Page 83 of Pity Parade

Be considerate.

Wear clothes.

Don’t:

Don’t talk about your exes.

Don’t drink to excess.

Don’t kiss your date on the first date.

Don’t wear a thong.

Don’t tell people you think your date might once have been another sex.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

HEATH

Several minutes after I hear Trina’s front door open and close, I walk outside to see if she’s taken my flowers in. I almost trip on the remnants of the once-stunning blooms. She broke their little necks and left them to die. What in the world did I do to her?

I’m not sure what happened down at the beach with Nick, but his car is no longer here. Did he go to pick up take-out? Is he gone for good? I tentatively knock on my neighbor’s door. I’m as interested in finding out what’s going on with her as I am afraid—I cite the state of the long-stemmed roses. Good thing I’ve always been a bit of a risk taker.

Trina pulls the door open with such force she stumbles backwards. “What do you want?” she demands heatedly.

“I wanted to let you know that I’m back.”

Her face contorts in a look of pure disdain. “What do you want me to do about it? Throw a parade?”

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