Page 18 of The Boyfriend List
A woman who’s probably looking for other men to date right now?
I grit my teeth again and try to stay upright in the saddle.
“Relax,” Eli says.
“Please don’t tell me horses can smell fear.”
“No, but I can, and it smells like sweat,” Eli jokes. “So for the sake of my poor nose, ease up on your grip.”
I try to relax, and find myself falling into an easy rhythm as the horse walks around the paddock, kicking up small dust clouds with each step. This is kind of enjoyable, despite the complaints of previously unused muscles in my legs and hips.
After a while, he lets go of the reins and helps the girls get back on Honey and Ember. We ride in circles around the ranch, chatting and laughing and petting the horses. After we’re done their riding lesson for this week, Queenie convinces me to let her braid my hair to match my horse’s mane and tail. Before I can stop her, Hattie grabs my phone and takes pictures.
On the drive home, my nieces don’t stop talking about how much fun they had and how they can’t wait to come back next week. They fall into contented naps after more and more yawns separate their sentences.
I chuckle. I’m glad the chocolate milk has worn off, otherwise they’d still be on sugar highs right now. When I pull up into Brooklyn’s driveway, the girls must have some sixth sense that automatically alerts them to being home, because they wake up immediately.
Texting Brooklyn, I wait for him to come outside. Instead, his wife, Rebecca, opens the door. “London! Thank you so much for bringing the girls to their horseback riding lessons.”
The two of them unbuckle their seatbelts and run out of the car to fling themselves around their mom. Hattie shouts, “Mommy! We rode horses today!”
She laughs, bending down to hug her daughters. “Why don’t you come in and sit for a bit, London? You can show us pictures.”
“I’d love to.”
Which is how I get roped into an hour-long conversation that involves children excitedly bouncing up and down on their indoor living room trampoline—I bet that was a Christmas gift from Perry—while they tell me about their favourite pony cartoon.
Instead of feeling exhausted, like I expected, the day was invigorating. I’ve never babysat for extended periods of time before, but I loved being around Queenie and Hattie. They’re fun, precocious, and drag me out of my introverted bubble.
It almost makes me want to have children of my own. After I’ve been plied with tea and cookies, the sun sinks past the mountains. I refuse Rebecca and Brooklyn’s offer to stay for dinner, since it’s their anniversary, and drive home to my apartment instead.
To an apartment that feels cold, empty, and quiet after the day I’ve had.
Chapter Seven: Gloria
At nine pm on a Saturday, I probably should be doing anything but working overtime on a case.
But since I have no boyfriend and Raina is out of town, I opened my laptop in a workaholic fervour. As I jog on my walking pad at my standing desk, I make notes on a company’s lawsuit. They’re being sued for defective packaging of soft drinks that could be a choking hazard to customers.
I want that promotion to senior associate. Wendy’s put so much time and effort into mentoring me and helping me get this job at McMann and Ma. The least I can do is be appreciative of her efforts by trying to get the job. It would be ungrateful otherwise.
Besides, the senior associate position offers everything I want and need. Security. Stability. Not needing to worry about money. Being able to send more money back home. Ever since my Tita Dolores died in a hurricane a few years ago, things have been hard for her son, Eddie. He’s been raised by my Tito James, but he’s also become the little brother I didn’t know I wanted. Getting this promotion and more pay would mean I can help my family more and maybe contribute to Eddie’s college fund, if he decides he wants to go to college. I want to give him a better life and more opportunities than so many of his friends and cousins have.
I would be a fool not to want the job, no matter what I said to London about my work. If I want to give back, I can always volunteer my time at a legal clinic. I don’t have to work for a pro bono organization.
Halfway through typing a sentence, I hear my phone ring. It’s my older brother, Paulo. After slowing the pace of the walking pad to a manageable stroll, I answer it. “Hey, Paulo.”
“Hey, Gloria,” Paulo says. “How have you been?”
Paulo calls every few weeks to check up on me, more so now that I’m not living with Raina anymore. I think it’s because he’s a protective older brother, trying to make sure I’m not getting into trouble, even across the Pacific.
“Swamped with work,” I say. “I was actually working on a case when you called.”
The concern in his tone ramps up. “Isn’t it nine pm there?”
“Yep.” I close my laptop, my eyes burning from staring at a screen all day. I need to find more screen-free activities to relax. “It sure is.”
“And you don’t have any friends to go out with or parties to attend?”
