Summer Days

Chapter 51

"You're sure?" Kota looked at me for a long moment.

"Are you worried?" I asked.

He shrugged slightly. "Not really. She's always been the one we could all count on to not get out of control mad at us."

I smiled and leaned into him. "She has always seemed to be really great to me. Trusting." I murmured.

His hand rubbed my shoulder lightly as he tucked me a little closer. "She is." He agreed. "So..." He quirked an eyebrow at me. "Jessica?"

"Has known since we watched Frozen on Christmas day if not sooner." I said, blushing. "At least enough that I liked all of you and all of you like me. We had the required, if you hurt me, she'll hurt you and if I hurt any of you then she's got your backs." I nodded. "She's great. I truly like your sister."

He grinned. "Good. I really want the two of you to get along."

"No worries there." I said, leaning up to kiss his cheek as we headed out, walking from Nathan's house to his house.

"Do you want me to stay?" he asked as we went into the garage. "I can if you want."

"No, it's okay. You should take Jessica to go get road trip snacks and goodies. We've probably got a few things for her that she likes but she deserves to have her own stash, okay?" I smiled at him.

"She'll appreciate that." He said, opening the door for me. "Hey mom." He went first and went over to kiss Erica's cheek.

"Kota!" She beamed. "I wasn't thinking I'd see you today."

He shrugged. "Tomorrow's leaving day but Sang wanted to come over and talk to you. And Jessica needs a chance to get her own stash bag for the road."

"Good idea." Erica smiled. "I have treat bags for all of you as well but you're right, she needs her own if you all have one."

I smiled. "As she should." I said softly. Kota excused himself to go get Jessica and take her to the store.

"Sang. It's so good to see you, sweetie." Erica said and I went over to her, mentally going over what my therapist had said and openly, walking into the hug she offered to me. I stiffened for just a moment before relaxing. She hugged me tight and kissed my cheek. "Ice tea?" she offered.

"Sounds good." I said, smiling and pleased that I didn't have a panic attack.

She fixed ice tea for both of us, with ice, a bit of sweetener and a lemon wedge before coming to sit with me at the table. "Oops, gotta get the cookies." She smiled before retrieving some lemon cookies and setting them between us. "You wanted to talk?" she asked as the back door banged with Kota and Jessica leaving.

"I did." I said, taking a sip of my tea and a nibble of my cookie before I rubbed my hands down on my shorts and looked up at her. "I didn't feel good about going on a vacation without letting you know what has been happening with us. The boys and me."

She tilted her head and watched me, eating her cookie. "You mean the fact that you like all of them and they all like you?" she asked, casually.

My eyes widened and I jerked my head up, meeting her eyes. "You know?"

"Are all of you dating?" she countered.

My cheeks flushed with a tinge of pink. "Yes." I said softly, not removing my gaze from hers.

"Then yes, I know." She said before moving closer to me and framing my face with her hands. "Be honest with me, Sang..." She said softly. "You're not sleeping with them, as in being intimate, are you?"