Page 138 of When We Fall: Part One
“Fuck. I’m sorry. I’m a goddamn mess right now.”
“Drink some more,” Rosalie said, pressing the bottle back to my lips. I sucked more of the cool liquid down and rested my head against Rosalie’s shoulder. She was still too far away. I tugged her closer and buried my face in her neck. Inhaling deeply, I breathed her deep into my soul. Summery. Lavender. Strawberries.
God, I’d missed the way she smelled.
She tried to move me off her, but I wasn’t having it.
“Anson,” Fox warned again from behind the wheel.
I ignored him and clung to her, desperate to keep her near me until the end of time. She gave up trying to move me aside. It was just as well. I wasn’t going to move.
I stayed that way for a few miles before the nausea bubbled up.
“I-I’m going to throw up,” I called out in a shaky voice. “Fuck. P-pull over.”
Fox wheeled the car off the road, and I threw the door open and stumbled out into the night. I heaved my guts into the ditch on my knees. When I thought I’d die, the vomiting stopped, and I sagged back on my legs. I looked to the stars.
“What the fuck is going on with you?” Fox asked from beside me.
I closed my eyes.
“I love her,” I whispered. “And it’s killing me.”
He let out a sigh. “Come on. Let’s get you home.”
I shook my head and opened my eyes. “I don’t want to go home.”
“Why not?”
“Because when I get there, you’ll both leave me, and I want you to stay.”
“You want me to stay?” Fox chuckled softly. “You really are wasted.”
“I want you to stay the night with me. With her.” I looked over at him to see him frowning at me. “Imagine it’s just us. Me, you, and her. Together. None of this other shit. Free. Away from the stress. Only her and her songs and her happiness. That’s the life, man. That’s where I want to be. Please give me tonight. I’ll do anything, Fox. The three of us.”
His Adam’s apple bobbed. I didn’t even think he’d answer me. Finally, he did, his voice barely above a whisper.
“OK.”
My heart lurched at his words.
“Let’s get you home,” he repeated in a low voice. “You need a shower and some sleep.” He acted as if our conversation hadn’t happened. Maybe I’d misheard him. Maybe he wasn’t going to give in. Sad, I let him help me to my feet and lead me back to the car. I managed to get into the backseat, and Rosalie quickly offered me more water. I swished out my mouth and spit it out the window as Fox returned behind the wheel.
“You have a lot of water in here,” I mumbled.
“Cole likes to keep water in all the vehicles. He’s big on hydration,” Rosalie said.
I grunted. Of course, the prick was.
I closed my eyes again and quietly rode the rest of the way. When we got to my place, Fox helped me get out, Rosalie taking my other side. They helped me into my place and put me on the couch.
“I’ll run a shower for him,” Fox said, locking my front door. He disappeared into my bathroom, leaving me alone with Rosalie.
“When was the last time you ate?” she asked.
I shrugged. Food had been the furthest thing from my mind lately.
“I’m going to make you something.”
