can’t wait for you to meet Hugo,” Lindsey said as she stirred the simmering sauce.
“Me either!” For years, Lindsey had told Alexa stories about Hugo. Even though Alexa had never met him, she seemed to consider him as some kind of uncle. When she was accepted into the exchange program, the first thing she inquired about was Hugo. She wanted to mentor under him just as her mom had done.
“He’s the best teacher. He’s kind of a meddler, so don’t let him know anything about your social life,” Lindsey said. When she and Jack first started dating, Hugo needed to know all the details. He wanted to know where Jack was from, how they met, and most important, if they felt the amour. Lindsey had made the mistake of telling him they were indeed in love, and he was the one who had encouraged her to prompt Jack to put a lock on the bridge. At the time, she was painting a scene of the bridge and the locks, and Hugo had told her that paintings have more meaning when you experience them in real life. His advice was similar to the words of wisdom writers had been receiving for years.
“Paint what you know,” Hugo had said.
Lindsey loved the scene she had painted on the bridge, but she knew it was missing that je ne sais quoi. So, she had tried to experience the power of the locks. To her dismay, she was never able to complete the painting, because as hard as she tried, it never felt quite right. She’d left the unfinished canvas behind and completely forgotten about it until that moment.
Lindsey shook her head to release the memory and went back to making the pasta and focusing on Alexa.
“Though, I wouldn’t worry about Hugo meddling too much. I don’t expect you to have much of a social life because you’ll be busy studying and painting, right?” Lindsey prodded, hoping that her daughter didn’t feel the need to experience life in France the way she had.
“Yes, Mom,” Alexa said as she picked up The New York Times crossword puzzle from the kitchen table. “Ten letter word for soul mate?”
“Delusional?”
Alexa shook her head. “You’re terrible.”
“Or realistic. Why should there be only one person for everyone?” Lindsey asked. After Jack and then Dane, she no longer believed in “the one.”
“But what if there is?” Alexa asked. “What if there is just one person?”
As a mom, Lindsey wanted to keep her daughter’s hope and innocence alive, but as a woman who’d experienced love and loss, she wanted to stop her daughter from making the same mistakes she had. “Remember when I had to tell you there was no Tooth Fairy? Well… brace yourself again,” Lindsey said.
“Just because you were right about the Tooth Fairy, doesn’t mean you’re right about this.”
Lindsey shook her head. She wanted to explain further, but there was no use arguing. She was Alexa’s age once, and she knew how hopelessly romantic a young girl could be.
Alexa’s phone started buzzing and she looked down at the screen. “It’s Dad.”
“Right on time. Proof positive that love is like the Tooth Fairy.”
“Mom!” Alexa exclaimed as she picked up the phone. She started talking to her dad.
Lindsey went back to cooking, but she could overhear Dane tell Alexa to be careful.
While he hadn’t been a great husband, he’d always been a great father, and for that, Lindsey was appreciative.
“Say hi to Jane for me,” Alexa said before hanging up.
“Who’s Jane?” Lindsey asked.
“Dad and Marcie are separated. It looks like he’s headed for number three.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Lindsey said, and she meant it. Marcie and Dane married two years after his and Lindsey’s divorce. Although things were complicated at first, Lindsey knew that Alexa and Marcie had a good relationship, and she hated to see her daughter have to deal with more disruption of family than she already had, even if she was an adult. “You shouldn’t refer to your dad’s wives by number.”
“At least you’re still number one.”
“Yay,” Lindsey said apathetically.
“You know what I look forward to? The day I get to tell Dad that you’re with someone else,” Alexa quipped. Since the split, Lindsey had dated men here and there, but she’d never found anyone serious. For her, love was never a focus. She already had her two loves—Alexa and the magazine. She didn’t have time for anything else.
“At least you’ll always have something to look forward to,” Lindsey said.
“Mom. Come on. I’m in college now. You have this whole giant place to yourself. Don’t you want someone to share it with?”
“I get to share it with you during holidays and summer. Besides, I’m more concerned with work right now,” Lindsey said.
“You always say that,” Alexa said.
“Actually, someone wants to buy POV. And not just someone—Trent Greer.”
Alexa’s eyes lit up. “The publishing guy?” Lindsey nodded. “That’s great!”
“It would be if I was selling,” Lindsey replied.
“Would that be so bad?”
“Sweetie, it’s what I do every day. It’s who I am. I’m not selling my life.”
Alexa looked as if she was going to hold back, but couldn’t stop herself from saying more. “What life? All you do is work. You know I love the magazine, but it’s the only relationship you have.”
“I have you,” Lindsey protested.
“When was the last time you went out and did something that wasn’t related to business?”
Lindsey thought about it for a moment. There had to be something else she did, but she couldn’t think of anything. She tried again, but nothing. Finally, she decided to change the subject.
“Can you believe you’re going to Paris for three whole months?” she asked.
“Nice pivot.” Her daughter knew when she was deflecting.
“Helicopters pivot, right?” Lindsey asked. She didn’t want to talk about letting go of POV anymore.
“You know what? You’re right. I can’t believe I’ll be in Paris for three months. I’m excited. Are you?” Alexa asked.
“For you? Absolutely.”
“I meant for you, Mom. You haven’t been to Paris in twenty years. I’m sure it’s going to be amazing.”
“I’m sure it will be,” Lindsey replied.
“We’re going to have fun. We’re going to Paris!”
Lindsey smiled
