She, the Kingdom (She #1)(19)

“This? As in our agreement? No. Never.”

I wasn’t sure if I should be worried or flattered. “Do I drive you home?”

“No. We had the Bentley delivered.”

“Oh,” I said, wondering when that had happened. I’d never heard a car outside.

He grabbed his wallet, phone, and keys, and headed toward the door. He stopped, turning toward me. “I’m hesitant to say, but I feel we aren’t forthcoming enough with compliments. You’re very beautiful in the morning.”

I held the V-neck of my robe, caught off-guard by his compliment. “Th-thank you.”

He grinned again, and walked into the dark hallway and out the front door. A car engine ignited in my drive and then reversed, the sound muffled the farther away he drove.

I sat in the room alone, with the single light my only companion in the darkness, waiting to feel something: guilty, violated, excited, ashamed, infatuation. I felt nothing, and I dreaded the moment when whatever it was would set in. I thought about my college years and the day after a party, waking up and cringing throughout the day as I’d remembered doing or saying something completely asinine. Even though everyone else was just as drunk and stupid, I was sure my brand of idiocy stood apart from all else. I wasn’t sure if that was narcissism or anxiety, but either way, it was torture.

I stood up, taking stock of my body as I walked to the bathroom. The apex of my thighs were wet from my earlier memories of the night before, but other than that, I wasn’t the chaffed, sore mess I expected. I’d showered the night before, so I hopped in long enough to wash Max away, and then went through my morning routine, turning on the Keurig I’d purchased after leaving the spa, and then sitting down to my breakfast table. I could see the Lexus from the window, the silver flecks glistening in the morning sun. I couldn’t wait to drive it to the bank to deposit my first check. Imagining setting out all of my bills on the table and writing checks for the totals made me feel a bit emotional.

I propped my tablet against the flower pot centerpiece and crunched on my Cornflakes while waiting for Josh or Hannah to pick up the line. My face was replaced with a live video of my daughter’s sleepy but smiling face, her fuzzy coils bouncing as she tried to get comfortable while holding her brother’s smart phone.

“Hi baby,” I said, my mouth full.

“Mommy!”

“Eight more weeks!”

Her smile faded. “I know. Don’t remind me. “

“Aw,” I said, jutting out my lip. “You’re not having fun?”

“I just miss you.”

“I miss you, too. I haven’t talked to you in a few days. What’s been going on?”

“Well,” she began, wiping away the tangled mess of hair from her eyes. Her ocean-blue irises sat behind two almond-shaped slits. “We went swimming. And we went to Gramma’s. And we ate cotton candy for dinner!”

“And breakfast!” Josh called from somewhere across the room.

“Lucky,” I said, deciding I need to make a trip of my own. It was shameful that Nick was doing a better job at visiting his parents than I was mine. “Not sure why you’re homesick if you get to do cool stuff like that.”

Hannah leaned in toward the screen and whispered, “You cook better than Daddy.”

I leaned in, too. “I do. You’re right.” She giggled, and I rested my chin on my hand, smiling as I took in her innocence and beauty.

“You look happy, Mommy.”

“I am. Guess what?”

“What?”

“I got us a new car.”

Hannah’s eyes bulged, and I threw back my head and laughed. It wasn’t often I saw so much of the whites of her eyes. “Really? What kind?”

“A Lexus!”

“Oh my gosh! What does that mean?”

“It means it’s nice. You’re going to love it.”

“What color?”

“Dark gray… ish.”

Josh poked his head into the camera. “You got a new car? Did you say a Lexus?”

“A hybrid SUV.”

He rolled his eyes. “Lame.” Then he was gone again.

“I miss you,” I called.

“Yeah, me too,” he said off camera.

“Guess what else?” I asked Hannah. She leaned in, making a show of her excitement. “It has TV monitors in the back, so you can watch whatever movie you want.”

“Whatever movie I want?”

“Yes!”

“Can I watch Deadpool?”

“Absolutely not!” I shrieked.

Hannah cackled, and I laughed with her while she detailed the last few days, and how she wasn’t looking forward to back-to-school, but she couldn’t wait to see me (and the new car). She’d been playing ball with Josh in Nick’s tiny backyard, and was eager to see her fellow teammates and start off-season softball practice when she got home. We waved goodbye, I had a short conversation with Josh, and then we hung up. I finished my bowl of cereal, rinsed the bowl in the sink, and then popped a K-Cup into the Keurig and waited while the milky stream filled my favorite green mug.

The perma-grin wouldn’t leave my face as I swiped my purse, the car keys, and Max’s envelope off my bedroom table before hurrying out the front door. I stood next to the Lexus and held out the key fob, holding my breath while I pressed the UNLOCK button. The doors clicked, and I froze, still in disbelief that the gorgeous object in front of me was mine. I pulled open the handle and slid behind the wheel, taking in a big breath through my nose. I’d smelled the new car smell before, but only when Amelia had bought her first BMW, and then the second.