Page 142 of Always Love You More

He points at me. “Pace yourself at least, yeah?”

I tip my cup in a mock salute, and he shakes his head at my non-answer before following the voice that’s calling for him.

Once he’s gone, I start for the backyard, settling on a spot at the far corner of the deck. I take in a long breath, the cool air filling my lungs.

“You got a light?” someone with a deep voice asks as I feel them move in beside me.

I’m about to tell them to fuck off when I turn and see a guy I don’t recognize holding up an unlit joint.

“Depends,” I tell him.

“On what?”

“If you’re gonna share.”

He looks me over, a smile coming to his lips. “Yeah, I’ll share.”

I empty my cup, set it down on the railing, and search through my purse before handing him my lighter.

He takes a hit before passing the joint to me.

Inhaling, my shoulders drop as the smoke hits the back of my throat. I hold it there for a moment before letting it go. When I turn to hand it back to the guy, I find him watching me.

“What?” I ask.

“You’re just … um …”

My head is turning foggy, the drinks starting to curl around my mind.

He holds the joint back out for me to take.

“I’m what?”

“You’re the hottest girl I’ve ever seen.”

I exhale a cloud of smoke, settling into the feeling of numbness that’s beginning to wash over me.

“You must get that a lot,” he rushes on when I don’t respond.

“All the time,” I mutter, and he laughs.

I laugh, too, but I don’t know why. I don’t think anything was actually funny.

He takes it as an invitation to step forward.

“I have a boyfriend,” I tell him.

“Course you do.” He takes another step, and I take one back. He looks around. “I don’t see him anywhere, though.”

“He’s not here,” I answer before realizing that might have been the wrong thing to say.

“Why not?”

“Fight,” I mumble.

“Hmm?”

“He had a fight.”