Chapter 21
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
The Car
“I want to know why you’re doing your laundry at the laundromat and not at the Ridge,” Salem said after we’d climbed into Hadley’s massive SUV.
“Don’t start the car,” I said.
“Why not?” Hadley asked.
“Because what I’m about to tell you might make you drive off the road in pure shock and I’ve already been in one ditch. I don’t need to wind up in another.”
“Ditch? What ditch?” Salem demanded.
Hadley took her hands off the keys and swiveled around to peer at me. “Okay, I’m listening.”
“Me too,” Salem said.
“Should we call Wyn?” Hadley asked. “If this is a big announcement, we shouldn’t leave her out. She’s already going to feel left out with the three of us here and her in New York.”
“Wyn already knows.”
Salem’s face slackened. “Oh my God, you lost your virginity!”
I winced at the volume, my gaze bouncing between her and Hadley who was waiting with eager expectation.
“Yes,” I said finally. “I lost my virginity.”
I tried forcing myself not to blush and wondered if I’d accomplished it.
I squared my shoulders. “I slept with Brooks last night and got my period this morning. Ergo, sheet ruination and the Fluff n’ Fold.
I didn’t want to do laundry at the Ridge because Muddy is Muddy, and you warned me I can’t keep anything a secret around her.
I told Wyn this morning when Brooks was out getting me feminine hygiene products.
That was something I could’ve waited a few more months for, by the way. ”
They were silent, their gazes jumping to each other and then back to me.
I frowned. “I thought there would be a lot more squealing or excitement or something.”
“You slept with Brooks,” Hadley said softly. “Wow.”
“Yeah. Big wow.” Salem nodded. She pointed to the thermos I was holding between my legs. “What’s that?”
“Raspberry leaf tea. For my cramps.”
“He knows about raspberry leaf tea?” Salem asked in surprise. “What sort of sorcery is this?”
“No sorcery,” I said. “Lucy gave it to him, along with a steak, when he bought the products. Did you know she had steak in her store? I didn’t.”
“Meat freezer in the back,” Hadley murmured.
They exchanged another look.
“Okay, twins,” I groused. “Translate that for me.”
“I’m surprised,” Hadley said. “That Brooks is the one.”
“The one what?”
“The one,” Hadley reiterated.
“Why are you surprised?” I asked. “Because he’s older?”
“No, not because of that,” Hadley said.
“Because he’s an ex-con?” I asked bluntly.
She winced and looked to her twin for aid.
Salem jumped in. “He’s just not who I would’ve guessed would’ve been the one to get through your defenses.”
“He didn’t get through anything,” I snapped.
“Uh, he kinda got through your hymen,” Salem said with a cheeky grin.
That was the kind of reaction I’d been hoping for. Teasing and joking about my loss of maidenhood.
“You have to understand,” Hadley began. “Brooks has barely spoken to either of us the entire time he’s worked here. But seeing how he was with you just now . . . it’s thrown me, is all.”
“I’m kind of shocked it happened because I thought you guys were just hanging out,” Salem said. “I still don’t even know how you two met.”
Sighing, I gave them the abridged version of our meet-cute.
“Fast,” Salem said. “This is fast.”
“Agreed,” I said. “Do I need to remind you of how fast you and Cas got together?”
Salem pointed to her belly. “No reminder needed.”
“That’s different though,” Hadley said.
“Why?” I demanded.
“Because you’re Poet,” she said. “And until a few months ago, we didn’t even know you were a virgin. And now you’re not. That’s a big deal.”
“Very big deal,” Salem said.
“When it’s right, it’s right,” I said, looking at Hadley. “You know that better than any of us.”
“The way he was with you,” Hadley said. “So familiar. So solicitous. It’s like you two are . . . Salem, help me out.”
“You’re together. Like together together,” Salem said. “I’m right, right?”
I took a deep breath and nodded. “I really wanted to wait until tonight when we talk to Wyn to tell you the details, but I’ve decided to stay in Huckleberry Hill.”
Hadley grimaced. Salem’s jaw clenched.
“Now what.” My brows slashed together. “I thought you’d be happy I decided to stay.”
“You’re staying here for a relationship,” Hadley said, her lips pressing into a line. “A relationship that just started. Where your body is involved now in a way it never has been before, which means your heart will follow.”
“You sure this is a good idea?” Salem asked.
“Stop it,” I said, my tone lowering.
“Stop what?” Salem inquired. “Stop looking out for you? Stop asking the questions you haven’t asked yourself?”
“How do you know I haven’t asked them myself?” I demanded. “For the record, I decided to stay before I went to bed with him. And even if I didn’t, you guys are real dirtbags for making me feel like garbage about this.”
“We just don’t want you to get hurt,” Hadley said quickly.
“And you think Brooks would hurt me?”
“He’s the first man you’ve slept with,” Hadley said. “There are such complicated emotions that go along with that.”
“What are my options?” I asked. “Go back to New York? Try to find someone who makes me feel as safe as Brooks? That’s what it was all about, but I didn’t know that.
I thought there was something wrong with me.
Why I couldn’t go through with sleeping with someone.
But there’s nothing wrong with me. I’m not built for hook-up culture.
Hell, I’m not even built for dating culture.
I don’t like it. I don’t want it. But Brooks .
. . he makes me . . . he lets me be me.”
They were silent for a moment and then Salem asked, “What does he want? Do you know?”
“Yes, I know what he wants,” I said, angling my chin.
“Aside from you,” Hadley said. “What does he want?”
“Babies.”
Salem’s eyes widened. “You’ve already talked about that?”
“Yes.”
Hadley collapsed back into her seat. “And I thought I was built differently.”
“Do you know why he was in prison?” Salem asked directly.
“Yes. I do.” I inched my chin up higher. “I won’t share his past with you. That’s for him to decide if he wants you to know. But yes, I know.”
“And you’re okay with it,” Salem stated. “Aren’t you?”
“Yes.” I stared into the concerned faces of my best friends. “Please be happy for me.”
“We are,” Hadley assured me. “Of course we are. But we just want to protect you.”
“Stop,” I said softly. “Stop trying to protect me. You don’t have to take care of me anymore. That’s not what friendship is.”
“You’re right. That’s not friendship. That’s family,” Salem said. “And you’re family, Poet.”
Tears gathered in my eyes. “Crap. I wanted to be mad at you guys just a little longer.”
“Don’t be mad,” Hadley said, her own eyes looking a little misty. “We know you can take care of yourself. But there’s one in every group, you know? The one that needs a little more coddling than the rest.”
“Coddling hasn’t served me at all.”
Salem pointed to the thermos. “What do you call that? Isn’t that what Brooks is doing?”
“No.” I swallowed. “He’s taking care of the woman he wants to share a life with. It’s not the same.”
“Oh my.” Hadley sighed.
Salem looked at Hadley. “Our girl’s all grown up.”
“It happened so fast. Where have the years gone?” Hadley teased.
I lifted my glasses and brushed the tears from my face.
“So now I can squeal, right?” Salem asked. “About you staying?”
“Squeal away.” I smiled.
“Yay!” Salem wiggled in her seat in excitement and pulled her arms up toward her chest, her fists rattling.
“So, what are you going to do?” Hadley asked. “For your life’s purpose, I mean.”
“Well, I’m helping Muddy with her cookbook,” I said. “That woman knows more about carrots than anyone I’ve ever met.”
“Finally, a cookbook,” Hadley said.
“It’s going to be two volumes, at least,” I said.
“She has so many recipes and she doesn’t organize them when she talks.
Like, she’ll be making breakfast and start talking about how to make gravy.
But then she’ll cut up a piece of fruit and then spew a bunch of ways to dry it, cook it and preserve it. It’s hard keeping up.”
“She is a wealth of knowledge,” Hadley said. “But if anyone can organize her brain, it’s you.”
“Okay, but that’s not really a job,” Salem said. “What are you going to do for work?”
“Tonight,” I explained. “I’ll tell you tonight.”