Page 36 of Without You, Scotch and Sammy 2

“Jesus. You got him good and wasted.”

She rolls her eyes. “I didn’t do a thing, but I’m billing you guys for that booze.”

“Bill him. He’ll fix it up when he’s sober. We’ll be back on Thursday for our set.”

Ang walks toward me slowly as I lean on the tall table.

“Why aren’t you at work?”

“I just wanted to check in. Good thing, huh, since you’re three seconds from sleeping in your own spew.”

I stand up tall and shake my shoulders. “I’m okay.”

“Let’s go.” He takes my arm and drags me forward until Tink whistles loudly. We both turn, then Ang catches my phone after she throws it at him. I snatch it from his hands, remembering the song I whipped together earlier. Tripping on my feet and walking through the dark corridor, I read my notes as he drags me forward.

He leads us into sunlight, and though the sun is out and doing its best, the cold in the air still slaps me in the face. “I threw her out into the snow last night, Ang.”

He sighs and leads me across the street. “She’s okay, bud. She’s a fighter, always was. That’s why we let her hang with us back in the day.”

I snort. “She hung out with us because I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“That too,” he chuckles.

“She’s still so pretty.”

He nods softly. “She’s always been beautiful. Even when she was fourteen and had too many sharp bones.”

“You said she wasn’t your type.”

“When?”

“In ninth grade.”

He laughs. “I did say that. And it’s still true. I prefer them blonder.”

“Like Ms. Caine?”

“Ha! She was a babe. I wonder what she’s doing these days?”

I shrug my shoulders and hum Lily’s song as we walk in the sun, and I shiver because I didn’t stop to grab a hat or gloves before I escaped my apartment.

“That’s a good song.”

I look over at him. “Huh?”

“You working on something new? It sounds good.”

“It’s Rosie’s song.”

“Who’s Rosie?”

“Lily.”

He laughs. “Okay. It’s a good song. She’ll like that.”

“Dunno if she’ll ever hear it,” I admit quietly. “Maybe on the radio if we sell it. She doesn’t have to know it’s about her.”

We step across the street at the end of the block and move onto the grassy area of the park near the center of town. Stopping at the wooden benches, I slump down heavily. I lean forward, rest my elbows on my knees and drop my head between them. Ang is almost always right, and I think I’m probably gonna be sick soon. “I dunno what’s happening with my life right now, Ang.”

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