I shoot a text to Maggie—my stand-in surrogate mum, and let her know we are on the way.
* * *
We pullup to Lucy’s parents’ home twenty minutes later. Childhood memories flash through my mind, and I climb from the car with a smile. Both boys follow, standing off to the side of the pavement.
I lean in to wake up the sleeping beauty. “Luce, babe, we are home.”
She comes around slowly, smiling up at me for a moment before realisation hits. She looks out the window with a groan. “You called my mum? Nina!” She ambles out of the car, her body swaying as I throw her arm over my shoulder and hug her close.
Maggie greets us at the door and takes Lucy from me, pulling her into a warm embrace. I envy their beautiful relationship. Even though I know that she loves me like a daughter, I still wish I had what they did.
She looks over the top of Lucy’s head, slowly opening her other arm out for me. “Come here, you,” she whispers into my hair as I step into her. I’ll never grow tired of that sound. I’ve fallen asleep on this woman as her voice has vibrated through her chest. Every child deserves to know that feeling. It’s the most grounding sound of earth.
I remember we have company and turn, smiling at the gods behind me.
“Maggie, these are our friends, Mason and Charlie.”
Charlie dips his head, muttering a polite hello, while Mason steps up and holds out his hand. Maggie looks more than a little flustered as she takes it.
Not just me, then.
“Nice to meet you,” Mason says, flashing his beautiful smile.
I kiss Maggie’s cheek and hug her waist, then promise to be there for lunch on Sunday. Just as I step away, I feel her hand squeeze my shoulder, a tentative look on her face.
“I’ll be careful,” I tell her.
“I know, and I’ll still worry.” She smiles softly. “You’ll message me when you get home, okay?”
I nod.
We make our way back through the city, the boys both quiet and reserved in their seats. Although, I can feel Mason’s eyes lingering on me every now and again.
Unfortunately for the two of them, I’m drunk, and I have no way of controlling my mouth.
“Who’s Sullivan?” I ask, turning in my seat so I can see both of them.
“Lance?” Mason asks with a frown, his features hardening. “Why do you want to know?”
“Elliot said he was off to meet him tonight.” My gaze drops to the smooth skin of Mason’s hand as he fists the gear stick… hmm. “Is he pretty too?”
They both chuckle, deep rumbling sounds that only the rarest of species seem to be able to make. “Lance Sullivan and pretty isn’t something that goes together in a sentence,” Mason tells me, looking over at me with a warm glint in his eye. He wets his bottom lip and looks back to the road. “Think Tom Hardy, with dark hair and tattoos.”
“Ohhhh, so Sullivan is the bad boy of the group? I thought that was Elliot.”
“What?” Charlie questions from the back seat. “How could you think Elliot?”
“Only in the beginning when he chased off Joey.” He was so in control. So possessive and—
“Who’s Joey?” Mason interrupts my thoughts, adjusting his legs as he looks between me and the road.
“Just some guy at the bar. How do you guys all know each other? Are you actually Elliot’s boss?” I ask Mason.
“Something like that. I’ve known Elliot my whole life—unfortunately. Charles here.” He flicks his head back. “I met at college, and Lance runs our accounts department.”
“Our?”
He gives me a panty-melting smile. “Mine and Elliot’s company.”
