Page 102 of Roses, Pearls, and Hot Summer Nights
“Do you know who your fathers are?” I figured they were all related, but it could be any of them.
“Sure,” he answered easily. “We all call them by their first names, except in public. Then they’reuncle so and soand Kit isDadbecause legally he’s Mom’s husband. When we were very little, it took some practice, but we weren’t really allowed in public until we mastered the skill. Like it was a game, so we would practice. One way at home, another out there.” He said the line as though they recited it. “But they never hid anything from us. I’m Daniel’s son. The twins are Stephen’s and Phoenix is Eric’s.”
Julian spoke from the floor, adding “They meant to stop—I think I told you this?—after us. Phoenix was a surprise. Kit was fine with getting the credit for being our father, and they didn’t feel like the family needed a fifth baby just for his genetics.”
“Twins run in the family. It could have beensixbabies.” Jeremy added.
“Mom is one of eight, the oldest.” Phoenix yawned. “The Lents have a history of fours. We had four grandfathers.”
I knew it, but Dina’s story wasn’t mine to share. My loopy mind fled again, my sense of time passing completely skewed. Phoenix fell asleep in his usual position. The twins kept going until each started to snore. I smiled, the sound oddly familiar and comforting. Barrett stroked a fingertip over my body, finding secret pieces of skin, silent but loving. It should frighten me, make me nervous, or something, but I couldn’t imagine anything could ever feel closer to love than his touch.
This will all eventually blow up on me.Despite knowing it, I couldn’t bring myself to care.
Eventually, his hand stilled, flat on my stomach, covering my belly button. I doubted he meant to fall asleep, especially if he’d noticed how my breath sped. I stared up at the ceiling. The band finally silenced, and I heard car engines turning on and then fading into the distance. Laughter outside, then, finally, nothing but the ocean. After the storm the night before, it felt almost oppressively too quiet.
I rubbed my eyes. I wasn’t sure if I could ever sleep again.
I managed to sneak out of bed without rousing either Barrett or Phoenix, despite my removal of their touches taking forever. Eventually, both guys rolled around until they settled. The oldest Lent brother actually muttered something, but he didn’t wake.
I grabbedDune—I would have late fees at the library—and snuck into the living room. I never heard Dina come in, but the house seemed quiet. Then again, I never heard her come home ever. The sound proofing in my space was better for inside the house than outside the house, probably because of the sliding doors.
I sank into the couch and turned on a lamp to read. Soon, the author’s words helped me escape my thoughts, and I was grateful for it. Eventually, my eyes drifted closed.
I was on an island, alone. No matter how much I screamed, no one could hear me. Only the ocean’s constant roar answered me.
I woke when Barrett lifted me into his arms. “Stay asleep,” he whispered. “The room is cold without you.”
I shuddered on a gasp, so glad he found me. I closed my eyes against his shoulder. “Thank you,” I whispered.For many, many things.
28
Barrett played with my hair, the sun glinting off his fingertips when I awoke again. I glanced around and realized it was just us in the room.Where is everyone else?A lot of strands escaped my braid, proving I hadn’t made it tight enough the previous night. My head felt clearer, and I yawned and stretched.
“What time is it?” My voice sounded scratchy even to my own ears.
“One in the afternoon.” He kissed my neck, his lips dragging a trail of heat toward my ear. “Good afternoon, lovely. Was I snoring? Is that why you left the bed?”
It took me a second to figure out what he meant. “No, I couldn’t turn my head off. I just wanted to read and not wake anyone.”
“Wake me next time. We’ll read together, and I’ll hold you.” He hugged me tightly against him. “I’m sorry for waking you, but I want you to eat something. Did you eat at all yesterday?”
I remembered chewing down a protein bar during my hair session. “Probably not enough. I’m not trying to starve. I just didn’t think about it.”
“Right, so let’s have eggs. Afterward, we’re all going swimming in the ocean. We never do it, but it’s right there. Phoenix left, said he had things to do.” I figured that meant he probably left to use drugs. I knew he avoided it yesterday, but I wondered how long he could hold out. “The twins are making the eggs now.”
They’re cooking?“Do they even know how?”
“Well, they looked up videos. If they can’t manage something, they’ll probably hit up the chef eventually. Oh, Phoenix really wanted me to remind you not to forget your sunscreen.”
I rubbed at my eyes. “I won’t. Can’t believe I slept through all that talking and movement.”
“Minimal talking.” He wiggled his phone. “We texted; we’re not animals. I’ve never seen you so deeply asleep, and none of us wanted to wake you. It felt like you finally decided to trust you were safe with us. I loved it. Also” —he grinned, tapping his pec— “your head was right on my chest, sprawled over me, for most of the night. It was heaven, so I didn’t want to move you. I would stay with you all day, but I want us all to get into the water. It’s a beautiful day, and all of the bad shit is behind us.”
I wished he hadn’t said that. “Don’t jinx it.” I kissed his cheek. “You must have been an awesome pillow. I wish I could remember rolling on top of you. I do remember you picking me up from the couch.”
He frowned. “I woke up and found you gone. I panicked for a second, had to find you. When I did, you looked so beautiful, lying there. I just stood and watched you for a second. I hope that’s not creepy. I didn’t want to wake you up, and I tried to get you to bed as gently as I could. I’m sorry.”
I kissed him again on the cheek and then on his mouth. It felt like someone might come in at any time with a buzzer, to tell me it wasn’t okay to kiss them. Once I tasted his lips, though, Ilingered before admitting, “I was having a bad dream when you woke me up. My nearly nightly assault by my unconscious mind, you could say. So thank you for waking me and rescuing me from my nightmares. I can’t believe I fell back to sleep in your arms. I never imagined such a thing could be possible. Now I need to try to find a way to work my head around the fact I’m allowed to kiss you, without worrying someone is going to get angry with me for doing it.”
