Page 18 of The Lies Always Told

“Done, but come on, Nellie. You can dream bigger than that.”

“Well, I could say take me on a sailboat out somewhere tropical and fuck me senseless for days, but that’s unrealistic.”

“Unrealistic for who?” I take the containers and put them on the night stands, handing her the cup of water.

“Well, to most people, Gus. Do you have a plane on standby so you can take me to the Virgin Islands to sail while you fuck me senseless?” she replies with the sassy tone I’m growing used to.

“Doesn’t that sound like the best way to spend the week?” I ask nonchalantly.

“We didn’t plan for this.”

“We’re planning now. Do you have a passport?”

“You don’t need a passport for the Virgin Islands, but I do have one,” she replies.

“Abraham’s birthday is this week, and he has a whole celebration planned in the Dominican. We leave tomorrow. Do you have anywhere to be for the next few days?”

She tightens her ponytail and challenges me with her eyes, as if she’s wondering if I’m bluffing. Eventually, she replies, “No, I don’t. But I don’t want you to spend all that money on a frivolous wish.”

“A wish is a wish. All you have to do is rub me, and you can call me your genie.”

“Oh my God, stop.” She laughs at my comment, and I can’t help but smile back.

“If money is not meant to be spent, then why have it at all?” It’s true. I have more money than I can spend. I donate so much already, and what I keep, I like to spend it living my life. What’s the point in working hard and creating business models that make you a lot of money if you can’t enjoy it? So one day you can retire? Once one is old and everything hurts? No, I want to live my life now. I don’t know how many years I have to live without being confined to infusions and rescue treatments. So, for right now, I live.

“Gus…”

“Nellie…”

“People can’t find out.”

“It’s a discreet event, I promise. Abraham… Well, his parties are a little something, But nobody will know.”

“Are you really asking to take me somewhere tropical for a week?”

“And fuck you senseless, remember?”

She smiles back at me, grabbing the pillow and tossing it my way. “Don’t get me all excited if you don’t mean it.”

“I don’t say things I don’t mean, Nellie. But I do have to ask for one thing..”

“I thought it was my gift.” Her eyes are starting to get heavy, but she still smiles and says, “What is it?”

“You have to promise not to fall in love with me.” She stares at me before climbing up on the bed and laying her head on a pillow.

“Don’t worry, Gus. I won’t. Now, let’s go to sleep. If you expect me to be vacation ready tomorrow, I need my beauty sleep.”

She pulls the blanket over her, and when I turn off the light, she turns her body and climbs up my torso, laying her head on my shoulder and wrapping her arm and leg around me.

There’s no such thing as personal space when it comes to this girl, and I like it more than I should. Maybe I need to keep the not falling in love promise front and center too.

SIX

CHOCOLATE COVERED STRAWBERRIES

Yonaguni by Bad Bunny&Or Nah by Ty Dolla $ign, The Weeknd, Wiz Khalifa & DJ Mustard

Nellie

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