Kelly: Wear hooker heels!
Me: I don’t even own any. I’m not a hooker like you…
Kelly: You can borrow some.
Me: I’m not trying to pick anyone up. I’ll just wear my regular shoes.
Kelly: You aren’t wearing mom jeans and Toms for GNO. I forbid it.
Me: I don’t even own mom jeans and Toms are comfy.
Kelly: Text me photos of potential outfits tomorrow and I’ll tell you what to wear.
Me: Fine. I’m getting back to my show now.
Kelly: Hey, do you mind if Ross and I have sex while Hazel’s staying here? We’ll be really quiet.
Me: It’s your house, have sex whenever you want!
Kelly: It just feels weird to do it with a kid here.
Me: Lol, it’s up to you guys. Swing from the chandeliers if you want. She’s usually got her headphones on in her bedroom anyway, she won’t know.
Kelly: Okay we’ll see…I’ll let you watch your show.
Me: Goodnight
Kelly: Night
I put the phone back on my nightstand and switch Outlander back on. Tonight’s probably working out the way it should.
A night of crazy good sex with Erik would only remind me of what I used to have.
He really got to me when he came to my rescue this afternoon, and Hazel’s, too. I could see that look in his eyes I know so well. It said don’t worry, I’ve got this.
Even after what I did, dumping him in such a hurtful way, he still cares. That’s just who he is.
And it’s who I miss. God, sometimes I miss him so much it hurts.ElevenEasyAlexei’s larger than life personality fills Aunt Jo’s living room.
“Mama Z,” he says to my mom, grinning as he opens his arms for a hug.
I swear she likes him more than me. My mom’s face lights up as my Russian teammate wraps her in a warm embrace. She’s met him a couple of times, but only briefly. Our team is a family, though, and Alexei’s become my closest friend on the team.
“And you must be Aunt Jo,” Alexei says, hugging my aunt next.
By the time Graysen, Mia, Anton, Jonah, and Kit are inside, it feels like there’s no room left in the house. Mom tries to offer everyone drinks, but no one will let a woman with a fractured ankle get them anything.
“Just sit down; we can help ourselves,” Mia says. “And I have something for you.”
“For me?”
“It’s for you and Aunt Jo. Graysen and I got you a few things to help through your recovery.”
Mia passes Mom a big, flower-patterned canvas bag. Mom pulls out a puzzle and smiles.
“How thoughtful of you girls,” she says. “Thank you.”
She keeps taking more items out, and by the time she’s done, the table is laden with three puzzles, two board games, several word search and coloring books, packages of pens and markers, fuzzy socks, candy, a Blu-ray player and several movies, and lots of the good coffee from Puerto Rico our team owner Olivier Durand has an endless supply of.
“We’ll have lots of things to do tonight,” Mom says, beaming.
I look over at Mia and Graysen and bring my hands together in front of me, sending them a silent thank you for their kindness. I can’t believe they both came all this way just to look after my mom and aunt so I can go out with the guys.
“Happy birthday, man,” Alexei says, giving me a quick embrace.
“Thanks.”
“Big 3-0,” Kit says, shaking his head and grinning. “It’s all downhill from here.”
“I’ve had my fun,” I say, shrugging.
Jonah claps me on the back. “Bro, you won’t believe where we’re staying tonight.”
I turn to look at him in confusion considering there aren’t many places to stay in Greentree Falls. “Has to be either that little strip motel or Marnie’s.”
“Marnie’s Holiday Inns?” His words are half-statement, half-question. “That place is a trip.”
Marnie’s, run by a family who gives zero fucks about copyright infringement lawsuits, gets press from travel magazines from time to time for being a quirky Midwestern destination. It’s made up of around a dozen little cabins built around a lake, each with a different holiday theme.
I’ve never actually been to Marnie’s. It’s way overpriced for the everyday budget of a high school kid, and anyone at Greentree Falls High School who forked over the cash ended up getting ratted out to their parents anyway. But Allie and I did spend a few steamy nights at the strip motel her senior year, including prom night. It was only maybe a month after her parents passed and she had been taking care of the kids herself, and I came home for her prom. I still remember so much about that night, from how hungry she was for me in bed to how hard she slept afterward. She must’ve been exhausted.
“Which cabin are you in?” I ask Anton.
“Thanksgiving. You’ve never seen so many turkeys in your life, I swear. Turkey towels, turkey rugs, turkey bedsheets. Even the toilet seat has a turkey cover on it.”