Page 84 of Filthy Savage

What kind of person am I that the only reason I came was because he was arrested, and the only reason I’m staying is because my teenage fantasy has become a reality and I’m Brew’s old lady?

What the actual fuck is wrong with me?

Something ugly slides down the center of my spine. I feel as if someone is watching me, but when I look around, I’m alone. It’s probably an animal somewhere in the woods. This is the perfect place for solitude, but it’s also creepy as shit because you’re alone.

All alone.

Letting out a heavy sigh, I turn and make my way back into the cabin. I lock the back door behind me, then make my way into the kitchen and look for something to eat. I can’t even remember the last time I ate something. I’ve been surviving on sex and coffee. I don’t mind it too much, but now that I’m not in the middle of sex, my stomach rumbles.

Instead of making something that will take time and require cleanup, I grab a pint of gelato before tugging the silverware drawer out and finding a spoon. With gelato and spoon in hand, I make my way toward the sofa and sink down on the cushion.

Turning on the television, I find something mindless to watch on Netflix. Just as I’m getting into the show and am about a quarter through my gelato, my phone buzzes with a new text message.

I’m surprised at the notification, mainly because I don’t tend to get many texts. I’m kind of a loner.

Working from home has made me that way.

I feel like I got out a little more when I was in college, but being self-employed in a business that doesn’t require face-to-face interaction means that I’ve retreated into myself and not kept those lines open with college friends.

Are they really people I should push to see when I haven’t even heard from them in several years? Shaking my head, I get rid of the intrusive thoughts. Those women are all working. They’re all getting married and having babies. Life happens, and I can’t think that way. Just like I didn’t reach out to them, either. What goes around comes around.

Looking down at my phone, I try to shake off the thoughts and focus on the incoming text.

RYAN: Girls’ night out. You’re coming with us.

Staring at the text, I’m unsure of how to answer it. How to respond to it. I’m not really a girls’ night out kind of girl. I didn’t picture any of the girls that way, either. I’m caught completely off guard by the announcement.

RYAN: It’s nothing crazy. Sal’s is closed, so we thought it would be fun to do drinks and snacks. Maybe play around on the poles again. Bring Ophelia if you want.

I smile, especially at the Ophelia part.

Sinking my teeth into the corner of my bottom lip, I type out my response. It’s short and sweet, only one word.

When?

The three little dots appear as Ryan responds, and then her message appears.

RYAN: Thursday night. Be there at seven.

I don’t ask her why Sal’s Bar is going to be closed, mainly because Thursday isn’t just another weeknight. Thursday is the day that I’m able to finally spend some quality time with Humble again.

If I turn the girls down, I have a feeling they would stage some sort of old ladies’ intervention. Again. They’ve already done that with me more than once. I don’t need it again.

I’ll be there, and I’ll ask Ophelia.

I decide not to text Ophelia because I can’t handle all of her emojis right now. Instead, I make a mental note to visit her tomorrow. I’ll invite her then.

I’ll play cards with her, too, mainly because I like it, also because I want to hear all the town tea, and there’s the fact that in that tea, she’ll have some news about Jasmine.

And I’m a catty bitch. I want to talk all the shit about Jasmine, and I want to know whether she’s leaving town or not. I want her gone forever. I don’t care what that says about me, and I’m sure that I should, but I admit I’m selfish.

Really freaking selfish, especially when it comes to Evan.

CHAPTER

THIRTY-THREE

BREW

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