Page 77 of Last Letters to Ara
Theo grins, knowing my mind has gone to weird places. “How much have you had to drink?”
“Only a couple.”
“Probably about ten if I had to guess. I only served her three, but she managed to snag drinks from others. Not to mention the Jell-O shots.” It’s like bro code instantly trumps any kind of camaraderie I’d established with Ryder.
“Sell out,” I grumble.
Theo tries to hold back a smile and fails, setting those twinkling eyes on me once again. “Jell-O shots?”
I roll my eyes. “I was celebrating.”
Ryder grimaces.
“Ah, I see,” Theo says.
“Aren’t you going to ask me what I was celebrating?”
“No.”
Well, I’ll tell him anyway.
“It’s Dad’s birthday.” Somewhere distant, I register that I should feel sad, but I don’t. I hope this weightlessness never ends. “And you can take your pity and shove it where the sun doesn’t shine. I’m having the best night of my life!”
I yell a loud whoop toward the dance floor and they give me a loud whoop back. “See!”
Theo picks up the cup of water Ryder brought and puts it in front of me. “Drink.”
I’ve never seen Theo in such a no-bullshit kind of mode. It makes me wonder why on Earth I haven’t slept with him yet. I know it would be good.
“Why haven’t we had sex yet?”
Theo loses his composure for all of two seconds before putting the caretaker face back on, like he’s dealing with someone mentally unsound. “Because we’re friends.”
“So, you don’t want to have sex with me?”
Theo looks at me meaningfully. “I didn’t saythat.”
“Then whatareyou saying?”
“I’m saying that we are just friends, for now at least, and I can’t wait to see your face in the morning after you remember how many times you’ve said the word ‘sex’ to me tonight.”
“In the morning? Does that mean you’re asking me to stay over?”
“I’m not asking.”
“Does that mean you’re bringing me over so we can have sex?”
“Jesus Christ, Ara. No, we are not having sex tonight.” He stands up from his barstool and offers me his hand. “But we are getting out of here.”
I finish my cup of water and it brings a sort of heaviness with it. Darkness begins to seep in at the corners of my mind, wanting to drag me under. “I have to pay.”
Ryder appears again after making another round of drinks. “Don’t worry about it. Tonight’s fun was on the house.”
“Thanks, man. I really appreciate you watching out for her. I didn’t know she was coming out tonight,” Theo says and reaches across the bar to bump knuckles with Ryder.
They should get a room.
“Of course, bro. Getting the girls into a taxi safely is part of the job description, as far as I’m concerned.”
