Linc looked around, his eyes nearly bugging out.
“Jesus, would you look at this place? We really get to stay here for two weeks?” he said.
Nat answered before I could.
“Yeah, can you believe it? This place is fucking awesome. Hey, I understand you own a gym and are a trainer. I’d love to get some tips from you on improving my workout.”
Linc nodded, his face all enthusiasm. “Let’s do it. I’ll work you so hard, you won’t know what hit you.”
Nat laughed and clapped him on the back. Linc looked over at me.
“Just ask Garnet, I can be a hard ass when it comes to working out.”
“He’s not kidding,” I said. “Just you wait.”
I gestured toward the stairs. “Shall we choose your room?”
Linc nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah, sure. But I don’t need anything fancy.”
“Dude, there’s nothing here that’s not fancy,” Nat offered.
“He’s right,” I said. I watched the two of them head for the stairs, and I brought up the rear. They were both hot as hell, and I felt a little twinge between my legs as I imagined getting both of them into my bed. I’d not thought that far ahead, but now that it dawned on me, it seemed a likely bonus of our odd circumstances.
Nat took over with the tour, leaving me to follow and replay the conversation I’d just had with my mother.
* * *
The woman rarely, if ever called me. She’d had little interest in me as a child, and even less in me as an adult. So when she picked up the phone to call me, she usually only did so when she needed something. And that something was usually money. Which was bizarre because between the high cost of things in San Francisco, and the payments I was making on my student loans, I never had any to spare.
“Hi honey,” she’d said.
“Mom? I haven’t heard from you in ages.”
“I know, sweetie. I’m sorry. I missed your birthday, didn’t I?” she asked.
“No mom, you did not miss my birthday.” Jesus. She forgot that she remembered? How does that even happen?
“Honey, I was thinking of coming to visit.”
Shit. Of all times. She never wanted to visit. Why now?
“Mom, I’m super swamped with things. When were you thinking?”
“Oh, I don’t know. How does this week look for you?” she asked.
Panic slammed through me.
“Hmmm. This week’s no good, Mom. How about next month?”
“Well, I was really wanting to get away sooner.”
“Mom, is everything okay?”
“Well, Roy and I had a little fight. I wanted to get out of town for a few days,” she sighed with a great deal of drama.
The panic I was feeling doubled and then tripled.
“Mom, are you okay?”