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"I think those are the most civil words you've ever said to us," Ezekiel states.
I look at him through my lashes, knowing without even needing to think that he's right. Civil feels far too close to friendly. And the way I feel when I'm around them, friendly feels too risky. Maybe it is possible, but I find I'm too afraid to find out. Ezekiel's words make me wonder if he can somehow read my mind.
"Can I ask you to turn your mind off for the night?" he asks. At my silence, he continues. "I won't ask what's going on up there, but right here, right now, we're just three people enjoying a good meal. And when we're done, we're gonna go to the bedroom and show you the exact reason why you missed us all week."
That makes me laugh as I roll my eyes and pick up my fork. I'm not sure I can completely turn off my mind, although my heart feels like it's really the problem, but I tell him I will try anyway. The conversation flows easily then, but I do manage to hush my mind each time it tells me I'm treading in dangerous waters. I can separate the two, the men I'm eating with, and the men I'll be naked with later.
"How did you get into the gym business?" I ask them. "Wait a minute, how many do you guys have?"
"Three," Ezekiel answers. "One here, and two in neighboring states."
"Our mother got us into this." Jeremiah chuckles.
"Your mother got you into the gym?" I question.
"My mother is the type that she will never just sit around and wallow," Jeremiah begins. "She thinks you should turn your pain, or whatever, into action. So, after our father left us." Not her, us. God, I know how that feels all too well. "She started working out...a lot. She took us with her. The gym let us play on the equipment, within reason, while she was there. Then, they started paying us to clean off the equipment, little jobs around the place, until when we were teenagers, we were full time employees. Plus, we'd started working out a lot, too. So, when the owner of the gym decided to retire, we offered to buy the gym from him, and here we are."
"Does your mother still work out?"
Ezekiel laughs. "She's moved on since then to many things. She likes to keep very busy, hates being idle. So, she's done cycling, pottery, gardening, hiking, rock climbing, on and on. Right now, her latest hobby is photography."
"As her sons, you had better be showering her with the very best cameras."
"Of course," Jeremiah agrees. "What else are sons for?"
"Ah, so you're mama's boys?"
"Proud to be," Ezekiel states. "How about your mother?"
I swallow, trying to figure out how to answer that without making this conversation take a turn.
"Ah, ah, ah," Jeremiah tsks. "No mind racing."
I shrug. "Okay, well I guess the easiest way to explain it is I kind of felt like I raised my mother instead of the other way around."
Both their brows raise, and yeah, this took a turn.
"Are you two close?" Ezekiel asks.
"We speak every Sunday, religiously. Sometimes a little more. We know what's going on in the other's life, but I feel like that's all we know. If that makes sense."
"It does. That’s how it is with our father," Jeremiah says. "Or how it was, anyway, before he just stopped coming around altogether. He was in our lives before our parents got divorced, but just barely. Never really there, never really present."
I nod, putting more chicken in my mouth.
"And you? How did you get into event planning?" Ezekiel questions.
I smile. "I have been planning events since I was in third grade, and I learned a girl in my class's mother had forgotten her birthday. I had a birthday party ready to go for her by the time we got back from lunch. I was hooked from then on. I love seeing things come together and just seeing people celebrate. I love picking colors, venues, the invitations, everything. Although, I'll admit, this charity event for the hospital has me on the verge of panic for weeks now."
"You're gonna do great," Jeremiah says. "Look out how quickly and well you pulled off the wedding. I wish we'd had you around to do our grand opening parties."
I sit up straighter, excitement filling me. "Don't say stuff like that to me. I will have an event planned before the sun rises."
"If we open a fourth, you're our girl."
Our girl.A violent shiver rakes through me at his words. And from the way Ezekiel's eyes darken and Jeremiah licks his lips, they both notice.
"I think we should give Lexa a tour now," Ezekiel tells Jeremiah, but there's a huskiness in his voice that wasn't there before. It sends heat rushing through me yet again.
