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“Okay, so maybe I did…” she admits with a smirk, “… but it wasn’t without a lecture on cankles.”
I shake my head with a small huff. “Eric and his obsession with cankles.”
“I saw him eyeing your sisters when they were pregnant. I warned him if he opened his big fat mouth, I’d tell everyone he caught crabs at the gym, which is why he couldn’t come to Adriana’s birthday party.”
My hand moves to my chest in disgust. “He caught crabs at the gym? Is that possible?”
“When you accidentally use someone else’s towel.”
“Ew,” I groan.
Dad rolls his eyes with boredom. “Change of subject, please. So, Addison, maybe you should mention to your mother what you told me earlier?”
Mom places her wine down, watching me with curiosity. Her ability to listen and read someone’s mannerisms is from years of being a lawyer. She’s a patient person, always waiting for all the facts to then make an informed decision.
“The long story short is that I’m moving. Cruz is going to be my roommate.”
I observe her reaction, but unlike Dad, she isn’t as concerned.
“You’re an adult, and I know you’re responsible,” is all she says.
“Is that all you’re going to say?” Dad questions her.
“Yes, because she’s not Ava or Alexa,” Mom reminds him with a forced smile. “Addy has proven she’s focused. End of story.”
“A little unfair to Amelia, don’t you think?” Dad argues, though his tone isn’t raised or confronting. “She was treated differently.”
Mom crosses her arms in defiance. “That was your fault with your overbearing protectiveness. Half the time, I had to lie to you to allow Millie some freedom.”
I raise my hand to stop the potential argument. “Listen, the both of you were entering a learning phase with your children. It’s common to react with heightened emotions when dealing with your eldest child. Like anything in life, with experience comes wisdom. My point is, I’m glad to be daughter number three and Dad’s potential favorite.”
My parents chuckle softly, drinking their wine to ease the momentary tension.
“Don’t let Ava hear you say that,” Mom warns in jest. “And you know we love you. You’re going to do amazing things. The fact you managed to calm down your father shows just how skilled you are already.”
With a satisfied smile, I fall back into the wicker chair and gaze into the sky. The swirls of pink mixed with scattered clouds are mesmerizing, and sharing it with my two favorite people makes the night even more perfect.
“I hope this job I accepted will be everything I hope it will be,” I say with ease, eager to clear the thoughts lingering in my mind. “Dr. Jenner is one of the best treating psychologists in Southern California. I know I’ll be pushing around a lot of paperwork, but if I want to open my own practice one day, it’s best I learn from the ground up, right?”
Dad gazes at me proudly. “Understanding how the foundation holds it all together is a lesson well learned in business.”
“And listen, you guys, don’t worry about Cruz. He’s not as bad as Haden and Presley may make him out to be. Sure, he likes to party like most guys his age, but football is his life. The game will always be his number one priority, and no one will ever change that.”
“Until he falls in love one day…” Mom trails off.
An obnoxious laugh escapes me. “C’mon, Mom. He’s married to the game. Nothing will break his focus. Plus, if it did, I’ll be the first person to whip him back into line.”
“I’d hope…” Mom pauses with a knowing smirk, “… he’ll do the same for you.”
I tilt my head while my parents watch with amusement. “If I ever fall in love one day, I’ll think with my head and not the heart. That way, no one needs to make sacrifices which can potentially destroy a relationship in the end.”
“Sometimes, Addison, your heart will not listen,” Dad says with conviction.
With my shoulders straight, I pour my parents the last of the wine. I’m not a wine drinker, but of the small amount I drank, there was a certain smoothness to it.
“Dad, I promise you. Nothing will get in the way of me achieving my goals.”
His emerald eyes pierce into me as if he knows some secret I don’t. “You mean, no one will get in the way.”
