Page 38 of Wish You Were Mine

“Hold on,” she said, and reached past the far end of the mattress, grabbing for something. She lifted a glass of water and passed it to me. “Here. I also have painkillers, if you’d like them.”

I nodded, and swiftly regretted it as the throbbing worsened. She retrieved a pack of acetaminophen and popped two out of their cases, then offered them to me. I took them, swallowed enough water to wet my mouth, and then gulped down the painkillers along with the rest of the glass of water.

I set the glass on the nightstand. “What am I doing here?”

She frowned. “Don’t you remember?”

I wracked my mind but came up empty. I remembered singing, eating a slice of cake, and then…nothing.

“No.” Panic clawed at my chest. What if I’d done something bad? Would anyone even tell me if I’d made an ass of myself? “What happened?”

She nibbled her lower lip. “You passed out last night. I was worried about you, so I stayed here to make sure you’d be okay.”

Shame coursed through me, hot and unpleasant. We’d been celebrating her birthday. She shouldn’t have had to babysit me.

I hung my head. “I’m so sorry.”

She shrugged. “Don’t worry about it. If I’d stayed at the party, all I’d have done is danced, and nothing could top our dance, so what would have been the point?”

My chest tightened. We’d danced? And it had been good? Had I done anything? Touched her in ways I shouldn’t because my inhibitions were lowered?

Fuck, I wished I knew.

“I hope I didn’t do anything to make you uncomfortable while I was drunk,” I said.

“You didn’t.” For some reason, she looked sad, her expressive eyes without their usual sparkle.

“How much do you remember from last night?”

I grimaced. “Nothing after the cake.”

“Right. I guess that’s that, then.” She sighed. “I’ll get you some more water.”

I closed my eyes as she left and tried once again, to recall the previous evening. I could remember the sweet chocolatey taste of the cake on my tongue and then it was like my memory ran up against a brick wall. Damn. I couldn’t help feeling like something significant had happened after that and I’d forgotten.

I gazed around the room, noting that it was Max’s former bedroom. Some of his fantasy novels still lined the bookshelves against one wall. He’d been a Dungeons and Dragons nerd, but he got away with it because he was a Braddock, and they were practically Destiny Falls royalty. Everyone loved the Braddocks.

Summer appeared in the doorway, silhouetted against the light emanating from the hallway. “Do you feel up to having breakfast? Dad has been cooking.”

My mouth watered. “Is there bacon?”

She grinned. “Yes. Eggs too. Hashbrowns, and all the greasy stuff.”

“Then I’ll manage.”

With effort, I clambered off the bed and righted myself. She gave me the glass and I drank it down. The ache in my head was already fading, although I doubted it would disappear completely.

I followed Summer out to the dining room, where plates loaded with bacon, eggs, hash browns, and toast occupied the center of the table. Toby sat at one end, his head in his hands, his complexion waxy and white.

“You look as terrible as I feel,” I told him.

He raised his eyes and groaned. “Everything hurts. I wouldn’t mind, but Winita snuck out on me in the middle of the night, so now I’m miserable.”

“Winita?”

“Yeah.” He squinted at me. “I introduced you at the party.”

“I hardly remember last night,” I told him, slumping on a chair a few over from his and dragging an empty plate toward myself.

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