Wanted For Pleasure

Chapter Eight: help wanted

"not because her life was perfect but because it was absolutely worth it."

Morgan Ann Bennett

All day I had been texting Malcolm, informing him I was on my way. He said he was expecting me and everything was in order for my arrival. He made it seem like I was royalty, and that's not a complaint. It's just new.

The whole thing was still so hard for me to wrap my head around, but I stopped focusing on the meeting-him-for-the-first time aspect of it, and remembered how important this move was for Callie, Quinn, and I. Mostly Callie.

We did tell our parents we were moving but only because they had been paying for the place mostly since Callie had been out of work. Of course they didn't care, I think they were happy they didn't have to give us anymore money, but they told us to "be safe." My mother shot me a separate text saying "good luck." Whatever that meant, but it meant nothing to me. I didn't need it.

The twelve hour drive went surprisingly well. We would've took the hour plane ride but there was the factor of all our luggage, how we'd get our cars, and what have you. So, I drove my Camry while Callie pushed her Nissan.

I wonder if Malcolm has a private jet?

Nerves finally hit me as I waited for Malcolm to reply to my last message with his exact address. He said he hadn't been home all day and didn't want me to arrive without him there, claiming he wanted to be the first to "lay eyes on me."

I had on a grey biker shorts set with glasses and pair of white sneakers, comfortable for travel and neutral enough for the weather.

The weather was a concern I had. Arizona was hot as hell, literally, and all I was used to. Colorado seemed very mountainous and snowy, well, as I saw on South Park. And yes, I'm judging everything in the new state based off the satirical animated show.

However, it was actually a sunny seventy-degree day.

"I'm hungry," Quinn whined.

"Again?" I turned in the driver's seat to ask her, furrowing my eyebrows behind the sunglasses.

Callie finally exited the gas station and found us at my car.

She looked a lot better. Well rested and clean, like she had a nice soak.

I convinced her this was a new beginning, and she believed that.

Callie finally brushed her hair and put some effort into her appearance, finally dressing more "mom-like." She sported a pair of cropped black leggings, flip-flops, and a v-neck tee. She let me give her a fishtail braid, and kept a pair of glasses on top og her head.

There was just a sudden radiance from within, I was happy to see it.

"Hi, cutie," she gushed at Quinn, poking her head through the window.

Quinn giggled, reaching for her mother.

"So," Callie voiced, coming back to me in the driver's seat. "Any word from this guy, yet? I'm starting to think it was too good to be true."

I am too...

One last time, I checked my phone.

I had almost given up seeing Malcolm hadn't replied, yet.

With a discouraged sigh, I searched nearby hotels.

"I'm sorry, guys. There's a Best Western ten minutes away--"

That's when my phone started to ring. The number wasn't saved but I recognized it.

"I'm sorry to keep you waiting, darling. Are you here finally?" He talked.