy situation. For instance, one of my last clients had a dream of being a chef in a top restaurant in Houston. He didn’t know how to go about it, wanted me to arrange the details, so I did.”

“Oh, how fun! So it’s like a play day almost,” Jo said.

“Well, I suppose you could call it that. It’s a chance to do something you might not otherwise get to do. My most recent client wanted to be a princess of her own cruise ship.”

Serena’s face tightened, and she regretted bringing Michelle up.

“I think that’s wonderful, Serena. And how creative! I’ve never heard of another business like it.”

“Thank you. I enjoy it.”

Jo reached for her plate, but Damon stood and motioned her away.

“You ladies sit tight, and I’ll put away the dishes.”

“You raised a good man,” Serena said with a sigh as he disappeared inside.

“Yeah, well, just don’t let him think you know that,” Jo muttered. “Because then they get impossible to live with.”

Serena chuckled and leaned back in her chair, inhaling the night air. She glanced up at the sky, which was clear and dotted with the first stars. And she wished. Wished for the impossible. She wished for the fantasy to never end.

CHAPTER 26

Damon stood at the sink, looking out the window at his mom and Serena smiling and laughing like old friends. He wasn’t sure why he’d chosen now to return home or why he’d asked Serena to come. It had just seemed right. Now that he was here, he was glad he’d come. He should have never stayed away, no matter how much it hurt. His mom had been hurting too, and she’d needed him.

His mom’s questions about Serena pressed home just how little he knew about her. Yes, he’d run a background check. He knew cursory details, but he didn’t know any of the stuff that mattered. What made her tick. What she dreamed. What made her happy and what made her sad.

And it bothered the hell out of him.

He’d make it his mission to find out every nuance of what made her the person she was.

Collecting a full bottle of wine and the opener, he headed back outside. Rich laughter met his ears as he opened the door, and he realized how very good it felt to hear his mom laugh again.

The two women looked up, warm welcome in their eyes. It felt damn good. He moved his chair closer to Serena then settled beside her. He flung an arm around her shoulders and pulled her into the crook of his arm.

“Are you enjoying yourself?” he murmured as his mom poured more wine.

“Very much so,” she returned as she looked up at him, her blue eyes flashing from the glow of the interior lights.

“We won’t be able to stay out much longer,” Jo warned. “Mosquitos will eat us alive. The citronella seems to work for a bit after dark, but then it’s like they converge in a feeding frenzy and no humans are safe.”

“Ugh, I’m starting to itch just thinking about it,” Serena said.

“They grow ’em so big here that Louisiana tried to make the mosquito the state bird,” Jo said with a straight face.

Serena laughed. “In that case, I’ll definitely be heading in soon.”

Damon leaned close to Serena until his lips brushed her ear. He smiled when he felt the tiny shudder that worked up her spine. “Why don’t we go in now? It’s been a long day.”

She turned to look at him, her smile lighting up the night. “I am tired.”

He turned to his mom, who was already rising from her chair. “We’re going to turn in, Mom. Thanks for supper. It was wonderful as always.”