She hung up and then cleared her throat.
“I have to go.” She stood up.
“What? Why?” we both said at the same time.
She shook her head and grabbed her purse. “It’s nothing. I just have to go. I’ll…see you later.” She didn’t even meet our eyes as she rushed out of the place. We both watched her go.
I stood up to go after her but Tate stopped me. “We shouldn’t follow her. Not yet at least,” he said.
“Well what the hell was that?” I asked. I sat back down with a defeated sigh.
“I don’t know man. I have no clue.”
“There must be something going on. And she won’t tell us. I thought she knew how we felt,” I said.
“I don’t know. It isn’t that easy. Maybe not for her. She has to feel like she can really trust us.”
“I wish she felt like that already. Fuck, this is tripping me out.” I crossed my arms and sighed.
“Tell me about it. Just give her time.”
“I don’t think we should. I mean, she should know she can talk to us. And also not keep things from us. If we’re going to make this work, she has to be honest. We should too.”
We didn’t have anything to tell her, but if we ever did, we would.
“Yeah. You’re right. Let’s go after her.”
20
Adley
I saw the caller ID and my heart dropped. Everyone knows it wasn’t really serious until they call. The attorney had been emailing me to schedule a meeting, but I never responded. I thought it wasn’t something too serious. Just another form or something for my grandmother. I hadn’t accepted it fully yet so that was why I avoided walking into a conversation about her.
But it wasn’t that at all.
I answered the call and knew I couldn’t listen to any more in front of them. I couldn’t dump my problems on Tate and Levi. It wouldn’t be fair and it wouldn’t be right. So I kept it to myself and left before I really freaked out. I called him back and continued the conversation in the safety of my hotel room.
“Hello, sorry I was in a place with bad service.”
“That’s all right. I just wanted a chance to explain this so you would understand.”
“What—what is there to understand? What’s wrong?” My voice shook.
I couldn’t imagine anything being more wrong than my grandmother being gone, and me being alone with no job. I thought I wasn’t really alone, but this wasn’t Tate and Levi’s problem for me to just include them.
“Well, Adley, it’s about your grandmother’s estate.”
My breath hitched. I felt my body go cold and my face grow hot at the same time. I sat on the floor at the edge of the bed and tried to steady my breath, and keep my voice even.
“Is there a problem? The house is being repaired and it passed inspection. Did I miss something?”
There was so much that went into keeping a household running and getting it back on its feet. I thought maybe I missed an inspection or hadn’t done something I was supposed to.
“Well, no. It isn’t something like that. Listen Adley, a lot of fees have gone into this whole process. And there was a long list of things to take care of after the fact. That number I gave you was a good amount at the time, but after everything…I’m afraid it’s run out.”
“Run out?” I nearly shouted. How the hell did a hundred thousand dollars run out that fast?
“Yes. Um, nearly. After calculating what is left to get the house in good shape, it will be gone. And not all of the costs for the construction will be covered.”
“I don’t understand! Sorry, I don’t understand.” I lowered my voice. “They told me they cut costs everywhere they could. I thought everything was okay, and I haven’t spent any of the money on anything else.” My hotel fee was it, and that was minimal.
“I know. It isn’t your fault. I’m afraid it is just bad luck.”
I scoffed. It wasn’t just bad luck. It was the story of my fucking life. I couldn’t believe the hand I was being dealt, yet again. How was I supposed to get through this?
“What…what do I do?” I asked calmly.
“If you want to stop the construction now you’ll have a few grand left. If not, there won’t be enough to cover the costs and I don’t know if they have financing plans or anything like that, but I can find out.”
“Oh. Okay.” I sighed. I really wanted to finish her house. I wanted it to be perfect, the way she would like it. I didn’t want to fail her again.
“I know it is a tough decision, and I don’t need an answer right now. Just call me back tomorrow morning and we’ll come up with a plan,” he said kindly. He was kind. I didn’t feel pushed around by him at all. I knew he was just trying to do his job; I just wished I had known things could turn this way in the beginning.
“Okay. Thank you.”
“No problem. And of course if you have any questions don’t hesitate to call. I know how hard this process can be and I want to make things as easy on you as I can. I wish I had known about this sooner, I could have helped you more.”
“That’s okay. I know you did your best.” I assured him.
“Thank you. Call me tomorrow, okay?”
“I will. Thanks.”
“No problem. Talk soon.”
“Yeah.”
I hung up and collapsed against the bed post. I tossed my phone aside, kicked off my shoes, and climbed into bed. I didn’t care that it was the middle of the day. I had to turn everything off; I had to turn life off and just wallow in my own head.
I felt like I had just pulled myself out of this funk and now I was back again. One of the jobs I applied for had emailed me back for more information and a supplementary application. It was a step forward. But now it was like I hopped back to the very beginning when everything was shit.
Not even the thought of Tate or Levi helped me feel better. It only made me feel worse because I wished I could talk to them, but I knew I couldn’t. I didn’t know how to tell them all of this and I didn’t know if I even wanted to. This was my drama, my mess that I had to clean up. And now it affected their business too.
How the hell could I tell them I didn’t know if I could finish paying their company for their work? Even if I did decide to press forward with the project, where would the rest come from to finish it off? I barely had savings and every day in this hotel was taking more out of it. There wasn’t enough time left on the project for me to work and make up the costs.
I used to bartend at parties at night, and could make a few grand at once if I did big events. But that was so long ago I didn’t even know if I had those contacts. I racked my brain trying to figure out where I would get the money from. I could sell stuff, a lot of stuff. Who needed furniture?
I realized it wasn’t a decision I could make on my own. But I was too embarrassed to reach out for help. I knew the professional thing to do would be to call them both and explain my situation, feelings aside. But I didn’t want to mess things up. I wasn’t happy with how I left them in that café, especially after they cut their day short to be with me.
God, I was such a fuck up. I was treating them like they didn’t matter, and it was wrong of me. I took out my phone and decided to text them.
I’m sorry for leaving like that. I just have a lot going on right now.
I figured that was good enough. I wished I could say more but it wouldn’t have been appropriate over text. I told myself that when I felt better, I would call them and try to explain things. Or meet up with them. I didn’t know. I just wanted to stay in that bed for a little while longer and ignore the world.
21
Adley
I got up and washed my face and changed into my lounge clothes. I still had that dreadful feeling inside. I knew the house had to be finished, it wouldn’t even be safe to live in if it wasn’t finished. I just didn’t know how I would do it.
I checked my phone and there were no messages. I was disappointed, but I wasn’t really surprised. I
deserved it after what I did to them.
I made tea but it had no taste. The show on the television barely registered in my head. It seemed life was just going on around me and I was feeling none of it. There wasn’t anything I could do about it except come clean and let things fall where they may. But I couldn’t even bring myself to go and see them, or ask them to come here.
I felt a lot of things. Ashamed, confused. Worried that I had made the wrong choice, mostly. To leave them in the dark and hope they came back to me. I knew that in time, that if they did, I would never let them go again.
When there was a heavy knock on my door I told myself I was just being crazy, it couldn’t be them. I answered the door and it was. They had the same things on as before; Levi in a white polo and Tate in a blue one. Their jeans were faded and fitted.
“Tate. Levi. I didn’t expect you guys to come here.” I let them in and locked the door. Taking a deep breath, I turned to face them.
“What’s going on?” Levi asked first.
I sat on the edge of the bed and stared up at them both. They glanced at each other and then sat on the chairs by the table. They were only a few feet away, but they were still so imposing. Their scent had already permeated the room and surrounded me.
“I’m sorry for how I’ve been acting. It’s just…there has just been a lot going on.” I started.
Tate nodded. “We know. Your grandmother passed away,” he said.
I nodded. “Yes. And I had to leave my job because it was too far into the city. And I haven’t found another one yet. I’ve been trying but it’s been hard to do much of anything. I’ve been really down.” My voice was quiet and soft. I barely recognized it.
I couldn’t even look them in the eye as I talked. I grabbed a pillow and hugged it to my chest so I would have something to look at.
“We could tell you haven’t been happy. We hadn’t seen you before all this, but we knew something was wrong,” Levi said. His voice was deep and even; comforting.
“I wasn’t much better even before. My family…I wouldn’t even call it a family. I never knew my dad and my mom was a drug addict, she died from an overdose when I was little. My grandmother always took care of me. She was all I had left before she died. Now I have nothing.” My voice cracked and I tried not to cry. “Besides her house, she is as good as gone. All I wanted to do was fix it, and live there because I knew she wanted me to have it. But now I can’t even do that.”
“Sorry about your family, Adley. It sounds rough. I can’t believe you’ve gone through all of that.” Tate’s voice was so soft and caring, I didn’t even want to meet his eyes.
“Yeah, really…but why can’t you finish the house? There are barely two weeks left.” Levi said.
I huffed and the feeling of defeat came flooding back to me. I shook my head, I couldn’t say it yet. Levi came closer to me and knelt in front of me. He rested his hand on my knees and tilted my chin up so I was looking in his eyes.
“I know how you feel, Adley. Like everyone else in your family didn’t make it, so you won’t either. I felt the same way for a long time. My parents, they gave me up before I was even one. I grew up in foster care and watched everyone else get adopted. I thought I was just destined to be unwanted, to be broken. But it wasn’t true. I made something of myself, I fix things now and I love my job. You’ll find something you love too and you don’t have to do it alone. Tate and I, we are yours.”
I lost it then and the tears flowed freely. Levi poured himself out to me, opened his heart to me and it meant so much I could barely contain myself. He sat next to me and I felt two arms around me, Tate was beside me in a flash and they both held me as I cried.
“Shh, hun. It’s okay. You can let it out.” Levi kissed the top of my head.
Tate rubbed my back and wiped my tears away.
“We’re here for you, Adley. You can tell us anything,” Tate said.
I waited until my sobs died down and then I tried to speak.
“The money my grandmother left me. It isn’t enough to cover the rest of the expenses. My lawyer was the one who called me to tell me I had to make a decision. But I know I have to finish the house, I just don’t know how to pay for it. And I feel like this is all my fault because I let her live in such bad conditions to begin with.”
“You can’t blame yourself for that, Adley. Your grandmother was her own person.”
“But still, I didn’t come here. We always met halfway, I should have showed up. Random check ins or something. I can’t do anything about that now, but I have to figure out how to take out a loan or something to finish paying for it. But I know that won’t come in time either.” I huffed and tried to gather my thoughts. I was freaking out. And I broke down in front of them.
But it somehow felt better knowing that everything was out in the open. I had been honest and now I had to wait for the backlash.
“Relax, Adley. You don’t have to take all of that on. Your grandmother, she would never blame you for anything like that.”
I nodded as I thought. She was always very strong willed in that way. “She was always really stubborn. She might have told me to mind my own business.” I laughed humorlessly. I shook my head at the memory of her.
I had quite a few good ones. From me back in high school, and when I graduated and she forced me to wear her favorite dress of mine. I didn’t stand a chance. Even when I offered to move closer, she wouldn’t let me. She told me I should enjoy the city.
“See? Things happen the way they do for a reason. My dad taught me that, he always believed everything had a purpose.”
“He sounds nice.” I sniffled.
“He would have liked you.”
“Would have?” I glanced at him. He smiled sadly.
“He died a few years ago.”
“Oh. I’m sorry.”
The emotions in the room were too thick. Too heavy. I didn’t want to revel in them anymore.
“And you can finish the house,” Levi said.
“How?” I turned to him.
He looked to Tate before he continued, as if he was waiting for some kind of cue.
“We will cover the costs. Tate and I. Don’t worry about it.”
“Don’t worry about it?” I stood up and faced them, confused and shocked all at the same time. “It could be thousands of dollars.”
They shrugged like it was nothing. I didn’t want to ask but I knew contractors weren’t exactly millionaires. Still, they didn’t seem fazed at all.
“It’s fine, Adley. We have savings. We don’t live large. It will be fine,” Tate said.
I shook my head apprehensively. It was a lot to think over.
“I don’t know about that…” I looked fleetingly between them.
“Adley, it’s already decided. Let us do this for you,” Levi said firmly.
I sighed, knowing I was defeated. Once I accepted it I let the ease fall over me. It was decided. Everything that riddled me with worry was virtually gone. Levi and Tate, they were really going to take care of me.
I laughed and threw myself at them with a smile. “Thank you.” I smothered them both with kisses until we were all laughing. I was so happy. I could barely believe any of it was really happening.
“Adley, it’s fine.” Levi laughed.
I rolled my eyes but kissed him anyway. Then I kissed Tate and I felt the mood shift to something else. Something heavy and passionate. I wanted them both. I pulled back to look at them both.
“Are you ready to try, Adley?” Tate asked me.
I knew exactly what he was talking about and I felt my body heat in anticipation.
“I’m ready.” I bit my lip nervously, feeling my face grow hot.
They arched their brows. I sat between them on my knees, and they propped themselves on their elbows as they waited. Would they really make me say it?
“I want you both. At the same time.” I swallowed.
Levi practically growled and Tate tightened his jaw; he did that when he wa
s aroused. They both nodded.
I stood up and took my clothes off, not stopping until I was naked before them. They looked at me like I held the key to life. I started to undress them both. They were in their boxers when they started touching me.
Levi was behind me as he trailed kisses across my neck and Tate kissed my lips. Levi palmed my breasts and Tate rubbed against my clit, his fingers slipping inside of me. I knew Levi was going to be the one to do it because he wasn’t too thick, but I knew I wanted to feel them both at some point.
Levi grabbed condoms and lube from his pocket. I guessed they had come prepared. I put the condom on Tate and felt Levi behind me.
“I’ll warm you up first,” Tate whispered.
He kissed me softly and pulled me onto him so that I straddled him, and my ass was still in the air. I looked into his eyes as he lowered me onto him. I felt so full already, and I wasn’t even sure I could do it. But I really wanted to.
He gave me long, slow pumps. It felt like I was coming apart too soon. My nipples ran against his chest as I moved my hips. Tate groaned and I felt it against my chest. Levi rubbed my ass softly, then gripped me hard and I moaned low and long in anticipation.
I felt the coolness of the lube against my opening and I clenched in response.
“Relax, hun. I’ll go slow. Just tell me if you want me to stop.” Levi said.
I nodded in response.
I felt pressure there and realized it was his finger. He started kissing up my spine slowly, tracing the curve of my breasts on the sides. He added another finger. It was intense. I felt very full and uncomfortable.
Tate felt so good inside of me, moving slow and deep but it was hard to focus on that when I was experiencing something I never felt before. If just his fingers felt like that, how the hell would his cock feel? He could sense something was wrong and he stopped.
“We don’t have to,” Levi said.
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