Page 59 of Fever Dream
Sometimes, Parker and I will sit in the crawl space, passing a bottle back and forth in silence. It’s what we did when I lost the championship to Theo Silva last season.
I’d been so damn close. I could almost taste it. But I’d had to choke on the flavor of defeat.
I tug the door open and drop to my knees. The lights are on, and my sister is already waiting.
Parker takes one look at me and twists the top off a bottle of bourbon.
I quirk one brow at her and pretzel myself into position, leaning my back against the wall as I attempt to cross my legs. I’m stiff as shit after a long week of working around the farm in the morning and filming all afternoon and evening.
“Okay. What’s going on?” I jump right in.
Parker takes a swig, and it never fails to amuse me. My petite, rather serious sister always looks out-of-character drinking alcohol straight from the bottle. At least it means she’s summoned me here because something is going on with her and not just to interrogate me about Julia.
I shoot her a questioning look, but all I get back is a blank expression. Something tells me that whatever is going on with her today is more suited to our tradition of drinking in silence.
“We’re not talking today, then. Got it.” I reach for the bottle, taking it out of Parker’s fingers. “Guess I’ll have a few since my life isn’t exactly sunshine and rainbows right now either.”
“Dating ten women isn’t all it’s cracked up to be?”
“Nope,” I reply, popping thep. “Especially not when Richard the pervert has chosen them all for you. It’s like he went through and picked the most outrageous characters he could find. Did you know that Plagiarism Madeline was on the show?”
Parker’s mouth falls open. “No.”
I take another drink before passing it back. “Yes.”
“Why?”
I shrug. “I don’t know. Local flair?”
“Dang, they had an entire valley of women to choose from, and they went with the annoying pick-me girl from high school who almost got me expelled because she couldn’t come up with her own goddamn ideas?”
My head shakes as I remember that drama. “I’m pretty sure she’s just obsessed with you. Wants to be your friend, or your sister-in-law, or wear your skin.”
Parker snorts. “Oh good. My very own single white female.”
“Knowing Dick Wad, it was on purpose.”
Parker laughs dryly and takes a drink. “Fuck me, that is traumatizing. Is she the same as she used to be?”
“Fake as hell and trying too hard?”
“Yeah, that.”
“Big-time.”
Parker cringes. “Please tell me you’re eliminating her.”
I snort and drop my head against the board behind me as I gaze up at the low ceiling. “Parks, I’d never date someone who was so awful to you. Already sent her packing.”
To that, I receive a firm nod and the bottle of amber liquid shoved back in front of me.
“Julia seems nice.”
“Ah, there it is. What I figured you called me here for.”
“It’s not my fault you brought a girl to breakfast.”
My eyes close as I spin the bottle in my hand. “It’s just breakfast, Parks.”
