Page 135 of The Surprise Play

Thankfully, he’s really tall, so the hoodie comes downmid-thigh and fits me just right around my butt. It’s like wearing a dress, and I tug on the sides as I try to find a quiet space upstairs. I notice an open doorway and slip into what looks to be a guest room.

There’s nothing personal on the walls, so I assume it’s free and walk into the room, swinging the door shut behind me.

I end up missing the call and decide to play it safe and call them back with audio only. Putting it on speaker, I turn the volume down and hold the phone near my mouth.

“Hey, Mom.” I try to sound as normal as I can, even though there’s this giddy giggle bubbling in my stomach, threatening to burst out and give me away.

“Hello, my lovely,” Dad calls. “How’s my girl?”

Warm affection fills me as I respond, “Hey, Dad. I’m great. How are you?”

“I’ve been a busy boy. Working long hours at the diner, but we’ve finally found ourselves a new chef, so that’s exciting.”

“Oh, wow, that’s great.” I’m trying to keep my voice down, but it’s hard when he’s talking so loudly into the phone. I don’t know what it is about my parents, but when it comes to technology, they think the volume with which you speak plays a key role in how well it’ll work. “You must be relieved.”

“I’m still sad to see Ralph go, but happy to find a replacement.”

“This girl’s a real firecracker,” Mom tells me. “She’ll have the kitchen running like a well-oiled machine.”

“That’s so good, you guys. I know it’s been weighing on you, so I’m so glad it’s worked out smoothly.”

“How about you? What have you been up to?” Dad asks.

Oh, you know, just having sex for the first time. Multiple orgasms. Showers. Sleeping naked. My world’s been blown wide open in all the best ways by a man you don’t even know exists.

I bite my lip, wondering how I’m supposed to tell them any of this stuff.

I take the chicken’s way out and settle for the safest option. “Working, studying. You know how it is.”

“Oh, Bessie Boo, you work too hard,” Dad tells me off in that soft way of his.

“You can talk.” I laugh. “You work all the time.”

“Now that’s not true. I’m not working right this minute.”

“And neither am I.”

He laughs, and Mom talks over him. “Well, you won’t be working next weekend either. You have to promise me that you won’t be bringing any studying home with you. I want you to have your birthday off. Celebration time only.”

“Birthday?” a deep voice says from the door. “It’s your birthday next weekend? Why didn’t you tell me?”

I spin around with a gasp, my eyes bulging as I take in Wily standing there in nothing but those low-slung sweats of his.

My lady parts start dancing without my say-so as he saunters into the room and asks, “Who are you talking to?”

At the same time, my parents ask, “Who’s that?”

CHAPTER 41

WILY

“Um…” Satch bulges her eyes at me, and I give her a confused frown, then start to smirk when I realize she must be talking to her parents.

“Do they know about me?” I mouth, pointing at my chest.

She cringes and I nod, pressing my finger to my mouth and promising to stay quiet.

“Bess? Who’s in the room with you, sweetheart?” Mom asks, and I watch my girl bite her lip and look to me for help.