Page 29 of She Wolf

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Getting Mom and June settled doesn’t take long once we’re back at my place. They started leaving things here a while ago and I’m that son who had one of his rooms decorated for their mother and her best friend. Now they have a home away from home.

Their room here is a little mad, to say the least. A chandelier hangs from the ceiling while two queen beds sit next to each other. The comforters are so glittery I can’t look at them for too long. The furniture in here is mirrored, and they also have a bathroom to share which is also very blingy.

I don’t come in here very often but the housekeeper, Rosie, who I share with Casey and Callan, helped to make it cozy and welcoming for them today. Sounds odd, us sharing a person to take care of our houses, but we were three bachelors living in houses that were too big for us when we employed her.

We’re on the road for so long that we needed someone we could trust, and Rosie is a gem. She splits us up over the week and it helps that we’re pretty easy to work for. We might have large houses, but I only use a few rooms when I’m here and she’s the most organized person I’ve ever met.

I asked if I could see her schedule once, interested to understand how she fits the chores for three houses in, but she told me my mind would explode if I set eyes on it so I didn’t bug her again.

As per usual when Mom and June come to town, the kitchen is stocked with all their American favorites including Teaberry ice cream. A vase full of fresh blue hydrangeas sits on the kitchen counter because my mom loves them. I’ve ordered food to be delivered in a couple of days and the car service is booked out for their stay so Enzo, our preferred driver, is on standby whenever they decide to leave.

I like for Mom to take it easy when she’s here. She’s similar to Coralie in that she’s always trying to help people and volunteers for everything in our hometown. I also think Enzo likes the crazy things they get up to.

Last year while I was away on a short road trip, he sent me a photo of them eating pastries and drinking to-go latte’s outside of Tiffany’s. A normal touristy thing to do, right? Yeah, except they’re fifty-four, had giant shades on, what looked like tiaras, black gloves, and necklaces so big I don’t know how they managed to stand upright. Holly Golightly eat your heart out.

On my off day, I took them back and bought them each something special. There were tears by the end of that shopping trip.

We have another home game in two days and Jack will be inviting them over to Casey’s for the games we play in Tampa, so they’ll be excited about that. They love spending time with him and always bring him candy and sweets from home. Timbits are his current obsession.

Mom pokes her head around my bedroom door as I’m shedding my suit. She has few boundaries, this one. I finish unbuttoning my shirt as her stare bores into me.

“GG, are you feeling okay after your game? Would you like me to run you a bath?”

“Umm, no mom but thank you for the offer. I think I’m just gonna get some rest and they’ll probably make me have a treatment or two over the next couple of days anyway.”

“Okay, if you’re sure. We’ll just have a lazy day tomorrow, get ready for game two. I don’t want you thinking you have to entertain us.” She gives me a look.

“I don’t think that, but we definitely need to keep it low-key.”

“Alright, honey, well sleep tight, eh?”

“I will, I will. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Good night son, thank you for a lovely night.” She says it like I hosted a dinner party when I’ve barely even seen her yet.

“Night Mom. I’m glad you’re here.”

She backs away and closes my door. I finish changing out of my clothes and go find something to sleep in now that I have house guests. I ready myself for bed and lay out everything I need for tomorrow morning. Once that’s all done, I climb into bed and put my alarm on.

Then I contemplate texting Coralie. This has been my nightly ritual for the past year. Warring with myself about sending a message because that’s what I want; for her to be the last person I speak to at the end of the day and the first person I speak to when I wake up. Only this time it’s different so I take the plunge and text her.

Me:I know we’re taking it slow, but when are you free for our date?

Coralie:Hmmm. I’m just so swamped right now. See my brothers are on this hockey

team andthey’ve got some important games coming up.

Me:I see. That does sound busy. It’s just that I happen to know said

team is going to win this series in four games, leaving a small window

of time to get in an especially romantic first date, with yours truly.

Coralie:I mean, you sound very confident and if you say there’s time,

then maybe I could squeeze you in.

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