“We tried!” Ellis complained.
“Come sit down,” Remy told him.
He was the only adult Svensson present aside from me. The rest of my older brothers were with their girlfriends or, in the case of Weston and Blade, back in Manhattan. Figured.
“Finish up your homework,” I told my little brothers after we had cleaned up after dinner. “Remy, I’m going out.”
“Back to work?”
“No, just out.”
The thing about growing up in a compound in the middle of nowhere was that we had been constantly on top of each other. Before they were kicked out, I had shared a room in a ramshackle trailer with all eight of my brothers. That trailer had been ten feet from the one in which my father’s second wife, Greg’s mother, lived. It had been constant chaos. We fought over food, over the paltry toys my father would bring back, and over not having enough space. Now that we were in Harrogate, we had all the space in the world.
After changing into workout clothes, I broke into a run down the street toward town, the cold burning my lungs. I didn’t have a destination. When I got into town, I slowed to a walk. People were out and about, a testament to all the investment my brothers and I had made into the small city of Harrogate.
Though there was a crowd, it was different from being around my brothers. I could be somewhat anonymous, though I did wave to a few of my employees out with their families or on dates. I tamped down the pangs of jealousy. I was too busy with my brothers and my work. I could not afford the distraction of a romantic relationship.
I was about to turn and head home when I saw Sadie stumble out of a bar with a guy.
14
Sadie
Islunk out of the office after Parker barked at me.
Sadie:I need a drink. And a new job. And to get laid.
Erika:I’m back in town. Happy hour!
Jasmine:Woo!
My spirits lifted when I saw my friends at the table at one of the bars on Main Street. Erika already had drinks ordered.
“Praise!” I said, hugging Erika then Jasmine.
“Your apartment still good?” Jasmine asked.
“It has running water and a roof.”
Erika laughed. “It’s not as nice as Jasmine’s place!”
“You guys could come live in our carriage house,” Jasmine said, taking another sip of her craft cocktail.
“I don’t think having extended-stay houseguests is good for a young marriage,” I said. “I’m fine at Erika’s place as long as she’s okay with me staying there. I promise, as soon as I get my first paycheck, provided Parker doesn’t fire me, I’ll pay you rent.”
Erika shrugged. “It’s hardly anything, plus the fact that Ida has you to obsess and gossip over takes some of the heat off of me. Besides, I’m here to help you lose your V-card. Think of me as your crazy fairy god-aunt,” she said, making sparkle motions with her fingers. “There are tons of men around town,” Erika continued, gesturing with her drink. “You need to pop that cherry.”
I stabbed the booze-soaked cherry in my cocktail.
“Maybe I’ll just give in and be a spinster. I could adopt cats, live out of my car. It could be an adventure.”
“Don’t give up yet!” Jasmine exclaimed.
“Supposedly you turn into a wizard if you’re a virgin by forty,” I said.
“Oof, that’s a long time to wait,” Erika said.
The waitress put a basket of fries down. “Enjoy, ladies!”
