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I can’t imagine saying no to that kind of logic.
“I can get behind that,” I say, hiding a smile. Emil fills a glass of water for me as he holds Zayn with one hand, nodding toward it for me to drink as he places it in front of me.
“Good. I want to go by the bank and set you up with a savings account. You’re making really good money, and I want you to start accruing interest on it.”
“I keep meaning to go by and do that,” I admit, wincing.
“Don’t make that face at me,” he says. “You have your hands full. I’ll make sure they don’t make you wait forever. I know you’re enjoying the online classes you’re continuing. I would like for you to do some in person classes but that’ll need to wait until the summer when Julia and I buy a rental property. We decided we need to invest in a second home to be closer to you. Nacio and your dads are going to hire more people to take over in the summers to allow them more flexibility. They just want to make sure they’re the right people.”
“What could go wrong if they don’t?” I ask, trying to chew slowly. My food is so good, but if I don’t pace myself, I’ll get dizzy. “Do you know what kind of club they run?” Emil asks, looking nervous.
“Ah, I know it’s a speakeasy of sorts.”
“They run a sex club,” he says, pressing his lips together. Ah, it isn’t nerves, it’s amusement. Ugh.
“Oh my god,” I groan. “My parents run a sex club. Somehow, I’m both scandalized and unsurprised.”
“People need a safe place to explore, and Broken Brothers Enterprise LLC does just that,” he says. “However, you can imagine everything that’s entailed to keep things consensual.”
“As someone who doesn’t often get that, I can,” I mumble, spearing my last piece of chicken and eating it before deciding I’m full.
Emil is suspiciously quiet and I glance over at him.
“Yes?”
“Nothing,” he says, shaking his head as if to dispel his thoughts. “Anyway, they’re currently hiring a second on-staff therapist to their team as well as more management.”
“Why do they have therapists?” I ask.
“Anyone who comes in who wants a membership to the club needs to take a mental health assessment. It’ll establish their triggers, if they’re a good fit for the club, and other risk factors. They have turned people away from what I understand,” Emil explains. “Once they have the extra staff in place, it’ll allow them to take time off without closing down.
“They want to have more free time to see you, go on vacation, and spend time together, Noor.”
“I know, and I miss them. I hate that they’re having to upend their lives.”
“No one makes our family do things they don’t want to. We cherish being able to have you and Zayn in our lives. He’s…ha, he fell asleep again.”
“It’s why he prefers when I stand. The movement makes him happy.”
“It makes sense. Okay, after the bank, I want to know what you planned to do today,” he says.
“I was going to go to the park to lay on a blanket and watch Zayn try to push himself up before he flops down,” I laugh. “My life isn’t very exciting.”
“Bah. Excitement is for the birds. Watching Zayn explore the world sounds lovely. How are the driving lessons going?”
“Good,” I admit. “I still get nervous, but I’m getting better. I think I might be ready to take my driving test in the next month or so. I have my learners for now.”
“How do you feel about night driving?” he asks.
“I haven’t had a chance to do much of it, why?”
“I’d like to take you out to dinner on the beach. You can drive us and get some practice in. I made a reservation that has lots of different options. It had great reviews. What do you think? Zayn will probably nap in my arms. You need both hands to eat. If I have to get up and rock him, so be it. No one will say a word to me.”
Yeah, I don’t doubt it. Emil is one of my favorite people in the world, and he scared the shit out of me when I didn’t realize it was him earlier.
“I think that sounds like fun,” I say, nodding. I had a pretty low key plan for my birthday, but that was because I was spending it alone with Zayn.
“Okay. One more thing,” Emil drawls. “Your apartment gives me anxiety.”
