“It’s not medieval times anymore, Mom. You don’t take anyone’s name. You just cohabitate with your three lovers and share a checking account.”
“Charlotte,” she reprimands, giving me a look. “Don’t be like that. I was just playing with you.”
“What do you do for work?” Spencer asks, clearing his throat, and trying to participate in the conversation. It’s awkward as hell, but at least he looks good in the charcoal gray suit and turquoise tie that matches his eyes.
“I’m a maid for a large chain hotel,” Mom says, and the twins exchange a look. My cheeks color, but I don’t look at them. Maybe they’re putting two and two together, like when I tried to wash my own dishes at their place, or how I hate leaving my tray in the cafeteria for someone else to clean …
Or fuck.
It didn’t occur to me until just now, but … maybe they’re wondering other things about me? What if they think I’m a gold-digger? What if they think I’m not good enough for them because of my mom?
It’s suddenly hard to breathe, and I’m beyond grateful when we get to the restaurant, and there’s a spare moment for me to slip away into the bathroom. For several minutes, I just lean my head back against the wall and try to calm my racing heart.
When I step out into the hall, the twins are waiting.
They put an arm up on either side of the door as it slams closed behind me.
“What?” I ask, feeling my face burn as they scrutinize me. “What do you want? Can’t I take a piss in peace?”
“You’re running from us,” Tobias says, and I open my mouth to protest. Micah puts a finger to my lips to quiet me, and shakes his head.
“No, you ran away. Why?” He looks me dead in the face with those sharp green eyes of his, but I don’t know what to say. That I’m suddenly feeling self-conscious? That I’ve realized how ridiculous it is for a poor girl with a maid for a mom and a teacher for a father to have not one, not two, but three rich, hot guys interested in her?
“This isn’t a reverse harem,” I blurt, and the twins exchange a look.
“Huh?” they ask, glancing back at me.
“I mean, it’s … there’s no happy ending for me in this, is there?” I don’t know where all of this is coming from, but I feel suddenly overwhelmed by it. I’m probably about to start my period or something. No, no, that’s bullshit, blaming my emotions on my cycle. I’m just having a moment. I think we all have them sometimes, don’t we? One of those moments where you just feel sick and sad and like the whole world is against you.
“What are you talking about?” Tobias asks, reaching out to brush some hair from my face. “Is this about Mr. Dave and your mom?”
“No, it’s about … me, and you, and you,” I look over at Micah, “and the fact that my mom’s a maid. My dad’s just the headmaster of your high school. You guys are all destined for big and better things, and I’m just a C student who hasn’t even applied to any colleges yet. You probably think I’m some sort of gold-digger.”
“I think you cut yourself short, Chuck,” Micah says, studying me with a far more serious gaze than I’m used to. “What do your parents’ jobs have to do with you? And trust me, if you were a gold-digger, you would’ve been a lot nicer to us right off the bat.” He smiles, and it’s got that edge to it that it always does, but there’s a deeper, softer quality to his expression that makes me feel weak at the knees. “We don’t need to date a girl with money; we have plenty of it. And you’re more than just a C student. You’re somebody with big enough balls,” he pauses, mulls that over for a moment, continues, “with big enough ovaries to come waltzing into a school full of old-money assholes and start throwing your weight around. You’re one tough chick, Charlotte Carson.”
“And besides, Micah and I are just troublemaking spoiled brats who partied too hard and got shipped off to our father’s old school to keep us out of trouble. We don’t have any particular interests or skills, like Ranger with his baking, and we also haven’t applied to any colleges.”
“You guys will just get in because of, like, money and shit though anyway, right?” I ask with a small laugh. There are tears in my eyes, but I’m not sure why. The twins shrug.
“Probably. But we could get you in, too?” They both push up off the doorjamb and stand up straight. “We were thinking … Bornstead U.”
“Bornstead?” I ask, cocking a brow. “Like in Colorado? Why?”
