Page 106 of F*ck Marriage
“You pretended to date her for weeks after that.”
“Yes.” I take another sip of beer and then Billie takes the bottle from my hand and finishes it off.
“Why did you break up with her?” She licks her lips and goes to the fridge, grabbing two more beers. Setting one in front of me, she slides back into her seat.
“Because I saw the two of you next to each other and she paled in comparison.”
Her face registers surprise. She stares at me for a few beats like she’s expecting me to yellGotcha!
“A supermodel paled in comparison next to me?” She laughs, but I don’t.
“Yes, Wendy,” I say. “Everyone pales in comparison to you.”
She sets down her beer. “Are you being for real?”
“I’m being for real.”
She stands up and straddles me. Now it’s my turn to be surprised.
“Don’t ever call me that again, Sasquatch,” she says, lowering herself onto my legs.
I wrap my hands around her waist and kiss her nose. “Okay, Wendy.”
I think she’s going to kiss me but then she rests her head on my shoulder instead.
“Satcher, did you burn the button baby?”
“Yes.”
She sighs. “That was special.”
“That’s why it needed to go.”
I run my hands up her back, palms pressing, fingers kneading. It feels good to have her close. She breathes deeply and after a few minutes I realize that she’s asleep. I laugh into her shoulder.
“Guess what, Billie?” I say into her hair. She doesn’t even stir, just keeps breathing deeply.
“I lied earlier. We are going to get married. And we’re going to have a couple of babies. Don’t overthink it. I’m just letting you know.”
She murmurs in her sleep, and I stand up and carry her to the bedroom. When I lay her down on the bed she rolls onto her side and curls up into a little ball. I’m going to have to go back to the store so I can cook her a proper dinner. Draping a blanket over her sleeping form, I kiss her softly.
“Satcher…” she says as I’m closing the door. I open it a crack and peer in just in case she’s talking in her sleep. “Don’t forget the ice.”
