Chapter 16
Cecilia
Trena and I wrapped up my No Panties Day celebration and headed to the diner for cinnamon rolls. Indeed, it will be a day Whispering Pines never forgets—just not for the reasons I anticipated.
The bell over the door rings. I say, “Welcome to—” Catching myself, I let Bev offer the greeting.
But with my head in motion, I turn and see Ofelia. She never comes in except for breakfast. Shoot. I’m in her seat. I hop up and switch to the seat on the other side of Trena.
“Thanks.” Ofelia suppresses a chuckle.
Holy shit. She’s laughing, almost. And smiling a tiny bit. I point at the cinnamon roll I forgot to move with me. “Have some. I didn’t bite that side yet.”
She smiles at the offer. “I was hoping you’d be here.” Her voice is shaky.
We go through a brief recap of the day’s events. There’s so much more I want to know, but she’s still not exactly chatty. She thanks me for noticing her and helping save her from getting arrested. The conversation is awkward, but far more than she’s ever said to me.
I’m grateful that it worked. And I’m proud of myself for doing the hard thing. I also can’t stop worrying that Lennox and Blake aren’t here yet. Will they reach out?
My heart knows they will. My sex prays that they will. But my head worries that they’re using work as a copout. I chuckle to myself. A cop out. I must have paid a little attention in school to know that I made a pun.
It won’t be funny until I’m in their arms and can be sure their interest in me wasn’t part of the facade.
Ofelia takes a deep breath. “Thank you for looking out for me. No one’s ever done that.”
I want to say something funny or profound, but my heart is breaking for her. I settle for, “You’re welcome.”
Then the uncomfortable silence sets in. I can’t handle it. “What’s next for you?”
“I don’t know.”
Trena types excitedly on her phone and shows it to Ofelia. “Since my bestie fell in love and won’t be moving to Eggplant Canyon with me, maybe you want to come? I should have known not to give her a challenge.”
My heart tightens. Fell in love, yes I did. But did anyone else, or am I just fun until I’m not? Henry’s damning words haunt me. I smile weakly.
Trena fills Ofelia in on exactly what Eggplant Canyon is and her plan to move. Ofelia seems interested.
My stomach knots. Is my best friend replacing me that easily?
Trena continues, “Anyway, I found out they have an annual charity event called the Christmas Cherry Auction where the winning guys have the obligation of giving the woman they won a very good first time, if you know what I mean. No further commitment, although everyone ends up hitting it off.”
Ofelia looks a little overwhelmed.
Trena adds, “Applications just opened. Want me to send you the link?” She’s not usually so forward.
Should I tell her to give Ofelia a minute?
Ofelia pulls out her phone and says, “I can take a look.”
I think she’s going to search it for herself when she gives Trena her phone number. I nearly fall off my barstool.
Trena slyly says, “Mind if I add you as a contact?”
Hesitation. My heart beats in my throat. I grip the counter.
And Trena does it. Ofelia rattles off her phone number. “I’m Mandy.”
“Nice to officially meet you, Mandy. I’m Trena, with an E. I’ve seen you here so many times, I can’t believe we haven’t officially met.”
“Hi, Mandy, I’m Cecilia, but you probably knew that from my nametag.”
The bell over the door dings. Opening my mouth to greet the customer is my Pavlovian parallel to drooling. I chuckle at realizing one more thing I must have learned in school.
Trena looks at me as if expecting me to offer the greeting then her eyes go wide. I’m puzzled and follow her gaze.
Two men in button-up shirts, slacks, and glasses enter. One with a satchel and one with a couple of books.
It takes me a second for my brain to accept that they’re Lennox and Blake.
My heart beats so fast, I can’t breathe right.
Blake says, “Cecilia, you’ve been called to the principal’s office.”
“What?” Trena’s voice is faint behind me. Then she snickers and a second later a softer laugh joins hers, Ofelia—Mandy. I love that she’s fitting in with us.
I love even more that they’re here. Work isn’t a cop-out for them.
And the thing I love the most… they’re doing this in front of everyone. In front of people who know Henry. Word will get back to him for sure.
There’s not an ounce of hesitation in Lennox’s glasses-wearing face.
My heart is so full I could explode. And my shock left me unable to go to them, so now they’re towering over me.
I run with the role play. “But I didn’t do anything wrong?” A last-minute thought crosses my mind. I point at Trena. “I swear it was her. She did it.”
Lennox holds up an index card. “Not according to the detention slip.”
I bust out laughing and grab what I expect to be a blank card.
There’s writing. They went all out. Made it look like a form and even signed it.
I stare at the neatly printed line, Reason for detention:
There are three bullet points listed. In messy handwriting, the first reason given is: Caught stealing hearts.
In different handwriting, the second reason is: Caught having so much fun she broke through Lennox’s grumpy facade.
Then in the first handwriting: Running around the playground without panties and encouraging others to do the same.
The weight of Trena’s hand on my shoulder is followed by a deep belly laugh, something she rarely does. She snatches the card from me and huddles with Mandy as they both crack up.
Trena whispers in my ear. “Please leave before everyone in the diner witnesses you getting spanked.”
The guys get serious for a minute and make sure it’s okay to steal me away. No one objects.
As I walk out the door with them, Bev catches my eye. “Does this mean you’re calling out tomorrow?” She sips her coffee like nothing’s amiss.
“She might be subject to a full suspension,” Blake barely finishes saying before laughing.
Bev chokes, sputters coffee, and offers napkins to the customer in front of her.
When we get outside, I say, “You know, people who aren’t aware of the roleplay might misinterpret suspension.”
“They might not be wrong.” Blake slaps my ass.
Lennox corrects, “We’re not suspending you from anything except work.”
This is it. The moment I dread, but I promised Trena. And more importantly, I have to prove to myself that I’m willing to be honest about my feelings, even the hard ones.
The three of us stop beside the passenger door of the truck. Blake opens it and I force my feet to stay on the pavement, when snuggling up between them would be so much easier.
“What’s wrong?” he asks.
Lennox’s face is full of fear.
“There’s something I have to tell you.”
“What is it, Firecracker?” Blake’s tone is gentle.
I stare at the ground. “I was so scared today, worrying that you might get hurt.”
“We’re fine.” Lennox brushes my hair behind my shoulder.
Pressure wells up behind my eyes. I hate crying unless it’s from laughing. I’d rather pee my pants from cracking up—in public—than get vulnerable.
They sandwich me. The snuggle gives me strength.
“What about next time, and the time after that?”
“You won’t have to worry, Cecilia.” Lennox’s lips are in my hair. “There won’t be a next time.”
Fear sends a shock through my entire body. “Are you…”
I can’t bring myself to ask if they’re breaking up with me.
“No, no, no,” Blake says. “We’re putting in our notice.”
Before I can respond, Lennox adds, “None of us have to work ever again. I have an inheritance we can live off of.”
“Really?” I can’t comprehend a reality of not working, but his sincerity and the tenderness of his hand trailing up and down my arm help me believe he’s not joking.
“There’s only one dangerous thing we have left to do.” He clears his throat.
I can be strong. I can respect that they have commitments. I can face my fears for one last assignment.
As if planned out in advance, they both pull back a tiny bit and simultaneously say, “I love you.”
The world stops. No one’s ever said that to me outside of my family and Trena. “I love you too, both of you.”
I glance up to read their expressions. Happiness, relief, it’s all good. My breaths come rapidly. “Okay, tell me what the one last thing is. I’ll do my best to be prepared.”
They bust out laughing.
“What?” Why are they laughing at me? “This isn’t funny. I don’t do well with stuff like this.”
“That was it,” Lennox says. “We wanted to tell you we love you.”
“That was the dangerous thing?” I process out loud.
“Yeah.” Blake wipes the tears rolling down my cheeks. “Neither of us have fallen so hard or so fast. We weren’t sure if you did too, or if we were just… fun.”
“You are. But you’re so much more.”
They shift positions so they can both face me.
Lennox says, “When I said I was marking you as mine, I meant it.”
“And I would have said it too, but my mouth was busy.”
“Stop.” I might be blushing. That would be a first. But remembering that moment brings up the other touchy subject. “So you’re okay with Henry finding out?” I glance over my shoulder, looking into the diner. “Someone probably texted him already.”
Lennox says, “I would like to get to know him, if you’re okay with that, but he’ll have to accept us because we’re serious. So when you say we’re so much more, would that include being exclusive?”
“Exclusive?” I boop both of them. It’s a silly cover for how much my sex aches. “That’s such an old g—”
Blake puts a finger to my lips. “Don’t call us that.” He slaps my ass. “Get in the truck. You still have a lesson to learn, young lady.”
I’m giddy as I slide in and for the whole minute it takes to get to their house.
They grumble over who gets to carry me over the threshold, and Blake wins because Lennox has the keys and has to unlock the door.
We’re groping and kissing the second we’re inside. Blake pins me against the wall, holding my arms overhead, while Lennox steps away and opens the satchel, retrieving a long skinny wooden thing.
“What’s that?” I ask as he trails it up my thigh, tickling me. I wiggle and laugh, loving that this is going to be my future.