Jess plucked a couple of chocolate frogs from the table and requested two mugs of cocoa to take on their walk. "Somehow I doubt that. She knows me better than that." Jess would have never been able to settle for some empty-headed debutante of no substance. He needed somebody who could carry on a real conversation and challenge him otherwise there would be zero attraction. On the other hand, he knew Fallon was not his mother's ideal match, not that he cared, but she might put up a minor stink about it. At least Jess had made it to almost 30 before settling down. Gabe couldn't say the same.

With their treats in hand, he paid the girl behind the table and motioned for them to keep moving. Though the street felt magically warmed, it was still cold and moving helped to keep the blood flowing. "I doubt it will be too much of a problem, but like I said, her opinion isn't of too much concern to me. Gabe married unreasonably young and she managed to make it through that alright." Though his wife was delightful and could handle Beatrice like a professional. "With Connie married off now as well, it's on me and Victoria. I think she'll be happy to be shot of me, realistically." Though moving out had been the first step and she'd made it through that alright. Baby steps.

Not to mention he had reason to believe that there may be a promotion in his near future, which would cement anything else his mother could come up with.