Page 49 of Hat Trick
“I don’t know. Figured you left it there for a reason,” he answers.
“Why on earth would I leave it?—”
“Mom,” I interrupt.
“Oh. Sorry, Sweetheart. What is it you needed?”
I try not to be surprised that the conversation was steering away from me, even though I’m the one that called. “Could I have your créme brûlée recipe? I’m trying to find one but none of them seem like the one you make.”
“Of course! Hold on, let me grab it.”
I can hear her ruffling through the cabinets before Jax pipes up. “So who’s this for? The boyfriend or the girlfriend?”
“What?!” Mom almost shouts as I hear Dad choke on his lunch.
He can’t see me, but Iknowhe can feel me flipping him the bird right now. “Seriously, Jax?”
“Sorry,” he replies. And I can’t see him, but Iknowhe’s smiling, and he’s not the least bit fucking sorry.
Not acknowledging his fake apology, I say, “I don’t have a boyfriend or a girlfriend.”
“Then why did your brother just say?—”
“He’s beenseeingDominic and Liliana Campos.”
“Jackson,” I hiss.
“Like, Rockwell Campos’ sister?” Mom asks.
“The one and only,” Jax answers.
Mom’s voice suddenly sounds much closer to the phone. “Emerson. Does Dominic know? I mean, I knewsomething was going on with the two of you. It’s obvious you aren’t just friends but—Does Liliana know?!” She gasps. “Emerson Baker, I raised you better than that, you do not?—”
I can hear Jackson trying not to bust out in laughter.
Kill me. Just kill me now.
The last thing I want to do is explain the dynamics of my throuple with my mother when I’m not entirely sure of it myself.
“Mom! Would you—I’m not—you guys—ugh!I’m not cheating on anyone. Yes, they both know. No, Dominic isn’t my boyfriend. No, Lil isn’t my girlfriend. We’re all just havingfun. It’s nothing serious”—Is it, though?—“now can we please spare me the indignity of explaining my sexual relationship to my parents and just give me the recipe?”
Everyone is silent for a moment, and it suddenly dawns on me that my mother’s main concern wasn’t the fact that my brother said I had a boyfriendanda girlfriend. No, her concern that I was being a piece of shit. Nobody even batted an eye at the fact that I could have more than one consenting partner. But then again, nobody cared in the slightest when my brother married a man. I find myself being momentarily thankful I have such an accepting family… until my mom says, “Well isn’t this exciting? Oh my gosh, we’ll have to get a bigger bed for your room for when the three of you come and visit.”
I drop my head forward, letting it smack the cabinet in front of me. Jackson just howls in laughter.
“Cat, just get the boy his recipe so he doesn’t die of embarrassment,” Dad pleads.
“Alright, alright,” Mom relents. “I’ll just send you a picture of the recipe card, Sweetheart.”
“Thank you, Momma. Love you,” I groan. Forehead still pressed against the cabinet.
“Love you too. Let me know how it goes. Have a fun night!”
“Byeeee, Emmy,” my brother sing-songs, and I hang up without another word, sparing myself anymore humiliation.
I also make a mental note to punch Jackson square in the dick next time I see him.
A second later, a text comes through from Jackson with a picture of the recipe card.
