Page 110 of Books and Hookups

“You can crawl back into your hole,” she said, curling her lip.

“Hey, now.” Carly stepped between us. “That’s our friend you’re talking to.”

Savannah marched up beside Carly, acting as a barrier between the stranger and me. “I don’t know what you think she’s done, but you’re out of line.”

Savannah was wrong. I’d done exactly what she said I had, and it wasn’t out of line to call me on it. I set my hands on my friends’ shoulders. “It’s okay. I’ll talk to her.”

The woman held her head high. “I don’t want to talk to you. Come on.” Linking arms with her friend, she pivoted on her heel and walked away.

After a beat, Carly turned to me. “What the hell was that about?”

I stared up at the convex eye of the security system. “That, my friends, is my legacy.”

Epilogue 2

Close to Perfect

One Year Later

Interviewer: So, what’s your legacy?

Carbone: I thought this book wasn’t about legacy.

Interviewer: I’m the author here. I can ask whatever the fuck I want.

Carbone: You need a snack.

Interviewer: Don’t fucking tell me what I need! Well, actually, yeah, some trail mix would be good. The kind with the little peanut butter cups. Thank you.

Interviewer: God, I was hungry. Now. Your legacy.

Carbone: I don’t need a legacy. You’ve got enough for both of us.

Interviewer: Goddammit, Danny. Of course you have a legacy. It’s your bar that makes so many people happy. Your family who couldn’t survive without you. Including Mia and me.

Carbone: If you know, why’d you ask me?

Interviewer: Because you needed to hear it.

Transcript from untitled manuscript about parenthood

LUCIE

“Don’t you think it’s a little much for a one-year-old’s birthday party?”

Standing on the stepstool, Danny pivoted from the streamer he was hanging to face me. “What’s too much?”

The streamers. The full-sheet cake. The signature cocktails. Fifty guests.But I didn’t say any of that. Because his question was rhetorical. For Danny, there was no such thing as too much for those he loved.

“Never mind, babe. In fact, keep going.” I crossed my arms and put one finger on my lips. “Your ass looks great from this angle.”

And it did. His faded Levis put his taut glutes on display, and I could fully appreciate them from a few feet below him. Actually, if he turned and came down one step, I could unbutton his jeans, pull out his glorious cock, and?—

“Oh, no,” he said. “We don’t have time to satisfy that gleam in your eye. The grandparents will be here any minute, and Mia’s waking up.” He nodded at the video monitor, where our one-year-old daughter stretched her little arms over her head in her crib.

“I was the one who did all the work a year ago. I should get a present too.” I pouted.

He ripped the streamer so it dangled from the wall, then descended from the stool. His arms wrapped around me, and his familiar scent surrounded me. “I promise you’ll get yours tonight.” His hand wandered down to my ass and squeezed.

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