Page 102 of Finding Hope

“I know you were ignoring me today, but I have something for you.”

I close my eyes and breathe her in. Her unique scent – strawberries and Britt – replaces the bourbon that lingers in my nostrils. “Yeah, I was ignoring you. I’m sorry.”

“I know.” I canfeelthe smile in her voice. “I’m not sure if you noticed, but I don’t exactly slink away all meek and shit. I’ll never make it easy for you to ignore me.”

“I was struggling.”

She laughs against my chest. “I’m not surprised.” Pulling back, but resting her hands on my hips, she stares into my eyes. “I’m not leaving you alone to wallow. Can we go for a drive? I wanna show you something.”

“What if I said no?”

“Then I’d come inside and wallow with you.”

I close my eyes and pray to Stephanie. I tell her thank you. I don’t know how the universe works, but I’m so fucking thankful Britt came to me after Steph. I don’t know what I’d have done had I known them both at the same time. To choose would be like ripping my soul in half.

“You’d really come in?”

“I totally would. I really think my idea is better, but if you insist, thenI’d run out to the store, I’d buy a ton of ice-cream, and we’d sit inside your dark house and we’d ride it out together.”

“How’d you get in the gates?”

“I called the girls. Someone opened them for me.”

I look over her shoulder and watch the moving curtains at my sister’s house.

Which of my sisters let her in?

Probably all of them.

They would’ve smashed their buzzer screens in their haste to let Britt in. They’ve seen this show before. The spiral that begins like today did. They couldn’t save me, so now they’re passing the baton on to Britt.

“Alright.”

“Alright?” Grinning victoriously, she squeezes my hip. “You’ll come with me?”

“Yeah, let’s go.”

“Boom!” She holds her closed fist out for me to bump, but I laugh and pull her into my chest, instead.

I’d much rather hug her.

Setting her on her feet beside Annie, I jog back inside to grab my hat and keys, then step back out, take her hand and walk off my haunted house porch.

“I gotta do somethin’ about that house.”

She watches me curiously, but ignores my words and leads me to her car, not mine.

“What…?”

“We’re taking mine. Get in.”

“But mine’s better,” I whine. “And faster. And sexier.”

“And also has my name scratched into the side.” She grins playfully and opens the driver’s side door. “Get in. I have something for you in my trunk, so we need to take mine.”

“Can’t we put your thing in my car?”

Allowing Annie to jump through her door like they’ve been doing this for a lifetime, Britt shrugs and flutters her lashes. “Wecouldgo in yours, but mostly I wanna see you squished in mine. I want to emasculate you while I drive. Humble pie oughtta taste good for a three-time world champion like you.”

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