Page 21 of Hot Mess
Why didn’t any of these assholes cut me off?
“What one?” Amber asked.
“Huh?” I tried to refocus on her.
“You said she’s the one,” Amber said. “But last night you said Summer was the one.” She sipped her tea as I processed that.
Right. Summer.
The “one” I was celebrating my breakup from four years ago, when I had thatotherbreakup party. The party where I threw back a shot of bourbon with Johnny O’Reilly… and then shit really fell the fuck apart.
And fate took its weird-ass course.
I was just kinda piecing it all together now…
Breakup with Summer. Breakup party. Shots with Johnny.
Danny.
Roses in the rain.
WasDanny the one…?
True enough, Summerwasthe one, in some ways, andin the past. But maybe I didn’t clarify that part last night?
Did I say that shit in front of Summer?
Couldn’t even remember.
Yup. Really should’ve stopped drinking sooner. Said stupid shit when I was drunk. Not wrong shit. Not untrue shit. Just stupid shit.
“I meant theotherone,” I said, brushing it off. “You know…” I glanced at Dylan for help. “The fuck to end all fucks.”
“Oh,” Amber said.
Dylan gave me a look, likeStop saying stupid shit. “Before you ask why none of us cut you off,” he said, totally reading my mind, “we did. You kept finding the booze.”
“You had to hide it from me?”
“We tried,” Katie said.
“If it makes you feel any better,” Roni offered, “Janner was drunker than you.”
“Yup,” Jude said. “You tried to kiss him, too.”
“Lemme guess,” I muttered, glancing at him. “I tried to kiss you, too?”
Jesse’s big-ass biker bodyguard raised an eyebrow at me. “You fuckin’ think so?”
“I’d actually pay money to see that happen,” Jesse said.
“As would I,” Roni flirted.
“I’m going back to bed.” I got up, carefully.
“You never went to bed,” Dylan pointed out.
I punched him on the shoulder as I went and slammed my way—unsteadily—out the back door. As I stumbled down the path to my house next door, I wondered, vaguely, where the hell my shirt was.
