I knocked on the door before entering.
He sat in the large leather office chair with an oversized teddy bear on his lap. “Hey,” he said softly. “You texted me, what’s your idea?”
“I’m thinking we should hold a little’s gathering,” I said, the tip of my tongue pressed against my teeth in anticipation of the answer.
“Shut the front door!” Isiah let out in a squeal. “I was thinking the same thing. We’ve only just opened, so I wasn’t sure if we should do it right away, or if—”
I pulled out the chair opposite his desk. “It’s for the community. we should see if there are more people like us.”
“There has to be,” he said. “In their bedrooms, wishing for Daddies. We couldtotallyhelp them find their Daddies.”
“I told Rocco about it, and he said he didn’t know if there would be interest,” I said. “But I’ve been on the forums, and I’ve seen people crying out for something in Boston. We’re all just bedroom littles. We should have something out in the world too.”
Isaiah extended his hand and I reached out with a high five. “We could host the world’s biggest tea partyever,” he said.
The idea of it stirred an excitement in me that made my toes curl inside the fancy black office boots I had on. “We’ll just have to keep our Daddies away,” I said.
“And Tomaso,” he added. “He’s been sniffing around here, trying to help, get in his brother’s good graces againthroughus.”
I had noticed that. Tomaso had undergone whatever happened in the family basement, followed by rehab—which I think was also done in-house. I didn’t ask questions about it, but Tomaso seemed regulated now, with the exception of getting new tattoos weekly, and the appearance of some glittery dermal piercings.
“I also came in because I heard some news,” I said, nodding at Isaiah’s hand. There was a fancy silver band with little rainbow gems embedded within it. “Congratulations.”
“Thank you,” Isaiah giggled. “I can’t believe he asked me. I always heard of the Bianchi reputation for never being in long-term relationships, but now he’s like, committing himself to me.”
“Because he loves you,” I said in a sing-song tease. “Because he wants you.”
Isaiah joined me in the singing. I was so happy to have made a friend, a real friend who played in little space and knew what Í was going through. I supposed all we needed now was a community hall filled with littles, and I was going to make sure that happened. I was an analyst after all, I knew there was a demand for little’s in this space—even if it was a big space, we could always make itlittle.
Rocco came to the office door, here to collect me for lunch. He knocked, taking up the entire width of the door. Those deep lines in his forehead from frowning had softened since we’d started dating, and he’d also been going to the gym a lot more, which meant he was getting bigger—and I could be a true pillow princess, and by pillows, I meant his chest.
“Our moms are making us lunch,” he said, raising an eyebrow.
“Together?” I turned in the chair, and even Isaiah gasped.
“Yes, together, in the kitchen,” he said.
“Okay, let’s—”
“Here,” he added.
“What? They’re here?”
“Just arrived,” he said, moving out of the doorway. There was a view down the hallway, and my mom was dressed in a kaftan. She waved at me in the office and blew a kiss. It was nice to see her in a fun, playful mood. “Also, congrats, Isaiah. I think they’re here because they heard about Santo and you. They’re gonna want me to propose now.”
“No,” I blurted. “I mean—” I’d thought about what it would mean to marry him, but I didn’t know if it was too soon.
“Don’t worry,” he said. “I don’t plan on asking youyet.” He winked at me, holding out his hand all the way out the door.
As I left, Isaiah wished me luck.
There was one thing worse than my mom conspiring against me, and that wasbothof our moms conspiring. Butterflies returned, and I prepared for the best—and the worst. This was my life now, and I’d made peace with it.
And then there was one Bianchi brother left.
