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Patty chuckled. “I have. Becky is up-to-date with all the recipes, the girls, and your schedules. She has a photographic memory, that one.” Patty patted me on the shoulder from behind.
“Is that so?” Brad said, turning to face me. “How good are you with counting cards? Have you ever been to the casino?”
“Ignore him,” Mason said beside me.
I simply smiled. “In my former life, I used to live at the casino.” I bit my cheek as soon as the words flew out. I couldn’t believe I’d said that.
Mason stiffened beside me, and I swallowed, wondering why I’d been so forthcoming.
“Oh, we want to hear stories.” Brad grinned.
Charles peered behind him, at me, and I held my breath.
Clearing my throat, I said in my defense, “That was a long, long time ago. Years. Nowadays, I’m all about making money, not giving it to the slot machine.” Or more accurately, the tables.
I pulled at the collar of my sweater and shifted in my seat. I wanted to slap my own head for letting those words slip.
“Were you any good?” Brad asked, genuinely curious. “In your rebellious younger years?”
I averted my stare, looking straight ahead of me. I needed to be more careful. I needed to watch what I said in front of these men. I added with caution, “My ex-boyfriend was good at gambling. If there is such a thing.” Too good, which was why he had been banned. A person could only go through a never-ending winning streak for so long until cameras and people caught on. He’d gotten away with thousands before it stopped. “I kinda just watched.” I bit my tongue from speaking further.
Liar. I had been his wingwoman. For a long while, it was the way we’d made rent, bought groceries. The memories flooded me with shame. I closed my eyes briefly and pushed back the guilt and all thoughts associated with my past. I pushed them deep down to the recesses of my brain that I never revisited.
When we pulled into the departure terminal, I released a heavy sigh, thankful the attention was off of me because as we approached the American Airlines sign, the car went eerily silent.
When the driver pulled up to the curb, Charles got out of the car. My eyes followed him walking out to help the driver unload the boxes from the back.
Mason and Brad turned to Patty, extending their hands. She gripped them fiercely, and their eyes locked for a few good long seconds.
“Promise me you’ll visit, okay?” Mason said quietly.
She nodded. “I will. And we have Mickey right next door, so you’ll have to visit me too.”
Her frail hands tightened over theirs. “You are good men. I don’t have to tell you to take care of my girls because they were your girls before they were mine.” Her voice cracked at the end. “You both will make some fine husbands one day. I just hope you find women worthy of your love.” She gave their hands a maternal pat before releasing them and throwing her arm around Sarah and the sleeping Mary in her lap.
Brad laughed. “Notice how she said that she hopeswe both”—he motioned between Mason and himself—“find women worthy of our love.”
“Shut up,” Mason said, rolling his eyes.
Though I was new, I caught on quickly. It wasn’t a secret that Mason had been in a long-term relationship with a woman. I had yet to meet Janice, but from what I’d heard, I wasn’t missing anything. No one, not the girls or the brothers or Patty, liked Janice. A part of me was curious about her, therefore wanting to meet her, yet I was a little nervous that she’d be a total witch.
The double doors opened, and Charles motioned for us to get out of the car.
Brad stepped out first, and when I scooted to the edge, Charles extended his hand. I tried to ignore the shock of warmth that traveled down my arm when my fingers met his or the way my heart raced, but it was undeniable, how my body reacted to him.
Once again, I tore my gaze away and focused on the ground. Sarah exited the car and flew into Mason’s arms, already in a fit of tears. He picked her up, hugging her close to him, as though she were a toddler. It was so dear that I almost teared up myself. I wondered if she knew how lucky she was to have people who cared so much for her that they were there to comfort her when someone was leaving her. A sharp pang hit me square in the chest as I thought of my lack of caring people, growing up. I shoved it away as I normally did and reminded myself to be in the present. A present I was extremely grateful for.
Patty kissed Mary’s forehead over and over, getting the little one to stir awake.
When her puffy eyes opened, she took in her surroundings and began to wail, “Don’t go. I promise to be good, Nana. I promise I’ll be so good. I promise.”
My heart seized as I saw her break down. I barely knew them, and already, their pain was tearing me apart.
It was a full-on tear-fest.
As soon as Charles had to peel poor Mary off of Patty, I bit back tears.
I will not cry. I will not cry.
