“I’ll try to make that happen. My uncle is being a jerk right now,” I say, but as soon as the words leave my mouth, I wonder if it was a good idea to mention that.

“Why?” she asks like I knew she would.

I glance at Jude for help, but he’s just grinning. Looking back at Mrs. Sinclair, I say, “He’s crazy overprotective of me.”

“And doesn’t like me,” Jude adds. “But that will change.”

“Sure, it will,” she says with a grin. “That’s the thing with parents. In our eyes, no one is good enough for our babies.”

Her eyes meet mine, and I know that she thinks that about me. That shocks me a bit because I thought she liked me, but maybe I was wrong. Maybe I was so caught up in my feelings for Jude that I didn’t realize that his mom could see me as some tramp out to steal her son from her. While that hurts my feelings a bit, I know she’s right. I’m nowhere near good enough for Jude, especially with the secret I’m carrying. Looking down, I wring my fingers together and let out a breath.

“As parents though,” she says, and I look up to meet her gaze, “we have to trust what our children want. When Lucy brought Rick home, I wanted to gag. He was a creep.”

“Yeah, he was,” Jude agrees.

“But he was what she wanted, so we all put aside our thoughts and let her be. When it all came crashing down, we were there to catch her. That’s what family does.”

“I agree, but Phillip doesn’t see it that way. He just hates anyone who wants to date me.”

She laughs as she shakes her head. “That’s a man for you, but it will get better,” she says, almost like a promise, and it honestly makes me feel better. “You know, I thought I wasn’t going to like you either. I figured the girl who bagged my Jude would be a train wreck. Since I threw every good girl his way and he didn’t want anything to do with them.”

“Wow, thanks, Mom,” Jude says, and she reaches over to take his free hand, grinning at him.

“But I was wrong. I knew the moment I met you that you were right for my Jude. It was the way you looked at him. Like he was the flame and you were the moth. It’s a beautiful sight to behold. So obviously, you weren’t looking at her in front of Phillip the way you do when you’re around me,” she says and inside I turn to mush.

She likes me!

Jude laughs. “I couldn’t look at her ’cause he scares the crap out of me. But don’t worry, I’ll stare at you all day tomorrow,” he says, looking over at me.

“Oh, I bet that will go over great,” I say, rolling my eyes.

We all laugh but then Mrs. Sinclair says, “The main thing is Phillip might be hard to deal with now, but once he sees that you aren’t going anywhere, and that Claire trusts and loves you, then he’ll let up. It’s hard on us, but we have to trust the people we love.” She then looks at me before saying, “Without trust, there is no relationship.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” I say, my heart in my throat as I slowly nod.

I feel like a complete and utter hypocrite because I’m not being honest at all.

Lunch was awesome, even though I mostly tore myself apart and went back and forth about telling Jude about Ms. Prissy. I still don’t know what to do and sometimes I get so tired of going around in circles. I wish I could just make a decision. Just tell him or don’t and be done with it, but it isn’t that easy. I wish I didn’t care so much about the money. I wish I could trust that I can make it without it, but something inside me is programmed to make sure I have it. Make sure I’m protected.

Ugh, it’s so frustrating, and I have no clue what to do, but I do know I love Jude’s mom. She makes me feel like a part of the family, but in a way, I felt like something was wrong throughout the whole lunch. When I wasn’t looking directly at her, I swore I caught her with a sad look, but once I looked up at her, she was grinning. I don’t know what that was about, and I think even Jude caught on to it. I’m not sure when I will be able to ask him about it since, with the game and the wedding, we will both be so busy and then dog-tired afterward, but I know I need to ask. I care about his mom, and I don’t want anything to upset her. If I’m doing something wrong, then I need to know.

“I rode with my mom. Can you take me back to the house?” Jude asks me once we’re outside.

“Sure,” I say as I pause in front of Mrs. Sinclair. “Thank you for inviting me to lunch. It was awesome.”

She smiles as she wraps me up in a hug. “It really is a pleasure being around you, Claire,” she says in almost a whisper. “I am really glad that Jude has found you. You make him a better person.”

I pull back, meeting her gaze, and I smile. “We’re better together.”

“I couldn’t say it better myself. He’s lucky to have you,” she says and I want to believe that, but all I see is the back of his head when I tell him about Ms. Prissy’s.

“I think I’m the lucky one,” I say, reaching out to pull him to me. He smiles as he wraps his arms around my shoulders, holding me close.

“She is,” he says with a grin, and I laugh as his mom kisses his cheek.

“You kids be good and I’ll see you two tonight,” she says with a wave as she heads to her car.

We both say bye then get in my car to head back to campus. With the windows down, the music blaring, and my hand laced with Jude’s, I feel like I’m in heaven, but still the thing with his mom is bugging me.

Turning the music down, I ask, “Is your mom okay?”

I feel his gaze on me as he asks, “Yeah, why?”

“I don’t know, she seemed sad in a way, like she was faking her good mood. Is it me? Does she not like me?”

He scoffs. “She loves you, babe, but I did notice that too. I don’t know. She told me before lunch that things with my dad are rocky.”

“Oh, that’s not good at all,” I say, turning onto the road that will lead to campus.

“Nope, but in a way, I’m relieved. I kinda hope she wants a divorce or something. He doesn’t treat her good.”

“Yeah,” I agree. “But I don’t want her to be sad.”

“Me neither, but I hope that once he’s gone, she’ll be happy.”

“Yeah,” I say as I let out a breath. “She’s such a good person.”