Free Elysian by Addison Moore Page A

chest like a bomb while she spastically loads his diaper bag with plastic containers, bibs, and spare nipples.
    “School was school. Where you headed off to?” If she says Demetri’s I’m going to hurl the burrito I scarfed down from the caf. I should have taken Gage up on his offer and went off campus.
    “Tad and I are catching the last ferry to Seattle.” Her eyes expand, and her lashes flex like spider legs. “I owe the fertility clinic the final payment, and Tad wants to deliver it in person with a few choice words thrown in.” She shakes her head.
    Tad is a world-class ass. Mortifying my mother, or anyone for that matter, is just par for the course with him. 
    “Sounds like a good time will be had by all.” And by all I mean me and not my mother. I do rather enjoy a ‘rent free weekend.
    “Anyway it’ll be good to get away for a minute. I’ll be back Sunday afternoon, so hold down the fort would you?”
    “Sure. What could go wrong?” The entire last year plays out in my mind like a horror movie. Cerberus actually showed up to one of the cringe-worthy events that were hosted at Casa Landon.
    “Absolutely nothing,” she says with her best sarcastic undertone. “In fact, I was just thinking, both you and Gage turn eighteen in a couple of months,” she sings, as wedding bouquets spray out in her eyes. “And, I guess since you’re almost an adult things are probably getting serious.” Her demeanor shifts, she’s donned the good mom hat, and I think this conversation is about to enter the ovum protection zone.
    “Gage and I, we’re—”
    “Someone say my name?” A familiar voice booms from behind.
    I spin to find Gage smiling back at me, and I wrap my arms around his neck. Giselle is standing behind him, speaking with Mia, and I give a wave.
    “I miss you,” I say it low, for his ears only. I’d much rather spend time holding Gage than exploring the wonderful world of contraceptives with my mother.
    “And, God, I miss you,” he blows it in my ear before placing a careful kiss just under my jawline, and my body quivers from his electric touch.
    “OK, you two.” Mom taps me away and pulls Gage into an enormous bear hug, squeezing the crap out of Beau in the process, perhaps quite literally. And by the looks of things, Mom is getting more action with Gage than I am. “Your neck!” She gasps as she touches the air just shy of the bright red line that travels ear to ear.
    “You got your stitches out,” I say, maneuvering closer to inspect the scar. Crap. Chloe took a perfectly good Gage Oliver and left her rabid mark on him. I’ll have to infuse him with more of my Celestra goodness to bring him back to his normal gorgeous self, not that he’s not gorgeous even with it—Gage is sublime either way.
    “It’s more comfortable without them.” He moves his head side to side. “But I still need to be careful.”
    “Are they going to let you play?” I’m mildly alarmed over his status on the field. I only have one season left to cheer for Logan and Gage, and I’ve been craving to do just that. I want to scream my head off for the two of them, on and off the field.
    “Totally.” He nods. “I’ll be perfect in two weeks. It’s not a big deal.”
    “You’re perfect now ,” I purr, wrapping an arm around his waist.
    Mom shakes her head at us with a gentle smile tacked to her lips. “It’s so nice seeing the two of you so in love.” She touches her hand to her heart. “There are some people on this planet who never get to experience what you have. You’re very, very lucky.” Her features fall flat as if she were one of the unfortunate few that Cupid forgot to mow down with his arsenal of arrows. “Anyway, there’s always a time and place for true love. Speaking of which…” She digs a piece of paper out of her pocket. “I wrote down Demetri’s phone number in the event an emergency arises while we’re gone.”
    What? I snatch it from her. “Thank you, I think.” I shoot