She looked to her mother.This was a conversation theyshould have alone, but here she was.“I know it’s quick, but I want to seewhere this goes.”That wasn’t the right word.It was more than wanting.“Ithink I need to see where this road takes me.Momma, they’re wonderful.”
“I can’t wait to get to know them, baby,” her mom said witha brilliant smile and shining eyes.“Your sister is going to be thrilled.Youknow she…”
Her sister was going to be impossible to live with now.Andthat was okay.“Lexi wanted to set me up with them.Well, fine.She was right.”
Papa frowned.“So where’s Gabe been sleeping?Is he sharingthe house with you or is he out at the resort with Gigi and Miranda?”
Gigi took that moment to walk back in carrying a bottle ofwater and what looked like a chocolate pudding cup.“Oh, we’re all staying atOlivia’s.The resort can be a lot when you’re not there for fun, and they don’thave any open apartments in the staff village right now.Also, Miranda and Gabeare working on some kind of custom crown molding.Gabe’s teaching her to use amiter saw, and he gets freaked out a lot.”
“Is she making you sleep on the couch?”Papa asked.
Olivia felt her cheeks heating.“Not exactly.”
Gigi put the water and pudding down on the tray.“Nah.Miranda and I are sharing her room and Gabe’s in the guest room.”
Papa nodded, seeming to try to do the math in his head.“Somy sweet girl offered up her own bed to her friends and her guest room to Gabe,and those other men are in the bunkhouse.”He stopped.“Wait.There’s no wayGabe would take the room and put Livie on the couch.”
“Sam, she’s been sleeping in the main house with her men.”Her mother had done that arithmetic quickly and correctly.
“But the house is being renovated.They’re working on thebedrooms now,” Papa argued.
“They aren’t working on the playroom,” Gigi offeredhelpfully.
Papa flushed.“You aren’t supposed to know about theplayroom.”
“Papa, I have a membership to two clubs,” she pointed out.“I know you don’t like to think about that, but I know about the playroom.Keane thinks it’s spectacular.He says it’s obvious Dad didn’t pick the cheaplube.He said it’s top of the line.”
“I need fresh air.”Her papa nearly ran out.
Her mother frowned her way.“You know he is sensitive.”
“I’m thirty, Momma.I’m apparently old enough to get roofiedand nearly kidnapped.I should definitely be old enough to have some kinky sexin my parents’ playroom, and now that I said it out loud, I think I need freshair, too.”
“Hush, child,” her mother said as the door closed again.Shelooked to Gigi.“How is she doing?”
“She’s fine,” Gigi promised.“Her blood work looks good.Hervitals are back to normal, and she seems to have metabolized it.I suspect shedidn’t get a full dose.How much of the margarita did you drink?”
“Not even half.”It was getting clearer.At least some ofit.She still couldn’t remember anything after Scott left, but she was startingto be able to focus on the time before.“Miranda brought it to me and I had acouple of sips while we talked, and then Gabe got all freaky about Gigigrinding on some dude.”
“I was not grinding,” Gigi protested.
There were a few things she didn’t understand.One was thefact that neither of her men were here.But then she remembered how the clinicworked.“They kept Garrett and Keane out, didn’t they?”
Gigi gave her a brilliant smile.“Good for you.That isexactly what happened.I’m feeling hopeful.You didn’t wake up and look aroundand accuse them of leaving you.Last thing I saw they were pacing the waitingroom.You know Garrett is the one who saved you.”
“How?I don’t remember much,” she admitted.“Is theresomething wrong with my brain?I can’t remember after a certain point.”
Her mother shook her head.“It’s part of the way the drugaffects you, baby.”
She never forgot that her mother was once a nurse.She’d putherself through school while raising Lexi all on her own.She’d been a teen momwho had found her way through hard work and pure love.
“That’s because the GHB has an effect on short-term memory.It’s why I don’t think you took a full dose.There are some people who forgetwhole nights,” Gigi explained.“It won’t affect you going forward.”
“How did Garrett save me?I thought he was dancing withyou.”
“He took a phone call from Ruby.You know you can’t hear adamn thing in The Barn when the music’s going,” Gigi said, opening the waterand offering it up.“He walked out to talk to her, and he saw that man tryingto take you away.I was surprised it wasn’t Scott.”
“Scott was there.He tried to talk to me about a secondchance,” Olivia admitted.