referring to the list of long-term household projects she was supposed to focus on in between managing Belinda’s social calendar and travel schedule. Will call you later tonight about TDE.
“I figure it’ll relax me,” Amber says.
“A weekend out here at The Haven Creek Inn will relax you. We have two massage therapists now.”
“It’s probably not the same.”
“Oh, I’m sure it’s not the same, Amber. That’s my point. If relaxation’s what you’re after, it can be achieved in other ways.”
“Okay, fine! It’s not just what I’m after.”
“As long as you’re admitting to it.”
“Momma, it’s been a year since that man kissed me on the mouth. I tried everything to get things going in the bedroom again. Everything . And he treated me like I was some kind of desperate, needy freak. And the whole time, he was—”
“I know, I know. You don’t have to justify yourself to me, Amber.”
“Well, I do if you’re gonna get all judgy.”
“I’m not being judgy . I’m just… This is a sensitive time for you, Amber, I just—I want you to be clear on what your motives are. Don’t say you’re just looking for a good time when in your heart you’re looking for something else.”
“Like looooooooooove ?”
“Hello, fifteen-year-old Amber. Could you give the phone back to twenty-six-year-old Amber, please?”
“Oh, Momma. I appreciate what you’re saying. I really do. But I have needs. And Belinda has never stayed at a hotel that doesn’t have five stars, so that means whoever’s gonna be tending to my needs at this place, they’re gonna be real high end.”
“Are you drunk?”
“Just a teensy bit.”
“Is that why you’re telling me all this stuff?” her mother asks.
“No. I’m going to be gone for a couple days coming up and I need someone to know where I’m going.”
“Okay. When are you going?”
“I don’t know yet.”
“Okay… Where is this place?”
“I don’t know that yet either.”
“Well, alrighty then,” her mother says with a sigh. “This has been very informative, Amber. Thank you.”
“But when I do know, I’ll tell you.”
“And tell Caleb.”
“Are you crazy? I’m not telling Caleb about any of this!”
“Why not? If something goes wrong, he’s right there in town.”
“It’s none of his business!”
“Personally, I don’t think it’s any of my business either, but here you are, telling me all about it so…”
“’Cause I can’t tell Caleb.”
“I see.”
“What? What do you see?”
How, in the midst of talking about Belinda Baxter’s favorite sex club, did they wind up on the subject of Caleb? Is this how it’s going to be now that her so-called brother is back in town? All Caleb, all the time, no matter how she tries to avoid focusing on him and his broad shoulders and the shift of his powerful legs in those ass-hugging jeans and those—
“Baby girl, I don’t care if you go to this club. Hell, I don’t care if you sleep with five guys in one night— I need the room please, Nora. Just another minute, okay? ”
“Awesome,” Amber whispers.
“All I care about is that you don’t go looking in the wrong place for what you really want.”
“That’s kinda what the place is about, apparently.”
There’s a long pause before her mother says, “I don’t understand.”
“Belinda says they teach you about who you really are and what you really want. So who knows? Maybe I’ll come away realizing this true love thing isn’t for me after all.”
“Yeah, you’ll come away with a newfound love of handsome male hookers, in which case Belinda better give you a raise.”
“Ouch, Momma.”
“It may not sound like it, Amber, but I hope whatever this place is, you have a good time. And I hope that’s all you have. Because that’s really all you need right now. A very good time.”
“Thanks, Momma.”
“And Amber?”
“Yes, Momma.”
“If you do have a good time, I don’t want to hear another
“I figure it’ll relax me,” Amber says.
“A weekend out here at The Haven Creek Inn will relax you. We have two massage therapists now.”
“It’s probably not the same.”
“Oh, I’m sure it’s not the same, Amber. That’s my point. If relaxation’s what you’re after, it can be achieved in other ways.”
“Okay, fine! It’s not just what I’m after.”
“As long as you’re admitting to it.”
“Momma, it’s been a year since that man kissed me on the mouth. I tried everything to get things going in the bedroom again. Everything . And he treated me like I was some kind of desperate, needy freak. And the whole time, he was—”
“I know, I know. You don’t have to justify yourself to me, Amber.”
“Well, I do if you’re gonna get all judgy.”
“I’m not being judgy . I’m just… This is a sensitive time for you, Amber, I just—I want you to be clear on what your motives are. Don’t say you’re just looking for a good time when in your heart you’re looking for something else.”
“Like looooooooooove ?”
“Hello, fifteen-year-old Amber. Could you give the phone back to twenty-six-year-old Amber, please?”
“Oh, Momma. I appreciate what you’re saying. I really do. But I have needs. And Belinda has never stayed at a hotel that doesn’t have five stars, so that means whoever’s gonna be tending to my needs at this place, they’re gonna be real high end.”
“Are you drunk?”
“Just a teensy bit.”
“Is that why you’re telling me all this stuff?” her mother asks.
“No. I’m going to be gone for a couple days coming up and I need someone to know where I’m going.”
“Okay. When are you going?”
“I don’t know yet.”
“Okay… Where is this place?”
“I don’t know that yet either.”
“Well, alrighty then,” her mother says with a sigh. “This has been very informative, Amber. Thank you.”
“But when I do know, I’ll tell you.”
“And tell Caleb.”
“Are you crazy? I’m not telling Caleb about any of this!”
“Why not? If something goes wrong, he’s right there in town.”
“It’s none of his business!”
“Personally, I don’t think it’s any of my business either, but here you are, telling me all about it so…”
“’Cause I can’t tell Caleb.”
“I see.”
“What? What do you see?”
How, in the midst of talking about Belinda Baxter’s favorite sex club, did they wind up on the subject of Caleb? Is this how it’s going to be now that her so-called brother is back in town? All Caleb, all the time, no matter how she tries to avoid focusing on him and his broad shoulders and the shift of his powerful legs in those ass-hugging jeans and those—
“Baby girl, I don’t care if you go to this club. Hell, I don’t care if you sleep with five guys in one night— I need the room please, Nora. Just another minute, okay? ”
“Awesome,” Amber whispers.
“All I care about is that you don’t go looking in the wrong place for what you really want.”
“That’s kinda what the place is about, apparently.”
There’s a long pause before her mother says, “I don’t understand.”
“Belinda says they teach you about who you really are and what you really want. So who knows? Maybe I’ll come away realizing this true love thing isn’t for me after all.”
“Yeah, you’ll come away with a newfound love of handsome male hookers, in which case Belinda better give you a raise.”
“Ouch, Momma.”
“It may not sound like it, Amber, but I hope whatever this place is, you have a good time. And I hope that’s all you have. Because that’s really all you need right now. A very good time.”
“Thanks, Momma.”
“And Amber?”
“Yes, Momma.”
“If you do have a good time, I don’t want to hear another
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