Page 45 of Mayhem
“What’s Pikas in the Park?”Alijah questioned.
“It’s an interactive scavenger hunt,”Emberly informed.
“Sounds like you’re going to have a fun-filled weekend,” Lawrence responded.
“Speaking of fun-filled weekends,”Emberly started after nodding. “Auntie Alijah, I have a question. You know I’m an only child, and I have two cousins on my dad’s side, but I never see them. So, I was wondering when you and Uncle Kieran would give me a little cousin and if you could start this weekend?”
Erin put her hand in front of her mouth to hide her smile while Chayse sucked in her cheeks to keep from laughing.
“Do what now?”Alijah questioned.
“A little cousin. I asked these two,”Emberly stated, pointing to Chayse and Nik. “But they just said when they got married, then maybe, and since you are married, I just figured you wouldn’t mind giving me one. I know it takes nine months, so I’m prepared to wait until next year for them to get here.”
Erin started laughing while Chayse coughed to cover hers up, and Lawrence and Nik were in stitches. Erin gasped as Alijah pinched her side before elbowing Chayse.
“Ember, why don’t you ask your Uncle Kieran about it? Then we’ll see,”Alijah responded.
“You might as well have said no,”Emberly told her, pouting with a whine. “Because you know he likes keeping me from winning, and this would be a win for me.”
Erin laughed harder despite Alijah pinching her again because the look of betrayal on Emberly’s face spoke volumes. She was genuinely upset that Alijah had lobbed the situation to Kieran and heartbroken that Alijah hadn’t immediately told her yes.
“Ooh, Auntie Erin,”Emberly spoke sweetly, and Erin sobered quickly.
“So, I’ve upgraded,”Erin stated with a raised brow. “I’m no longer just Erin.”
“Well, you’re dating my other two uncles, and it does make more sense to ask you because you have the better odds.”
What exactly was Erin supposed to say to that? Emberly wasn’t wrong. However, Erin would not be giving her a little cousin. “Don’t the three of you have somewhere to be?”Erin questioned.
“It’s funny when it’s me, but not when it’s you,”Alijah stated, and Erin rolled her eyes.
“She is right, though, Munchkin. We need to go,” Chayse stated.
The three of them said their goodbyes, Emberly telling her and Alijah to think about it before walking out the door. Erin wouldn’t think about it, but now that Emberly brought it up, she felt that Alijah or Chayse should give her a niece or nephew. Maybe she’d get on the bandwagon behind the teenager and help out a bit. After all, if the focus were on one of them, it would stay off of her.
11
Erin stepped out of the shower, grabbed her towel, dried off, and hung it over the rail. She grabbed her lotion and left the bathroom. Cruz and Paetyn were taking her out to dinner for her birthday.
She’d enjoyed the weekend she’d spent with Chayse and Alijah. They’d decided to check into a hotel and enjoy all the amenities. It worked out well for all of them. Erin hadn’t been in the mood to travel since she’d done so the two days before for a convention, and Chayse would be leaving for her cruise Sunday afternoon.
After moisturizing, Erin decided on a perfume before spraying some on. She stared at the dress on the back of her closet door. It was black, covering the shoulder on the right with one long sleeve. The other side of it was bare, and a split on the left-hand side up to her thigh. Erin didn’t know where they were taking her for dinner, but Paetyn told her he’d made reservations, so she knew the dress would be appropriate.
Erin had put her hair in curling rods a couple of hours earlier. She knew it wasn’t long enough for them to curl tight but give her the desired effect. As she took them down, Erin ran her fingers through each one. Once they were all taken down, she used the mixture of leave-in conditioner and water in her spray bottle before running her brush through it, getting the desired look.
After doing her edges, Erin sprayed some holding spray on her hair. Grabbing her towel, she wiped hair and product from her shoulders and chest. She did her makeup while waiting for her hair’s dampness to dry.
When finished, she checked herself in the mirror, returned to her bedroom, grabbed the dress, and stepped into it. It hugged her in all the right places, flattering her curves.
Erin put on the crimson pumps, which she paired with the dress. Going to her dresser, she grabbed a pair of dangling white gold earrings and the matching bracelet.
She picked up her clutch, checked that she had everything she needed, and, with one last look at herself, went into her living room. Picking up the remote, she turned the television on. She had about ten minutes before Paetyn and Cruz were due to pick her up.
Erin was still flipping through channels, trying to find something to watch while she waited, when there was a knock on her door. Turning the television off, she went to the door. She glanced at the panel, seeing them on the other side.
When she opened the door, she immediately took them in. She started with Cruz, wearing a black button-up shirt with the top two buttons undone, exposing his chest. The sleeves rolled up his forearms. He had on a pair of black slacks and loafers, and Erin couldn’t help but lick her lips as she looked at him.
Her eyes then shifted to Paetyn, dressed similarly, except he wore a white dress shirt with a couple of buttons left open and a black jacket over it. It had been too long since Erin had any because she felt herself getting wet looking at them.
