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“It’s Saturday, Ms. Cole. I’m typically a sloth on Saturdays.”
“That sounds dreamy,” I say with a sigh. It’s long days being in an PhD program, the occasional lazy one is something to be cherished.
“Would you like to be a sloth with me? We can watch more horrific documentaries while we fill up on carbs and sugar.”
“Do you have paranormal powers that allow you to see inside my mind or something?”
“Or something, beautiful,” he says with a laugh. “Go home and grab whatever you need for the night. Once you’re at my place, I’m not letting you leave for a solid twenty-four hours.” He slaps my ass as I start to get out of bed.
“I like the sound of that. You’ll tell Zan the plan?”
“Of course, we’re transparent around here,” he says with a wink.
“Atta boy,” I tease and rush off to find where I left my clothes. “I’ll be ready in twenty!”
10
Damian
For the first hour Willa is in my house, she noses her way around every nook and cranny the place has. I don’t mind, in fact I encouraged it, wanting her to feel safe with me. There’s nothing for me to hide, anyhow. Nothing material, that is.
“Just how wealthy are you, Mr. March?” She stands at the door that leads out to my balcony. Straight ahead is a perfect view of the Space Needle bordered by the city skyline. To the right, there’s Lake Union, some blocks away. It’s one of the best views you can get in Seattle, and I did pay a ridiculous amount to get it.
“Why would you ask such a thing,” I tease her.
“This view is probably worth a million dollars even without the house. Though the house is quite impressive too. I imagine this is the best place to be on the Fourth of July and New Year’s.”
“You’re probably right, though I’m usually home in New Orleans for holidays.”
“In all my travels, I’ve yet to get there. It looks like a beautiful city, rich with history and culture.”
“It is,” I say. “I’ll take you some day, show you all the hidden secrets.”
“Already making plans to take me home and meet the parents? You move fast, Mr. March.”
I laugh. She always makes me laugh. Other than my friend, Fig, nobody makes me laugh like Willa. Yes, I can see taking her home. My parents would love her; pretty, educated, from an interesting family with some money and name recognition.
Not that I give a fuck what my parents think, but it would make it easier for Willa. If there’s a future here, and I hope more and more every day that there might be. She’s easy to like and I don’t like many people.
Last night, she proved that my suspicions about her are far more accurate than Alexander’s. The man lives too much in his own head, making assumptions based on his past and his family, rather than what’s truly in front of him. Willa laid out without hesitation that she can handle an unconventional relationship. Luckily, he’s seeing it now.
For years, I’ve felt like my life was missing something. A painting that shows me in the middle but bare on either side. I can see the colors filling the blank canvas now. For the first time ever, I feel like I have a found family. Or the beginnings of one, anyway.
“Did you have something you wanted to watch?”
“A new documentary just hit Netflix. It’s about that polygamist ranch that was raided a few years back. The Simms family, have you heard of it?”
Have I ever.
“That’s the ranch my friend escaped from. She said she was cooperating with production on it, and she’s probably in it.”
“Oh, wow. We can skip it if it crosses some line. I wouldn’t want you to be uncomfortable or anything.”
“No, it’s fine. Delilah and I have had a lot of conversations about it. I know what to expect.”
Turns out there’s much more to learn about than what I already knew. Delilah is on screen often, as is her cousin, Lorelai, who I’ve met a few times. Neither of them speaks in depth about their time on the ranch. Instead, they talk about their efforts to help the survivors after the government raided.
“She comes across so strong,” Willa says. “I’m proud of her and I don’t even know her.”
