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“Okay,” she says finally, but it’s not the response I was hoping for. It’s not the self-assured tone I’m used to hearing from her. Once again, I’m fairly certain she’s on the verge of tears.
Must be hormones.
“Let’s get you to bed.”
I help her out of the tub and dry her body as she stands on the soft bathmat. I tuck her into her side of the bed and place a kiss on her forehead. She’s asleep before I even undress.
Chapter Twenty-One
Ben
The next day is a whirlwind of activity, getting everyone fed and back over to Faraday where they can settle into their new temporary homes at The Flamingo. It’s a bit farther from The Sands than most people’s houses were, which will require some kind of company sponsored shuttle service, but it’s a hell of a lot easier than ferrying them across the channel. Everyone gets their own room, which makes them happy, and we’re able to bring the entire Flamingo staff back on to manage the property while we rent it, which makes me very happy.
It’s not often that I find myself in a situation that money can't solve, but since purchasing The Sands, I’ve been in plenty of them. Money only goes so far in a place like this. It doesn’t matter how many new houses or construction crews you can afford. If the crews and materials and sewer infrastructures don’t exist, you’re shit out of luck. I’m glad we can at least provide jobs for a dozen or so more islanders during this difficult time.
By the time Victoria and I make it back to Merit, we’re both so exhausted we fall straight into bed.
And wake up together. And go to bed and wake up. Again and again.
It’s normal and crazy and unexpected and totally, completely right.
We haven’t talked about “us” again since the night of the flood, but I’m feeling more at peace than I have in a long time. Something about this is just…comfortable.
A few days ago, I heard back from Avery that he found Ainsley, but not that they’re on their way to New York yet. I’m grateful for that on both counts. As much as I want to get the kid settled in school, I'm not ready to leave. I told Victoria that I’d stick around, and I’m not sure if we’ve reached a place yet where she’s going to agree to come with me.
Avery told me he found him in Indonesia, helping out with a sandbagging project on the shores of a flooding river. I don’t say a single thing about how much his help could be used on this island, where the residents are still trying to put their lives back together after the storm. Not a word…which is highly unlike me.
He’s making a decision. And I guess that’s fine.
I would be lying if I didn’t have a small bit of worry in the back of my mind about how he’s going to react to my new girlfriend.
Girlfriend? I sound like a fucking teenager.
She’s much closer to his age than mine. I want to think that he’ll just be happy for me, but am I prepared if that’s not how it goes? I don’t want to choose. And I don’t want to think about how it will go if I’m forced to.
Victoria and I are still mostly keeping our relationship on the down low. I go to her class three times a week, which continues to kick my ass, and anyone who knows either of us well knows we’re shacked up out here. But that isn’t very many people.
Honestly, I like it this way. I get to be myself around her, without worrying about what others think. I know Victoria feels the same. The goofy, bossy, wild side of her that I get to see when we’re alone in the house is very different from the Victoria she shows in the fitness center.
At first, it felt so important to get to a place where we could tell the world. But now? I couldn’t care less. I have what I want. Victoria seems to be getting what she wants. And it’s enough. No need to announce our happiness to others.
Time, however, is creeping ever closer to a deadline I won’t be able to ignore. There’s a court date I’m required to be present at, a case my firm has been working on for over a year. But even as I consider leaving, I’m starting to feel more and more confident that she’s going to agree to come with me.
The timing is close to perfect. Her class contract will be wrapping up before too long. Her friends are settled and safe, moving back into their homes as they get dried out and cleaned up. It’s almost like it’s meant to be.
Meant to be, huh?
Sometimes I even surprise myself with how much of a romantic I’m becoming. This girl just does something to me.
Something I like.
Sure, I may be in an unconventional, mostly secret relationship with a woman young enough to be my child. Sure, I may exhaust myself almost every night of the week pretending to savage her in some creative new way. But I’m having fun. For possibly the first time ever.
I wake up in the morning with her on my mind. I hardly worry about Ainsley at all anymore, which in itself is miraculous. I know he’s still working at his volunteer position and that Avery’s with him.
And that’s just fine.
College will be there when he gets done.
