Need Me (Mess with Me 3)

You needed sleep more than anything I could give you.

He’d written his phone number below the message. Clearly he hadn’t believed me when I said I didn’t want to exchange numbers. Not that I can blame him. I wouldn’t have believed me either. The man looks like an underwear model and I haven’t even seen him without his clothes. A naked Vin is probably even more spectacular.

“He tucked me in. Who does that?” Instead of hot sex, he’d put me to bed and left. I’m not sure if that makes him even weirder than I am or just... a nice person.

The thought of never seeing him naked makes me depressed but I keep a no numbers policy for a reason. There are no relationship expectations and no chances for anyone to get attached or get their feelings hurt. I crumple the note in my fist and throw it away before I’m tempted to take it with me.

I have the policy for a very good reason but this is the first time I’ve ever actually regretted it.

Luckily an Uber is close by so I don’t have to linger long waiting for a ride. When I get home, the apartment is quiet. Mya isn’t awake yet so at least I don’t have to answer any questions about how my night went.

Usually I’m happy to scandalize my slightly uptight bestie with tales of my hot one night stands but this time I feel strangely protective over the details.

Which doesn’t make any sense.

This is exactly the kind of weird story I’d usually love to share.

But the way Vin stared into my eyes while we were talking doesn’t seem like the kind of thing you share over girl talk for a laugh.

“There you are!” Mya suddenly appears in the kitchen. She glances at me and then at the front door. “Did you just get in?”

“I needed to go to the store.” I escape before she has time to look in the fridge and see that it’s still pretty empty.

That night, I have the place all to myself again because Mya got a message from her client that he wanted to meet for dinner. I’m thrilled her situation seems to be working itself out.

Since the client called her, maybe the whole thing was a misunderstanding. I hope so. Even though relationships aren’t my thing, watching her mope on the couch made me regret not being more supportive. Mya has never been as happy as she is with Milo and so I told her to give the guy a chance to explain.

Anything is better than watching my best friend’s heart break a little more each day.

Besides, someone needs to get the happily-ever-after around here. How else am I going to be the cool Aunt to her sure-to-be-adorable future kids?

I check my phone and see a bunch of voicemails. My parents are the only ones who insist on calling instead of texting like everyone else. It wouldn’t be so bad if they were checking on me or asking about how my life is going. Instead it’s always long, rambling messages about how much they hate each other.

Even before their divorce, my father traveled so much that I didn’t see him often. My mother on the other hand was way too present in my life, one of the reasons I applied to colleges across the country. I got lucky when I found this apartment and the neighborhood, Adams Morgan, is a fun place with lots of cool restaurants and nightlife.

Its best feature is being a five-hour flight from Beverly Hills.

Well, if I have to listen to their bitching, it might as well be amusing.

My father, originally from Venezuela, is the proverbial workaholic business mogul who had no idea how to relate to a little girl. He usually just asks if I need more money. He thinks everything can be solved with a check.

I go into my contacts and change Eduardo Silva to Daddy Warbucks.

My mother, originally from Sweden, is a former model whose only hobby is complaining about my father’s new wife. Or in her words, the hussy who fucked my husband in our vacation house. She manages to turn every single thing into a huge deal and of course expects me to be on her side every time. She’s what Mya would call a Drama Llama.

Smiling, I change Ingrid Larsson to Drama Mama.

I push the button to play the messages while the water warms up for my shower.

Daddy Warbucks: Your mother keeps calling in the middle of the night. It’s upsetting Veronica. If she needs more money tell her–

MESSAGE DELETED

Drama Mama: Your father’s home-wrecking hussy wants you to take pictures with them. As if you’re her daughter. The nerve! The absolute nerve–

MESSAGE DELETED

Daddy Warbucks: I forgot to tell you Veronica would like for you to take some pictures with us. Our therapist says we need to bond as a family–