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Owen didn’t come around easily either. You would think the blow job, doggy style in the shower, cowgirl at midnight, and kitchen island sex while trying to make breakfast would have convinced him.
What convinced him to move them in was when he showed up at eight in the evening two nights later with Tessa in tow to beg me to watch her while he filled in for Ray who was sick.
I make a pretty impressive surrogate parent. She was in bed by ten, lights out at eleven. I managed to get her to school the next morning both clothed and fed. Being the oldest sister prepared me well.
Now, I’m watching Owen haul boxes into my house wondering if I’ve lost my ever-loving mind. When did I turn into the type of person who moves her boyfriend in after only knowing him for a few months? It’s way too impulsive for me. I’m a planner, an organizer. This is the opposite of that in every way.
“I promise this is all of them,” Owen says, hauling the last box into the guest room. I know most of his stuff is in a storage unit. The apartment came furnished, so he didn’t have to store any of the furniture except a few bookcases. He keeps assuring me that this is temporary until he can find something. I’m not so sure I want it to be temporary.
“Can I call you Aunt Eliot yet?” Tessa says, bounding into the house with a suitcase.
“Umm, okay.”
“Rand said it was okay to call him Uncle Rand. He’s agreed to help paint my room if you say it’s cool. He’s so dope. I don’t know how your sisters got such gorgeous boyfriends and you’re stuck with Uncle Owen.”
“I heard that,” Owen yells from the other room.
“Whatever,” she says, rolling her eyes. “Anyway, do you think I can paint my room?”
“It’s your room; you can do what you want with it,” I answer.
“What did I say, Tessa?” Owen asks, walking back into the living room.
“That we’re probably not staying long. Blah, blah, blah,” she mopes. Owen leaves to check the truck one more time, so Tessa leans over to whisper. “He totally wants to stay. I think this is our forever home.” I cough to hide my laughter. “I’ve got the most epic color picked out. It’s going to look like a sunset all the time.” Well, that should be interesting.
“Tessa, stop bugging Eliot and go unpack your suitcases,” Owen says, walking back inside. He doesn’t stop until he’s wrapped me in his arms. “I’d like to say it gets better. But sometimes I think the talking will never stop.” I do laugh this time against his chest.
“She is delightful and you know it. Just wait until she’s giving us the silent treatment.”
“Now that sounds delightful.” I push out of his arms to smack him on the chest.
“Do you think we’re crazy for doing this?” I ask.
“I know we are. Who would want to live with a grumpy man and his chatterbox of a niece?” I scowl at him. “Fine. I don’t know. I don’t know how this will go. It could be the best thing we’ve ever done or a complete dumpster fire. But there’s no way to know without stepping out there. Just like the cliff at the river. Sometimes you just have to jump.”
“You’re like Yoda. Has there always been this wealth of insight locked in that head of yours?”
“Patience you must have, my young Padawan.” His Yoda voice is pretty spot on. That gives me an idea for Halloween next year.
“Can we get pizza tonight?” Tessa asks, bounding down the hallway.
“Actually.” I bat my eyes at Owen. He raises an eyebrow in anticipation. I think he gets an adrenaline rush working through my list. Sad, this isn’t one of those times. “Tonight’s family dinner night, and I sort of said we’d all be there.” I mouth the word sorry at him. He just shrugs.
“Oh, my gosh!” Tessa gushes. “Is everyone going to be there?”
“I’m pretty sure.”
“I have to let my friends know. They’re so jealous that I get to spend so much time with Reed and Rand. They’re on the S.H.O.G.L. list at school.”
“S.H.O.G.L.?” Owen asks.
“Yeah, smoking-hot old guy list,” she says like we’re morons who should have known. “You’re on it too. Which is gross by the way. Oh, I’ve got to pick out what I’m going to wear.” We stare at her like deer in the headlights as she bounces back down to her room.
“Well,” I say when she disappears. “You’re definitely on my S.H.O.G.L.”
“What the hell?” He runs his hand down his face. “Why couldn’t my sister have a boy? Boys I can handle.”
“Bruh,” I say, slouching. “I don’t know where the porn stash under my bed came from.”
