Tyler thrust the check into my hand, and I found my fingers closing over the piece of paper.
“I don’t know how I’m ever going to repay you guys,” I said breathlessly.
“It’s not a loan. It’s a gift. An investment in your happiness. That’s what people do when they are,” Tyler hesitated, “doing whatever the hell it is we’re doing. They invest in their person.”
“That check will pay off the rest of the debt you have and it’ll renovate your loft. Because it sounds like the money we originally gave you to do that got put towards another use,” Tanner said.
“We had debt to pay off and I thought it would be better if we did that first.”
“You don’t owe us an explanation,” Tyler said.
“You are handing me seventy thousand dollars. I owe you whatever the fuck you want,” I said.
“Look. I know you’ve operated like this your whole life, without much trust in the people around you. But we want to help you because we believe in you, not because you can give us something in return. I know that’s a new concept, so please, roll with it for now,” Tanner said.
“Thank you so much,” I said in a whisper.
I turned and kissed each of them before we dug into our food. The rest of the afternoon was wonderful, and the three of us sat and drank until the sun set below the trees. We ordered a late dessert to help me sober up so I could get to work. Then, the two of them followed me on their bikes back to the bar. I was excited when I saw Nick standing at the door. It made me wonder if Jacob and Adam would show up for the night.
But before I could get to the bar to hug Nick’s neck, my mother emerged and began flirting with him.
The twins stood behind me as my mother stroked her finger down Nick’s chest. I felt my jaw tightening as the twins wrapped their hands around my balled-up fists. Nick was staring down at my mother with a stoic expression on his face, trying to keep his cool while she continued to throw herself at him. She was pressing her hips into him and caressing his cheek, cupping his face and bringing her lips dangerously close to his.
“What’s going on?” I asked as the three of us walked up.
My mother looked at the twins holding my hands before she tried to take Nick’s.
“Just having a bit of conversation with tonight’s bouncer,” she said.
“Bouncer?” I asked.
“Dee called in sick, and Lindy asked me to fill in,” Nick said. “I came by the bar to see if you were around setting up. I was going to offer to help.”
“Ever the sweet one,” I said.
“And strong underneath these clothes,” my mother said.
She pressed her hands into Nick’s chest, digging her fingertips into his skin. Nick was growing more and more irritated, but I understood why he wasn’t moving. Being a bouncer was a different kind of mindset. You had to guard the bar and make sure the rowdiness stayed out, but you couldn’t discourage people from coming in. My mother had officially become a paying customer, so there were no grounds to toss her out.
But I could tell she was getting on Nick’s nerves by the way he scrunched up his nose at her.
“Mom?” I asked.
“What?”
“We don’t open for another hour. Could you please stop groping our bouncer?” I asked.
“I don’t know. I think he kind of likes it.”
My mother went to move her hand to his crotch, but he snatched her wrist and twisted it up toward her face.
“What the fuck, dude?” my mother asked.
“Get out,” I said. “Go get drunk somewhere else tonight.”
My mother spat at my feet before she yanked herself away from Nick. The twins immediately took up their spots in front of me, blocking me from my mother. I raised my hands and placed each one on the small of their backs, silently thank
ing them for their support and their protective natures. I felt my body warm from my toes to my nose as I heard my mother’s footsteps fade away from us, carrying with her the stress I would’ve encountered that evening had she stayed.