154
Eventually, Amanda pulled back just enough to look at her. "Can I ask you something?"
Ericka looked up, her expression curious. "Always."
Amanda brushed a strand of hair away from her face. "You never really talk much about your family. I don't mean that in a bad way I just realized... I don't know much about them."
Ericka blinked, a small smile tugging at her lips. "That's true. I don't talk about them often."
"Why not?" Amanda asked softly.
Ericka sighed — not heavily, just thoughtfully. "I think because my family's the one part of my life that still feels untouched by everything else. They're... normal. Warm. Simple."
Amanda tilted her head, listening.
"It's just me, my mom, my dad, and my little sister, Danielle," Ericka continued. "They still live out in California, in a little house my dad built before I was born. My parents are still together thirty-something years now."
Amanda's brows lifted. "That's rare."
"It is," Ericka agreed quietly. "My mom's a retired school principal.
She's strong, sharp, doesn't take nonsense from anyone you'd love her.
My dad's an architect, very patient, very calm.
And Danielle..." She laughed softly. "She's the wild one.
Plays guitar, sings at little bars along the coast, still calls me her 'uptight big sister. '"
Amanda smiled at the fondness in her tone. "You sound proud of her."
"I am," Ericka said. "Even when she drives me crazy."
Amanda leaned her hip against the desk, still holding Ericka's hand. "Do you get to see them much?"
"Not as much as I should," Ericka admitted, her gaze drifting toward the floor. "I fly home once or twice a year, and we do weekly calls. My mom refuses to let me go a Sunday without checking in. If I miss one, she acts like I've vanished off the planet."
Amanda chuckled softly. "Sounds like she loves you."
"She does. They all do." Ericka's expression softened. "But they've never seen me like this... in this world. I've spent so long being the version of myself they expect the polished daughter, the achiever. They don't always see the woman behind all that."
Amanda's voice was gentle. "I do."
Ericka looked at her then eyes soft, vulnerable in a way Amanda rarely saw outside these walls. "Yeah," she whispered. "You do."
Amanda ran her thumb along the back of Ericka's hand. "You ever think about bringing them out here? Letting them see what you've built?"
"Sometimes," Ericka said. "But... it's hard to explain this life to them. The pace, the pressure, the noise."
Amanda smiled softly. "Then maybe one day, you can show them the quiet part. The part that's just you."
Ericka tilted her head, studying her. "And you'd be there for that?"
Amanda's lips curved, tender and sure. "Every step of the way."
Amanda brushed her thumb along Ericka's arm, her voice gentle. "Can I ask you one more thing?"
Ericka tilted her head, curious. "You're full of questions today."
Amanda smiled softly. "Only because you finally let me in enough to ask them."
That earned her a small laugh, warm and low. "Fair enough. What's the question?"
Amanda hesitated for just a second, then met her gaze. "Have you told your family about me?"
Ericka blinked, like the question had caught her off guard not because it was too much, but because of how quietly it landed between them.
After a beat, she nodded. "Yeah. I have."
Amanda's brows lifted slightly. "You have?"
Ericka smiled faintly. "Everything except the personal assistant part."
Amanda chuckled softly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "So they know about us... but not the office dynamic."
"Exactly." Ericka's tone was amused but honest. "They don't need the full corporate hierarchy rundown. I told them you're someone special — that you've been good for me, that you make me happy."
Amanda's chest tightened, the weight of those words hitting her quietly but deeply. "And what'd they say?"
Ericka's lips curved. "My mom said she wants to meet you. My dad said if I'm smiling like that again, I must be doing something right. Danielle... well, she asked if you have tattoos."
Amanda laughed. "I love her already."
"She's chaos," Ericka said with affection. "But in the best way."
Amanda leaned against the desk beside her, fingers brushing Ericka's lightly. "You should fly them out next week."
Ericka blinked. "Next week?"
"Yeah," Amanda said, her voice gentle but certain. "Let me meet them. They could stay for a week, explore the city, relax. We can show them around maybe dinner, maybe a little tour. Whatever you're up for."
Ericka's expression softened — a mix of surprise, gratitude, and that look she only wore when she was fighting a smile. "You'd really want that?"
"Of course I would," Amanda said without hesitation. "They're part of you. And I want to know every part of your world."
For a moment, Ericka just studied her, her throat working as she tried to find words. Finally, she nodded slowly. "Okay," she said, her voice low but sure. "I'll call and ask them later."
Amanda's grin was soft but full of warmth. "How about we call them now?"
Ericka's eyes widened slightly. "Now?"
"Yeah." Amanda smiled, squeezing her hand. "FaceTime. You don't have to make it formal just a check-in. I can say hi, meet them a little early. You don't have to do it alone."
Ericka hesitated for half a second, glancing at the door as if remembering they were still technically in the office even with the blinds closed. Then her gaze returned to Amanda, her shoulders relaxing.
"You really want to do this?"
Amanda nodded. "Absolutely."
Ericka reached for her phone on the desk, her fingers lingering over the screen before she opened her contacts. "They'll probably all be together my mom never lets my dad out of her sight."
Amanda chuckled softly. "That's sweet. Guess we know where you get your loyalty from."
Ericka shot her a small, playful glare before hitting the FaceTime icon. "If they start asking too many questions, I'm blaming you."
"Deal," Amanda said with a grin, moving closer.
The screen flashed, the familiar ring tone echoing softly between them. Then a moment later the call connected.
"Ericka, sweetheart!" her mother's voice rang out, full of warmth and that familiar motherly tone that made the air feel instantly homier.
"Hi, Mom," Ericka said, her lips twitching into a real smile. "Hi, Dad."
Her father appeared beside her mother, smiling in that calm, steady way that immediately made sense of Ericka's quiet strength. "There's our girl," he said. "You look good. You're not overworking again, are you?"
Amanda bit back a smile as Ericka rolled her eyes. "Always with the lecture."
Her mom's eyes narrowed, sharp but loving. "Someone has to keep you balanced. You look tired have you been eating?"
"Mom, I'm fine," Ericka said. "Actually, I wanted you to meet someone."
Amanda's stomach flipped, but she smiled and leaned into the frame. "Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Mathews. I'm Amanda."
There was a beat and then both of Ericka's parents visibly brightened.
Her mother's eyes widened. "Oh! So you're Amanda!"
Amanda blinked, laughing. "That's me, I think."
Her father chuckled. "We've been hearing that name for months."
Ericka groaned. "Mom..."
Her mother grinned. "What? It's true. Every time we talk, it's 'Amanda this, Amanda that.' I was beginning to wonder if she made you up."
Amanda laughed, glancing at Ericka. "Guess the secret's out."
Her dad nodded approvingly. "Well, we're glad to finally put a face to the name. You seem lovely."
Amanda smiled. "Thank you, sir. You raised a pretty incredible daughter."
Ericka's mom placed a hand over her heart. "Oh, she definitely gets that from me."
Amanda chuckled softly. "I believe it."
They all laughed, the warmth in the conversation easy and genuine.
Then Ericka's sister, Danielle, suddenly popped into the frame, her guitar strap slung over her shoulder. "Wait, wait, is this the Amanda?"
Ericka groaned again. "Danielle, really?"
Danielle grinned. "Oh, relax, big sis. I just had to see who's got you smiling like that all the time."
Amanda laughed. "Hi, Danielle. You're exactly how I pictured you."
"Trouble?" Danielle asked.
"Completely," Amanda said with a grin.
Her parents laughed again before Ericka took a breath, her expression turning a little softer. "Actually, I was calling for another reason too."
Her mom leaned closer. "What's that, sweetheart?"
Ericka glanced at Amanda, who gave her an encouraging nod. "I was thinking... maybe you could all come visit next week. Spend a few days here, see the city. I'll set everything up flights, hotel, whatever you need."
Her mom's eyes went wide with delight. "Next week? Really?"
Her dad smiled. "That sounds wonderful, honey."
Danielle fist-pumped. "Finally! A reason to use my vacation days."
Amanda couldn't help but grin at the screen, warmth spreading through her chest at how happy they all looked.
Her mom clasped her hands together. "We'd love that, Ericka. And it'll be so good to meet you properly, Amanda."
Amanda nodded, her voice soft but sure. "I'm really looking forward to it."
"Then it's settled," Ericka said, her tone light but genuine. "I'll book everything tonight."
They chatted for another few minutes easy laughter, stories about California, little bits of family chaos before the call finally ended.
Ericka set her phone down, exhaling as she turned toward Amanda. "Well..."
Amanda smiled. "They adore you. And they already love me."