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“It is when you’re planning to spend the night on top of Carter,” Lauren says, and we all laugh as we walk to the door to say our goodbyes.
“I need to go finish book three. Sweet dreams,” Addy says after she helps me pick up the family room where our appetizers and drinks were left abandoned.
“Enjoy. No spoilers,” I warn, and she laughs as she gives me a thumbs-up and heads to bed.
The events over the weekend go off without a hitch—except for the wedding where the priest was twenty minutes late—and I find myself at my weekly Tuesday night dinner with my mom and dad.
“What do you think of Vegas?” my dad asks. He keeps his voice low since we’re at a restaurant and anyone could be listening.
“Vegas?” I repeat. “I love the vibe there, but I’ve never visited. Why do you ask?”
My dad’s eyes edge to my mom, and then he lays the truth on me. “They have an OC position open, so I interviewed.”
I gasp. “You…youwhat?” My voice is louder than it should be given that we’re in a restaurant and he’s trying to be quiet.
He presses his lips together and nods. “And it went well, thanks for asking.”
Oh, right. Etiquette and all that. I clear my throat. “How well?”
“They offered, and about an hour before dinner, I accepted.”
My jaw drops clear to the floor. I am without words.
“Your mother and I are moving to Vegas, and we’d love for you to come, too.” He says the words for her, and I guess we’ve gotten lucky that my dad played for the Storm for years, and when it was time to hang it up, he moved into coaching with the same team. Working in the sports industry means your job couldbe gone just like that, but we’ve been in the same area of San Diego for my entire life.
And now, poof. They’re moving.
I can’t move. My life is here. My friends, my career, my entire livelihood. It’s all I’ve ever known, and I’m making a name for myself in the event planning industry. I can’t just take off for Vegas.
I glance at my mom to see what she thinks of all this. She’s never been very good at hiding what she’s thinking, and she shifts her gaze away from me so I don’t catch onto her real thoughts. But he’s not letting her speak, and when he does that, it’s because they’re not in agreement about something.
“Mom, is this what you want?” I ask.
She clears her throat. “It’s your father’s dream job, honey. Of course it’s what I want. And Vegas has palm trees like home but with slot machines, all the food…plus probably thousands of events every weekend. I’m sure you could find something in event planning there.”
She’s probably right about that, but I don’t want to find something there. Vegas doesn’t have Addy, Chloe, and Lauren. It doesn’t have the beach. It doesn’t have the Storm. What, I’m supposed to become an Acesfan because my dad has a job there when I’ve bled black and silver my entire existence? No fucking way.
If I’m in Vegas, I don’t get to sing the Storm’s fight song on my home field anymore. It’ll be some trendy Vegas song at the Aces stadium instead. Fuck that.
“I’m staying here,” I say, and I keep my voice firm and resolute.
My dad nods, and my mom looks disappointed.
“We do hope you’ll come visit,” my dad says.
“Of course.” I’m not sure when they’re moving, and I’m not sure when I’ll have a break to visit, but I’d love to swing by and check out Vegas.
You know…someday.
Chapter 3: Desiree Dixon
A Mural He Can Point To
“You haven’t taken a day off in the last year, Desi. This is your father’s first major event, and you should be there,” Bea says.
Bea is my boss’s secretary, and I know she’s right. I also know if Bea is saying it, it’s because she’s repeating my boss, Angelica.
I sigh. The Vegas Aces announced my father as their new offensive coordinator nearly four months ago, and my parents moved there immediately. They bought a house, and I haven’t been out to see it yet. I keep citing work as my reason, but the truth is that I could do my job in my sleep most days. Every event is unique and different, but I’m ajuniorevent planner, so everything I do gets approved and overridden by Angelica anyway.
