shared joke.”
I said nothing.
“He is sitting at that table thinking about you, Elena. Not my dress.”
She continued.
“What about Robert?”
I thought about James’s father.
Robert had asked Mom about her accounting work.
When she explained that many of her clients were small businesses, he mentioned a client of his having a cash-flow problem.
Mom gave him two suggestions.
Robert immediately pulled out his phone and typed them down.
“Robert respected what you said.”
My mother nodded.
“Because Robert respects competence.”
She pointed toward herself.
“He respected
