She lifted one leg to reveal her footwear.
“I was talking to Sweetpea but damn, girl, horns and everything?”
“Of course. Would you expect any less of me?”
I thought about it for a moment, finding it telling of the relationship we were building. No, I didn’t expect anything less from her. Ever. In fact, it was Breeze’s unpredictable nature that had me groveling at her feet.
Maybe it was a side effect of growing up in a cynical environment, but I never thought people had the capacity to surprise me. Then Breeze came along with her fake medical conditions and horny moose slippers and slapped me upside the head with her quirkiness. Every so often a person dropped into our lives, changing our path. But I had a strong suspicion Breeze was altering my course for good.
“You like what you see?” she asked, performing a little hip swivel that was fully appreciated by my ever-expanding woody.
I removed the sheets to reveal just how much I liked what I was seeing.
“Oh crap, Bodhi, you really like moose.”
“Uh-huh. Are you coming over here or what? Because I’ve got a half-torqued chub that’s not going to beat itself.”
She flicked her gaze over me, tongue sweeping seductively along her lower lip. “What’s in it for me, hotstuff?”
“You will be fully compensated, I promise.”
It was a meeting of the minds. Moose slippers and parental proximity weren’t enough to dampen our spirits. If anything, last night had proven even vigorously performed fake sex did nothing to rattle those people. If we wanted to have a little fun in Breeze’s childhood bedroom, there was absolutely no one offended enough to stop us.
Breeze grabbed Sweetpea and ushered him out the door before flicking off her snazzy slippers and starting my day off with a bang.
* * *
“Good morning,” Betsy said, greeting us each with a kiss on the cheek. “Sit. I’m making omelets.”
“Oh, yum,” I replied, plopping myself down in the chair and rubbing my hands together in anticipation. There was nothing like banging her daughter down the hall to work up an appetite. I kept that tidbit to myself although, honestly, the extra information probably would have earned me a high-five.
“Did you sleep well?” she asked, the hint of a smile playing out over her lips.
“Oh yeah, I was exhausted.”
“Yes,” Betsy giggled. “I’m sure you were.”
Breeze grabbed a piece of toast, ripping small pieces off the corner instead of taking a bite. “Mother, you’re goading. Bodhi has no filter and I’d rather not start a discussion about your and Terrance’s rather unorthodox bedroom practices.”
“Us?” Terrance wandered in still wearing his rubber ducky shorts. Breeze and I exchanged a knowing glance. “Airports are quieter than you two.”
* * *
“So, you are… I am… it’s… I’m so nervous… sorry.”
My mother’s stammered apologies raced down the line. Maybe ringing her up out of the blue wasn’t the smartest choice. She was so flustered she had trouble stringing words together into legitimate sentences.
“How about we meet somewhere?” I asked.
But it wasn’t a question. More like a gift. And one I hoped I wouldn’t regret giving.
“Okay.” She sounded more hesitant than excited, which surprised me given that she’d been the one to reach out to me in the first place. Regardless, I quickly gave her an out. “Unless you don’t want to. That’s fine too.”
“No, it’s not that, I just don’t have a car that can make it to Los Angeles, but I can try and borrow one.”
Once I understood it wasn’t about our meeting, I let go of the breath I’d been holding. “I’m in the Bay Area.”
“You are? Why?”
