“Aunt Victoria, sorry I missed your call. Did you think about my suggestion?” I asked. “I really think it would be fun.”
“Sawyer, I agree it sounds like fun, but I’m not sure I can get everyone out there at the same time,” Aunt Victoria said. “As for your second request, I can definitely help you with that.”
“I’m still on the fence about it. But if you’d come out to the island this weekend, we could talk in person and you’d get a chance to check out the accommodations for the family,” I urged. “Bring Murphy with you. Asher is already here with a bunch of his friends.”
“Let me think about it and make some phone calls to the agency to see what we could do,” Aunt Victoria said. “Your idea is quite different than the way the agency works.”
“Well, different would be how I do things,” I laughed.
“It’s one of the things I love about you, Sawyer. Did you invite your family?” Aunt Victoria asked.
“Isn’t that what I just did, talking to you?” I teased.
“You know what I mean. Perhaps your parents would come since it’s a tropical island,” she said. “You know what? You decide what you want to do. I’ve always had faith in you.”
“Thanks, I’ll call you tomorrow,” I said, then put my cell back in my pocket and headed out to the beach.
Now all I have to do is ruin Asher’s weekend by telling him his mother is coming to visit.
“Ash, I wanna let you know, I invited your mom and Murphy here this weekend.” I dropped into a lounge chair out on the beach next to him. “I have an idea.”
“Ok, I get it, you want to get back at me for something. But inviting my mother, Sawyer? I love her and she can be fun, but I always get in trouble.”
“What are you, like, four?” I chirped. “Just behave while she’s here. It’s just a few hours. Then you’ll be back to your partying.”
“My partying? I thought this wasourpartying,” Asher insisted. “A few hours, or the weekend?”
“Isn’t it all the same since we’re here for a month?” I pushed my sunglasses up. “You’ll be fine.”
“Yeah, sure. I think you forgot, the last time I got in trouble she tried to force me to get married,” Asher griped. “You ready to talk to me yet about what’s going on with you?”
“Sure but it’s not what you wanna hear.” I sat up in the chair.
“You sick or something?” Asher sat up to face me. “Someone else sick?”
“No, nothing like that.” I looked out over the ocean. “I’m pretty close to being done with the non-stop partying.”
“ThatI have trouble believing. What prompted this?” Asher stood and paced around the chairs. “Is there a girl I don’t know about or remember?”
“That’s it exactly, Ash, you saying you might not remember something or even someone. I’m tired of endless days where I may not remember everything we did or said.”
“Okay, so just don’t drink as much.” Asher leaned against the chair.
“I called your mom to get help with finding a wife,” I blurted out.
“No, no, no. You asked her for a bride? Like one of those mail-order brides she got my brothers?” Asher stuttered. “Sawyer, why? You have a constant supply of women at your beck and call.”
“Sure, and they’re fun to hang with, but I’m wanting what your brothers and mine have and your mom has picked perfectly so far.” I laughed. “It’s kinda crazy how perfectly.”
“I keep telling everyone she’s some kind of witch. So, no surprise on the perfect picks,” Asher paced again, “except for me. She didn’t see that coming.”
“Not sure that’s fair. You guys are identical.” I stood and paced with him. “Although, he’s a good guy and you’re, well, very different.”
“I still say she had a plan to get August the wife all along.” Asher scoffed. “She doesn’t make those mistakes.”
“True, and the press did think it was you. Maybe she played you both.” I really laughed now. “That’s brilliant.”
“Yeah, well, we’re getting close to October, so beware of her and her magic.” Asher walked toward the tiki bar. “I need a drink. A really big, strong drink.”