“Probably, but tell her I’ll text down when I can ask the guys,” he replies, pulling his cell from his pocket.
“And don’t forget to call your parents now that you’re home,” she chides good-naturedly. “You know how they like to hear your voice verses text messages.”
Nolan holds up his phone with a small wave. “Already on it.”
“Good boy.” She playfully squeezes one of Nolan’s cheeks then checks her watch. “Well, I’m here for another hour and a half or so if you need anything, otherwise have a wonderful evening. Again, it was a pleasure to meet you, Callie.”
“Your winning smile was all I needed,” Nolan croons, earning a chuckle as she turns back the way she came.
My eyes bounce from Nolan who is thumbing at his phone and the retreating back of Margaret. “Uh, who was that?”
“Hmmm?” Nolan looks up at me, holding his phone up to his ear. I can hear the muted tones of the phone ringing. “That’s Margaret, our housekeeper. She’s been with the family for as long as I can remember.”
I nod slowly. I was by no stretch of the imagination poor, but the closest thing we had to a housekeeper was a team of women that came in once a week. Granted, my father probably wouldn’t have been able to get away with everything he did to me so easily if there had been someone like Margaret running around.
“Hi, Mom,” Nolan greets the feminine voice that answers the phone. He gestures for me to follow him up the stairs. “Because I made a new friend, and I was waiting to give her a lift after school.”
Nolan playfully groans over whatever his mother replies. “Mom!” he whines. “Yes, she’s here, and no, I’m not putting you on speaker phone. You’ll tell her embarrassing things about me. Where’s Dad?”
There’s a chime of laughter floating from the phone before a masculine voice takes over. I focus intently on Nolan while taking shaky steps up the staircase, relieved that he’s too focused on the phone call to notice how hard I’m holding onto the railing.Breathe. Just breathe.
“Hey, Dad.” Nolan’s smile is evident in his voice while he talks. “Yes, the new friendisa girl.” Another groan. “You’re as bad as Mom,” he laughs, his walk easy and body lax.
Envious longing dances with the anxiety in my stomach, and I do my best to bury both feelings.Shit, I’m a mess. Can I get an ulcer at seventeen?
“Probably,” he answers his father. “When are you guys getting back from New York?”
He hums affirmation noises, bobbing his head as he listens. He veers to the left at the split, climbing up the second set of stairs. “How’s the gala coming along?”
There are chirps of a feminine voice over the masculine one, which Nolan chuckles over. “That good, huh?” He makes more humming noises before cutting in. “Look, I’ve got Callie here next to me, so I’ve got to go, I’ll… Yes, her name is Callie.” More groaning. “I promise you’ll meet her, now I’m being rude…” He chuckles. “Love you both, and I’ll call again tomorrow. Bye.” He sings his farewell before hanging up.
Reaching the top landing, he spins to look at me and starts walking backwards. “So, in case you missed it, my parents are excited to meet you.”
I dig for a smile that I hope looks real. “Is that a good thing?”
He nods reassuringly while stuffing his phone back in his pocket. “Yeah, it’s fine. They can be over enthusiastic on occasion, but nothing to be worried about.” He points a finger at me. “Be fair warned, I was only partially joking about the adopting bit. My parents tend to look at my friends as their long lost children, so if you plan to stick around--which I hope you do, they’ll treat you like you’re theirs.”
“That doesn’t sound so bad,” I confess, the smile easier to hold.
Nolan’s call to his parents reminds me of my aunt’s declaration this morning. Could’ve had better timing, but the thought was in the right place. I quickly dig out my phone from my bag and send her a quick text letting her know I made it to Nolan’s safely. The reply is almost instant, wishing me a fun time and to let her know if I plan to stay for dinner. I smile, and put my phone away.
Nolan spins back around, once again loops his arm through mine, and guides me down a long hall of textured beige walls accented with beams of redwood and blonde hardwood floors. Whereas my old home was modern and sterile, Nolan’s home is full of warm colors and soft yellow lighting.
“I’ll give you the tour later,” he promises when we reach the end of the hall, “but first, food! I don’t know about you, but I’m starving.”
Before I can make a joke about boys always being hungry, he opens one of two double doors and I’m floored by what I see. What’s inside can only be described as a loft apartment hiding within the estate. Straight ahead is a den section with a large black leather couch, two overstuffed armchairs facing an obscenely huge television with matching entertainment system. Some type of sitcom I don’t recognize is playing-- which isn’t hard since I haven’t watched television in years.
Further past the den looks to be a small kitchenette with a long counter that houses more empty platters than food and a black wood table where the rest of the boys are sitting in a flurry of books, paper, and plates with food. To the right is an open staircase that leads up to what looks like Nolan’s bedroom.Because what this place was missing was more stairs.
Nolan beelines it towards the food, shedding his bag, coat and tie near the table, but I can’t help but pause behind the couch and look out the floor to ceiling windows that have an amazing view of the back of the property. It’s partially obscured by the large balcony outside, but of what I can see, there are tiers of paved plateaus lining a lazy stream that breaks into small waterfalls as it makes its way into the surrounding forest.
“You coming?” Felix questions beside me, and I nearly jump out of my skin.
“Shit!” I put a hand to my chest and take measured breaths.
“Sorry. Didn’t mean to scare you,” he apologizes, but it loses some of its sincerity since he’s clearly trying not to laugh at me.
“Casper, add popping up out of nowhere and scaring the crap out of me to the list,” I grumble, walking to where the rest of the guys are sitting.
