In a subsequent conversation about her mother's visit (and attempts to fix me up with her sister), Kelly chortles, "Yeah, afterward I got to hear about what a thing you have for me, too."
What?
"Because you talked me up. There's only one reason a guy would praise a woman professionally, you know. You're in loooooooove with me."
And thus does my streak of not remotely understanding women's mothers continue unabated. It's a long streak.