Page 185 of The Art of Almost Losing It
“Okay, look, you can’t be talking about my poor teenage decision-making skills. Watch it, mister. I will find a different sexy kidnapper.”
“How? You don’t just find one wandering the streets like a stray cat.” He nuzzles the top of my head. “Besides, you letanother man touch you and I’ll kill him.” His grip tightens on my waist.
“You can’t be that obsessed with me. You don’t even like me.”
“I took your virginity. Remember? That makes you mine.”
I feel woozy.
“Or do I need to take you home and remind you?”
I stumble against him.
“I think I need to find you something to eat.” He takes the glass of wine someone’s nicely offered me before I can sip it.
“That’s mine.”
He smirks and sips it. “No,you’remine. That makes this mine.”
“Did you kidnap it?” I say, maybe a little too loud.
“Shh!” He holds a finger up to my mouth. “Dani, how are you this drunk?” A smile plays around his lips.
I zip my mouth and give him a thumbs-up. “You didn’t kidnap me when we met at… at sex club… wait, no—at McDonald’s. You stole my order. Oh gosh, what’s our origin story again?”
Graham shoves me onto a bench.
“Sit. I’m getting you food.”
“Carbs, please.”
“I’m going to find you a coffee.”
My head’s pounding.
There’s a ton of people here I don’t really want to see, but now I see my mom giving me the death stare across the room. I can practically hear her say, “Go be social. Don’t embarrass me.”
“I’m sober, I’m sober, I’m sober,” I chant to myself as I go to greet the Girl Squad, who are talking to Colette’s cousins.
“Graham must have good taste.” The matron of honor blinks at me. “You’ve really upped your style.”
“It’s Graham’s credit card.”
“That’s so generous of him,” Hannah adds.
“Colette says you two are superserious.” Greta smirks. “She’s so jelly.”
“I mean, same, honestly,” Nora adds.
“Nothing wrong with that.” The cousin nods in Graham’s direction. “Lots of money, good in bed.”
The girls giggle.
“Girls, there you are!” Maya’s mom swans over, a glass of wine in her hand. “Danielle, Reta Manfred showed me that photo. My word. Sweetie, you need to put a ring on that immediately.”
“Oh, ha ha! Yeah, I’m working on it.”
“Have you seen this picture, Catherine?” She shows Hannah’s mom, who gasps.
