Micaela’s fingers wrap around my index finger and I jiggle my legs softly. “Okay.”
Elena looks to Joseph and then back to me. “We want to offer you the pool house. It doesn’t have to be permanent, but it is yours for as long as you need it. I don’t want to sound pushy,” she says, and something clogs in my throat. I watch both of them, the love they share exploding around me. I wish I had a family like this. Nate is a lucky bastard. “But we want you to know that we are your family now. Regardless of your relationship with Nathanial, this is as much your home as it is his and Madison’s.” I fight the tears that are threatening to fall from my eyes. Living with Nate is probably not the best idea, but Madison’s words echo inside my head. You have to think of her now too.
Elena carries on. “I would also like to say that, um. I will be here at all times. Joseph will be traveling for business, but he will be home a lot more now too. Tillie, we want to help every way that we can, which is why…” She chews on her bottom lip. I’ve never seen her nervous before, but it fills my heart to know she’s trying to help. She exhales. “I want you to know that college can be an option for you. I want Micaela to have the best life, and that means that I want you to have the best life.” Joseph shuffles in his seat, his smile is a little lopsided now. Maybe he doesn’t agree with Elena, either way, there’s no way I could accept the college offer. I gave up on that dream a long time ago. She continues on, “We know you will be graduating with an above average GPA and we have enough strings we can pull at NYU that we can get you into the classes that you would like to take…”
I lick my lips. “I—I am not sure what to say. Thank you for the college offer, I do appreciate it so much, but there is no way that I could ever accept that and be okay with it. I gave up on college a long time ago.” Elena’s face falls, her eyes going to her hands on her lap. Joseph reaches over to rub her back. It’s a warm and loving gesture, one that I couldn’t relate to. “However, I would love to ah, take you up on the pool house?”
Her eyes snap up to mine, a smile stretched wide. “Really?”
I nod, pulling my lips between my teeth. “Yes. I will figure out work and pay rent—”
Elena shakes her head. “No. No rent is needed. Can I ask you one more thing?”
Why not. I nod, nervous about what she’s going to ask me next. Her eyes shift to Joseph, who looks almost statue-like. “You know my active life in The Kings. So, I just—”
“—Honey, don’t bore her with all of that.”
I sense she’s not telling me something, but it’s probably got to do with Nate and his asshole ways.
Elena’s eyes cut to him, but come back to me and Micaela, who has started wriggling in my arms. She must be hungry.
“I—please use me, with her. I know that Nate has told you that we are happy to have her if anything happens or comes up, you know that we would guard her with our life…” the way she says that raises warning flags, but I nod slowly.
“I know.”
“Also, I want you to go out as much as possible, Tillie. You’re eighteen, you should be going out and having fun. Please, please let me do as much as I can. As I said, I am here now and—” Her eyes go to Micaela and glass over. “God I love that girl. She’s like an apology for Nate,” she jokes and I laugh.
“Hey!” Nate snaps from the archway. He’s leaning against it, his eyes on me and Micaela.
Tate comes up beside Nate, leaning up on her tippy toes to whisper in his ear. He grins, throwing his arm around her.
My heart shakes in my chest. Jealousy and rage bubbles to the surface. You will not look weak. You will not look weak.
Nate and Tate disappear together.
“I’m sorry,” Elena murmurs, and my eyes snap to her.
“About what?” I clear my throat, afraid I’m going to explode. I think I’m acquiring an anger problem.
“About Nate.”
I shake my head. “Oh, don’t be sorry. He and I will never be in a relationship, and we will probably kill each other one of these days. So I should probably write my will, right?” I laugh, but they’re not joining. I sigh. “Anyway, thank you for offering the pool house. I think if it was a room in here, I wouldn’t have accepted. You know…” My voice drifts off and Elena’s hand comes to my knee.