Page 212 of Texting Dr. Stalker

And drinking on an empty stomach and a broken heart did not mix well.

“Do you think she’ll hate me forever?” I mumbled. “Like…if I turned myshhelf in, do you think I could make this all go away?”

“Right, that’s it. I’m coming over.”

“No.” I sloshed the bottle around, making the amber liquid bubble. “I like being alone. I’mmeantto be alone. I don’t deserve anyone after what I’ve done.”

“Wow, you’re a depressive drunk. Anyone ever tell you that?” The sound of a key fob beeping echoed down the phone line, followed by the slam of a car door. “Tell me what’s happened. Why are you drinking? And use full sentences instead of this cryptic crap.”

I laughed as if that was the funniest request in the world. And then almost broke into tears because I’d lost the best thing I’d ever found. “I fucked everything up. I just shtold you.”

An engine roared. “Come on, Zan, this isn’t you. You need to sober up and talk to me.”

I sighed heavily and sagged in the chair. “Stop nagging.”

“You never get drunk. Remember why? You don’t get drunk because of your patients. You told me you’d never kill off brain cells doing something as stupid as drinking when it’s clinically proven to murder quite a few of them with every level of intoxication.”

“You’re annoying.”

“I’m right, that’s what’s annoying.” He huffed. “I’m ten minutes away. Put the bottle down and go eat something.”

“I have no food.” I sighed heavily. “No wonder she doesn’t want to be with me. I can’t even stock my fridge.”

“Okay, new plan. I’ll be there in twenty, and I’ll pick up a pizza. But I’m warning you, Zander, stop drinking right now. Whatever’s bugging you, you can talk to me about it when I get there.”

He hung up.

I sucked back more whiskey.

If only the burn in my throat would erase the burn in my heart.

* 49 *

Sailor

Accidental Spying

I WOKE WITH A START, FEELING as though something was terribly wrong.

Sitting upright where I lay on the floor, the blanket that I’d kept after X covered me in the garden slid off my shoulders and pooled around my waist.

He did it again…

Cool air licked around my nakedness.

For a second, I couldn’t remember why I was bare in the middle of my equally bare living room.

But then, I remembered.

X.

Sex.

Best day of my life.

Spinning around, I looked behind me to where my stalker turned lover had been sleeping.

And froze.

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