“Nah, we couldn’t do that to the poor child. It’s going to have me as a mother and Stuart as a father, that’s punishment enough.”
“And me as an aunty, so I’ll balance things out,” I assured her, but I wasn’t sure I was any more of a role model than they were. I had just started a relationship with four men.
“Well, I hope so.” I heard her give a deep sigh and then I heard a door open. “Hi, baby. Just talking to Nic.”
“Tell her I said hi,” I heard from the other line.
“Hi, Stuart,” I called over the phone and grinned. Almost like old times.
“I guess we’re going to dinner now, Nic. I love you though and can’t wait to see you soon!”
“I’ll be there before you know it,” I told her happily.
“Good. Talk to you then, if not before.” She made kissing noises over the phone and then disconnected.
I sighed, ready to sleep. I’d told the fellas I was on my way to bed, so we delayed our call for a night. I just needed some rest and time to recover from that impossibly wonderful weekend.
I put a movie on Netflix and before I knew it, Mom was coming in to wake me up so I could sleep in my bed, and the TV had gone off.
“Mom? What time is it?” I asked blearily and looked up at her.
“It’s late, honey. Get to bed. You’ll get a crick in your neck if you sleep there.”
“Okay. Love you,” I murmured the words and went back to the bedroom.
I crawled into my bed, with its cool sheets and soft blankets, so unlike the bed in the hotel room. That bed had been luxurious, but this was my bed and it was in my home. Everything was familiar here, even the smell from the fragrance sticks Mom used around the house. I loved the smell of red berries that came out of the bamboo sticks as they absorbed the liquid, and I always knew I was home when I smelled that.
I sighed a deep, heavy sigh as I thought about the weekend one more time. I couldn’t believe they still wanted to talk to me, but they did. I was over the moon about it, and tomorrow, I’d let it sink in finally. Tonight, I needed rest.Chapter NineteenThe week passed before I knew it, and I was on my way to Charlotte. I’d emailed my new employer to ask about time off in August to visit my grandparents, and they’d told me that as long as I could work remotely, they were good with that. That was the most awesome thing I’d ever read. Well, until I got a new text from the guys, but yeah, I fell in love with my soon-to-be employer at that moment.
I got the things ready I’d need for work, the applications they wanted me to use on my computer plus a few other things that needed to be done. I was going to be working with a public relations firm and most of my work would be online research, writing blog posts, and managing social media for a small client for the time being. Once I had some experience, they’d put me with larger clients, bigger chances, and I was really looking forward to it.
On top of that, it was experience I could take with me if the guys decided to leave their trust funds behind. I could really help them in my free time, and I liked that I’d be able to do that.
Mom was busy most of the week, so I didn’t get to talk to her, but I would soon. When we both had some time to do that. The guys came back to North Carolina around the time I made it to Brooklyn’s. They offered to swing by her place, but I told them to just head home. It would be too awkward to explain it all with them there.
They understood, for which I was so glad, and promised they’d call me later in the weekend. That meant they had things to do too, so I was happy. They’d all started to sound a bit sad by the time they were supposed to come home. Somehow, when I left Las Vegas, I took the sunshine with me. At least figuratively.
While that made me feel like I mattered, it also made me sad. I didn’t like knowing they were unhappy in a place where they should be living it up. We’d see each other again, soon, like Mom and I, when we had time. Later, we’d have all the time in the world together when they moved close to Charlotte. For now, I’d have to make do with phone calls and the occasional trip down.
I walked up to the apartment Brooklyn and Stuart were now renting and knocked on the door. Nervousness hit me as I waited for one of them to answer. Would she accept my decision, what I’d done? I knew she was fairly open-minded, and that she wanted people to enjoy their lives when they could but would this just be too… too? I didn’t want to think the word, but it was there. Would this be too slutty, even for her?