Page 35 of Hate Notes

"Oh, I probably shouldn't..." Ember said, but she was already accepting the full glass. "I tend to get a little... honest when I drink too much."

"Perfect!" Mom said. "Maybe you can tell us what my son is really like at work. Does he still measure things with rulers?"

Ember's eyes went wide. "Who told you about the skirt incident?"

I nearly choked on my water. "That was a legitimate dress code violation."

"Sure it was, Mr. Boarding School Principal," Ember said with a grin.

"See?" Remmy stage-whispered to Ember. "He's doing that brooding thing again. Probably thinking about work. We need to get him to relax more."

"Some of us have responsibilities,” I said in a dry voice.

"Some of us have sticks up our—" Remmy started.

"Dinner's ready!" Mom announced.

Two hoursand several bottles of wine later, Ember was trying—and failing—to convince everyone she was fine to get home on her own.

"I'll walk her," I said, already standing.

"Aww," Remmy cooed. "Look at my big brother being all gallant."

I shot her a look that promised retribution, but she just grinned.

"I can walk myself," Ember insisted, then promptly bumped into the coat rack, nearly knocked it over, caught it, and thenshenearly fell over. The bumbling incident ended with Ember laughing and pretending to dance with the coat rack before both tipped into the wall with a thud.

“Oopsie,” Ember said softly as she unsteadily got herself upright and fixed the coat rack.

"You’re not walking yourself home. End of discussion," I said, steadying her with a hand on her lower back. The contact sent an inconvenient spark through my palm.

“Yes, Da—” Ember coughed suspiciously, cleared her throat, then continued. “Yes, Sir, Mr. Orion Sir.”

Mom and Remmy were watching with folded arms and knowing grins. I ignored them, ushering Ember out of my mom’s apartment before she could cause any more damage.

The walk to her apartment was... interesting. Ember apparently became even more talkative when drunk, filling the night air with observations and wild theories. "You know what's weird?" she slurred. "The stars. They're so... sparkly tonight. Did you do that?"

"No," I assured her as she leaned against me, one arm around my back for support. I was trying very hard not to enjoy the warmth of her pressed against my side. “I have no authority over the stars, Ember.”

"You know you have dimples when you smile?" she asked. "I saw you smiling once in your office. I bet someone told you they made an employee cry. Was that why you looked so happy?"

I grinned despite myself. "No."

"Well, whatever it was, they're nice. Your dimples. You should smile more. I bet people wouldn't think you were such a hardass if you did."

"I prefer when they think I'm intimidating," I said. "It's more efficient that way."

"Hmmm," Ember hummed. "But you don't intimidate me." She tilted her head up toward me, smiling drunkenly as she actually reached up to boop my nose. "Not even a little bit, Mr. Ruler-Man."

I cleared my throat. Focus. "Earlier," I said carefully. "You mentioned to my family that you tend to get honest when drunk. Any secrets you'd like to share while you’re feeling honest?"

"Oh, loads," she said, then laughed and lowered her voice to a whisper. "Like, I always forget if August comes before October or after September..."

"That's... not exactly what I meant."

"I know what you meant," she said, suddenly serious. "But a girl's gotta keep some mysteries, right?" Then she stumbled and giggled. "Oh! Here's one though—I think you have an amazing butt. Like, really amazing. I stop whatever I'm doing to watch when you walk past my desk. Sometimes, I think it looks so tight that I would get a black eye if I tripped and fell face first into that thing.But it’d be worth the pain,” she added with a lecherous smile.

Damn it. I shouldn't be taking advantage of her state like this. "Alright," I said. "We need to get you home. Let’s pick up the pace."

---