Page 27 of Beautiful Crazy

Gemma: Wholeheartedly agree. What are you doing?

Me: Watching reruns of Friends and drinking a beer.

Gemma: Wanna drink beer… over here?

Sitting up, I reread her message… thrice, just to make sure I read her right. Then I stand up off the couch and walk into the dining room because, apparently, things will make more sense in there.

Spoiler alert: they don’t.

She wants me to come over?

Another message comes through.

Gemma: Or wine lol. I have wine too. Figured it might be fun to hang out.

Me:I’m down for some wine and hanging out with you. Right now?

My heart is beating so fast, I think it may bust out of my rib cage.

Gemma: Yeah, now is fine!

Me: Okay, give me five minutes and I’ll be there.

Setting my phone on the table, I walk through the house into my room, where I change into something that isn’t the ratty pajama pants I’m currently wearing. Then I make a pit stop in the bathroom, checking to make sure my hair doesn’t look like I stuck my finger in a light socket, and then for good measure, I swish my mouth with some mouthwash.

I’m so nervous, and I don’t even understand why. Since I’ve moved in here, I’ve been to her house a handful of times with no underlying nerves. But this is different… isn’t it? It’s nine o’clock at night. I’m sure Sutton is asleep, which means it’s different from every other time I’vebeen over there. This time, we’ll be hanging out alone, as adults. There will be no child buffer.

After I grab my phone and house keys, I walk over to her house, knocking as softly as I can on the front door. I don’t want to risk waking Sutton. The door opens, Gemma appearing in the doorway, and my breath gets caught in my throat as I take her in. She’s wearing exactly what she was wearing earlier, except now her hair is tied in a bun on the top of her head. She’s so damn beautiful.

She smiles as her gaze meets mine.

“Hey, neighbor.” Stepping to the side, she lets me pass by her into the house. Even though it was only a couple of hours since the last time I was here, the warm, sweet scent in the air still makes my heart race.

“I was surprised to hear from you,” I admit as we walk side by side to her kitchen. She’s got an already opened bottle of wine sitting on the counter next to what I assume is her empty glass. Lifting onto her tiptoes, she retrieves another from the cupboard. I let my eyes drop down to her ass as she’s reaching for the glass, and my mouth waters at how incredible it looks in her shorts.

Tossing me a flirty smile, she says, “Hope it was okay that I used your number.”

My lips curl up as I watch her pour me a glass of wine. “It’s more than okay. In fact, I’d go as far as saying I think you should use it more often.”

She giggles. “Is that so?”

“Yeah.” Taking the glass she hands me, I take a sip, the sweet, fruity flavor erupting on my taste buds. “I definitely enjoy seeing your name pop up on my phone.”

Gemma pours herself a refill next, bringing it up to her lips. Watching me over the top of the glass, she takes a long, slow sip, something about the sight of it sending warmth through my veins. “Duly noted,” she murmurs with a smirk.

A moment passes between us when neither of says anything. The air feels electrically charged, and my pulse kicks up a notch.

“Want to go sit on the back patio?” she asks, nodding in that direction.

“Sure, let’s do it.”

String lights I’ve never noticed before when I’ve been over, probably because it’s always been during the daylight, wrap around the wooden posts, basking the area in a warm glow. It gives it a cozy and relaxing feel. Gemma takes a seat in one of the chairs, setting her wineglass on the glass table, as I drop down into the seat on the other side of it.

“Sutton video chatted with my dad and stepmom tonight before bed, and he told them howcoolit was that he got to watch his new favorite movie with his teacher,” Gemma murmurs, a faint smile playing on her lips.

I chuckle. “Yeah, I guess not many kids can say that.”

“Let’s be honest, if Sutton were five years older, he probably wouldn’t find it so cool.” Gemma laughs softly, and once again, I find myself wanting to hear more of it.

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