Oh, how I can only dream of having my own fuck fest, sans marriage or claiming ceremonies, preferably. The closest I’d ever get to commitment is my little Anita.
Tilly pulls my attention back to the conversation. “Luckily Bodin’s at Arran’s place this morning for a housing meeting with the committee, so I’m able to get some work done without any of his well-meant interruptions.”
I try my best not to react to hearing Arran’s name, the vampire having made another appearance in a particularly raunchy dream last night. Instead, I ask, “Committee?”
Tilly clears her throat. “Ah, we’ve been having a bit of a housing situation here. All the currently inhabitable cottages are taken, so they’re trying to figure out ways to accommodate any newcomers.”
I sneak another look in the mirror, instantly spotting the car as I try to think of an alternative to the clusterfuck I’m finding myself in. “I’m sorry. This is terrible timing on my behalf. I could find—”
“Don’t you dare,” Tilly says sharply. “I’ll prepare the couch for you until we figure out something more permanent.”
“It’s not permanent,” I quickly correct.
“Sure, it’s not. But in the meantime, you’ll stay with us.”
Some tension seeps out of my shoulders. “Thank you. I promise we’ll be gone before the babies get here.”
There’s a pause before Tilly asks cautiously, “‘We’ll?’ Who is included in this stay? Have you met someone?”
Getting ready to shatter her hopes of me finally finding my own lifelong lover, but also wanting to play with her a little—a girl’s got to get her laughs where she can—I answer matter-of-factly, “Yes, actually. Her name is Anita.”
“And why is this the first time I’ve heard of her? Of course she’s welcome too. It might be a tight fit, but—”
This time it’s me cutting Tilly off. “She’s a dog. A teeny sausage dog with the cutest littlest legs and the prettiest blue eyes. I found her yesterday. Or maybe she found me. But she’s delightful, and mischievous, and a little chaos queen.”
“So she’s a mini Audrey?” The smirk is apparent in Tilly’s voice and a laugh bursts out of me at how apt that comparison is.
“Damn straight, she is.”
A door banging open sounds on Tilly’s end, followed by a deep rumbling voice I recognize as Bodin’s. After Tilly reassures him that she and the babies are okay, I try to follow their muffled conversation as she gives Bodin a quick rundown of what I told her and they discuss next steps.
There’s a quick sound of their lips smacking together in a chaste kiss before Bodin’s footsteps thunder out of the clinic and Tilly comes back on the line.
“Damn, if I wasn’t already having his babies, I know what we’d be doing when he got back,” my cousin sighs out.
“Romantic and horny,” I muse. “Nice.”
“Bodin and Shinsu will meet you at your apartment. Don’t go to the dock alone.”
“That seems to be a little dramatic.” Even though I try to play it off as nothing, my eyes flit to the car still visible in my rearview mirror, and a pang of thankfulness for Starry Hill and its supportive community ricochets through me.
I never doubted that the small island community would come through for me, that I would be safe there, that I would be welcome to stay as long as I want, and that they would care for me as if I were a permanent resident. Having that type of safety net is something I never knew I’d need—never mind want—and a tiny, tiny, tiny part of me thinks it might just be a good thing for me to have a slightly extended vacation there.
“Audrey,” Tilly says sternly. “I know you and I know you wouldn’t call me first thing in the morning and announce you’re moving to Starry Hill if something major didn’t happen. Whatever version of the truth you gave me is not the full story, and that’s fine. For now. You can tell me everything when you get here. But until then, I’m sending the guys to help. And I’m guessing, protect.”
Dropping all my defenses, I whisper, “Thanks, Tilly. I’m lucky to have you.”
“Right back at you. I’m looking forward to having you close. Now get to your apartment, pack everything, and wait for the guys to collect you and Anita. I’m excited to meet her.”
“Yes, Mom.” I automatically roll my eyes, but I can’t fight the smile tugging at my lips.
Pulling into my apartment’s parking lot, I aim for a spot closest to the entrance so I can run inside the moment I hang up. My tail doesn’t enter the lot, but rather pulls into an empty space across the street. The driver looks directly at me and gives me a very subtle nod. Does that nod mean it’s the agent? For my own peace of mind, I’m going to say yes, it does.
Tilly continues, “I’ll let the girls know you’re coming, and we can do dinner tonight. Easier to tell all of us the full story at once instead of having to repeat it six times over.”
I ignore the parked-up guy and zone back into the conversation, thinking how good it will be to see all of my friends, and I wonder what kind of rumors will be swirling before I set foot on the island later. “Katie knows, so I’m guessing it’s just a matter of time until the whole island knows I’m moving in.”
Tilly laughs wryly. “Truer words were never spoken.”
