I loved both my parents, but their marriage had been hard to watch. So, when my mom called, excited about her new boyfriend, I was happy for her.
She invited me to dinner to meet him. All I knew was his name—Aaron—and that he was a pastry chef.
When I arrived, my mom greeted me warmly. But as I stepped inside, my heart stopped. Standing by the table was Aaron—my age, dark-haired, confident.
I stared at my mom in disbelief. “Are you kidding me?!”
“Casey, this isn’t a joke,” she said. “Aaron and I are dating.”
I turned to him, anger rising. “Is this about money?”
“Casey!” Mom gasped.
Ignoring her, I clenched my fists. “You two need to break up.”
