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Grammy noticed me watching her. “Clarice has changed since your mother died. There’s a light that has left her eyes, but she’s still able to find the good in things. Trauma changes people, but we can still find joy after the fact.”
I nodded along, but I didn’t say anything as I thought about what she said.
“The last thing I want is for you to get hurt, but I can’t go back and change the past,” Grammy said. “I wish I could have protected you, but all we can do is look toward the future.”
“You tried,” I told her as I reached for the key around my neck. “You gave me this key to protect us, but I don’t think it has. We’ve all been through so much. What is this key, really?”
She shook her head. “I don’t really know, to be honest. Your grandfather gave it to me before he died, and he said it was very important. Perhaps it was never meant for me or you.”
“Then who’s it for?” I wondered.
“I’m not sure, but we best hold on to it for now,” Grammy said. “In the meantime, enjoy what you have. You are surrounded by friends and family who love you very much, and we will always be there for you.”
I set the last glass in the drying rack. “Thank you, Grammy.”
The patio door opened, and the guys’ laughter filled the house. I dried my hands and returned to the living room. Lucas was laughing so hard that his eyes crinkled at the corners, and it made me forget what Grammy and I had been talking about. He looked so happy and carefree.
“Looks like you ladies had a blast,” Grant said as he stood in front of the pile of presents. “What’d Nadine get?”
He reached for the box of sex toys, and I nearly jumped out of my skin as I raced across the room to slam the top shut. “Nothing!”
“Ooh,” Grant sang. “It’s that kind of gift.”
“Lucas,” I said quickly. “Could you help me carry all this up to our room?”
It was funny when the girls made me open the gag gift, but I did not need to be showing off sex toys to Professor Warren. I think I’d die.
“Sure.” Lucas approached me nonchalantly. I didn’t think he’d realized what was in the box.
Talia nudged me as I passed her. “Have fun.”
I shot her a nervous smile. I’d been in the mood this morning, but now my friends’ teasing had ruined that for sure. Lucas and I went up to our room, and I locked the door behind us.
“What was all that about?” he asked as he set the box on the bed. “You were acting like—oh.”
Lucas opened the box, and his eyebrows shot up. “Oh. Wow, that’s uh… a big dildo.”
“It wasn’t my idea,” I said quickly, wringing my hands together.
Lucas eyed me curiously. “You’re acting strange. What’s going on?”
I shot a glance toward the door, even though everyone else was downstairs. “I know the toys are a gag gift and I’m supposed to laugh at it, but I don’t get why they’d spend all this money on this stuff if they didn’t expect us to actually use them. But don’t toys seem… a bit much? I’m happy with our sex as it is.”
Lucas wrapped me in his arms and held me close. “Nad, we don’t have to use them if you don’t want to—not now or ever. I don’t want you to feel like you have to just because they’re there.”
“It’s just… I would never want you to think you aren’t enough for me,” I told him. “We don’t need the toys.”
“Fair enough.” Lucas drew away, then he closed up the box and slid it under the bed. “It’s like they were never here to begin with.”
“Thanks,” I told him as we curled up together on the bed. Lucas took me in his arms, and though neither of us made a move to take things further, I felt intimately connected with him anyway. All the tension in my body melted away. “This feels really good.”
“I’m glad you’re happy,” Lucas whispered.
“I am. I had a really good day.” I rolled onto my side to look at him. “How was your day?”
Lucas roamed his hands over my body, but he was gentle about it, admiring me more than anything. “It was good. Hardly anyone died.”
I rolled my eyes. “You say that very nonchalantly.”
