Page 36 of Four Times Taken

"I don't know. Who will have access to the camera?" I asked.

Matt smiled. "Whoever you want."

It's like trying on a pair of heels when all you've ever worn are sneakers. New, unfamiliar, and uncomfortable. But I nodded, and he heads off into the corner to place the order.

"How are you feeling?" Eric asked after a while, rubbing my back.

'Still uneasy,' I was about to admit, until Ethan took a seat across from my mother in the dingy couch that used to be white or cream. The tightness in my chest dissolved as the sweetest picture unfolded before me. Ethan picked up a dusty book that's been sitting on a beer-can-stained coffee table for the past year. It's a book about gardening that my mother decides she'll get into every time she recovers, before relapsing time and again.

He read to my mother with a softness that could be felt across the room. I had to keep reminding myself that he's a billionaire. He's so humble. He hasn't turned his nose up once since stepping in here. I even turn my nose up when I step in here. It's not disgusting. Like, there aren't dirty plates and cups everywhere or food sticking to the floors, roaches in the kitchen, or none of that nightmarish stuff. I keep it as clean as I can manage, but it's still in pretty bad shape. Definitely not fit for a billionaire, or from the sounds of it, two billionaires or whatever Matt is. They're all richer than I am, that's for sure.

Although, when I thought back to the banquet and the stories he shared, I supposed this place wasn't the worst he's seen. Still, I couldn't help the itch that pulled me to my feet. As soon as I was at ease, I was pricked with urgent need. Since they were taking the time to sit with my mother, it was the perfect time to clean the house. I barely get the chance, if ever, to do a thorough cleaning. The dust gathered on the bookshelf and old coffee table because I didn't prioritize it over cleaning the floors, the kitchen, the bathroom, and my mother's bedroom, my bedroom, and cleaning up after spills twenty thousand times for the day, in the living room or anywhere. But if they were taking some of the load off, the least I could do was get the cleaning done.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Eric asked when I jumped up from his lap. I sighed, looking around me, wondering where to start. "Tell me what you want, and I'll get it done." He moved to stand in front of me. "This is the time for you to rest, remember?"

"You mean, time for you to get that date you want?" I fired back, a little too hard.

"Is that so bad?" he asked, pulling me closer to him. "That I want to spend more time with you? Share more of what we shared this morning?" He grinned wickedly, whispering in my ear, and I gripped his arms as my body responded.

"Yes. I mean, no," I gasped. "I'm sorry. I'm just..."

"Overwhelmed. I know." He nodded. "We don't have to do all of this today. I just want you to see that I don't want to become another burden in your life. I'll move mountains if I have to, for us to be together. And my friends are willing to do the same. Is that okay with you?"

I couldn't help but smile, nodding. The surrealism of this moment hit me as the warmth of him enveloped me, and his gray eyes twinkled. This was all too good to be true, and that's what made it so scary. I'd keep my eyes open for the crash, but for now, couldn't I just enjoy the ride?

""So, what was it you were in such a hurry to do?" he asked.

"This place is a mess. Look at it. I just want to do some of the cleaning I never get to," I confessed.

"Done," he said.

"You'll do it?" I raised my brows, humor making them wriggle as I watched the uncertainty on his face.

He hesitated before saying, "First thing tomorrow, I'll hire a cleaner. Deal?"

He managed to do it again—put a smile on my face and a laugh in my belly. "Deal." I grinned. "But it's time for my mom to go for her walk. She'll go down for a nap after that. Then we can go on our date."

He pulled me closer, kissing me on the cheek and neck until a giggle escaped me. I felt like a different human.

"She might have a little bit of lunch before or after her nap," I said loudly, pushing him off me. "Is that okay for you guys to handle?" I asked.

"Yes, ma'am. Don't worry about a thing," the guys all echoed. Ryan saluted me with a smile as bright as the sun, and I took a breath, relieved that I wasn't tripping over myself. I'd let myself believe that this was all going to work out just fine.

Eric pecked me on the lips, grinning before strolling over to my mother. "Come on, Ms. Thornbread, put on your best walking shoes. Today's going to be a great day."

If there was enough space in the house, I bet he'd kick his heels together. This feeling was new. Bubbly. Happiness. The dread still lurked, like it always did. But today, it wasn't at the forefront, making the decisions for me. I was choosing something different, and I hoped to goodness that I deserved it.

I was blindfolded as Eric took my hand and guided me forward. My shoulders throbbed, and my back cried out from getting my mother changed out of her sweat and drizzle-damp clothes after the walk and put to bed. There were a lot of things the guys helped with, but there were still some tasks that had to be done by a professional, which in this case, was me.

She fell asleep soon after her sedative kicked in, but I was still not comfortable leaving her alone with the guys. If she were to have any sort of accident at all, I still needed to be here to take care of it. And the cameras weren't getting installed until the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours. I almost called off the date, but Eric wouldn't let me.

Well, I wouldn't let me, because let's face it, there's nothing anyone can force me to do anymore that I don't want to do. And I wanted this date. I hadn't looked forward to something like this in a long time. It was like I was young and hopeful again, actually twenty-eight, even if my bones said otherwise. Even if it was nothing but a fantasy, I'd like to live in it for a while longer.

"All right. Oh! Be careful." Eric grinned as I almost tripped over something. A table? The things on it rattled.

"Oh, sorry." I smiled.

His roughened fingers grazed my temple as the blindfold was removed from my face. The slight throb in my eyes faded to take in the string lights set up on the outside of my backyard. He'I'd been adamant that I remain inside until he was finished setting up. And I have to say, the transformation is straight out of a picture. I imagine Ryan would itch to capture this moment. Oops, no thoughts about Ryan.

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