Page 7 of The First Time
Her brothers made sure of that.
Not that I blame them.
I find a place that delivers all night—even on holidays—and pass the phone to her.
It sounds with a text alert. Her eyes go wide. Her cheeks go red. "Oh my God." She stares at the phone withI can't look awayhorror.
Fuck. I grab the phone back. "How about you tell me what you want?"
"Does that work?"
"What?"
"Some random number sent you a nude and very specific instructions about what she'd like in return."
"Changing my number for a reason."
"Do you know that woman?"
I glance at the text. The woman did send a full-length nude, her face included. I've forgotten a lot of things, but I've never forgotten a fuck.
I don't know her.
"No," I reply.
"Does that happen a lot?"
"You're a nice girl, Piper."
"This must be the third or fourth time you've said that."
"We're not having this conversation." I delete the woman's picture and I block her number.
"I want beef pho," Piper says. "You should get it too. I'll show you how to fix it right."
"Isn't that the restaurant's job?"
"Sort of. You put in the toppings, so it's however you like. You have sriracha?"
"Yeah."
"Then that's it. Oh, and a Vietnamese iced coffee for me. It's sweetened condensed milk and iced coffee. It's good."
It sounds too creamy and syrupy, but now that caffeine, sugar, and casual sex are the only vices I'm allowed, I'm willing to consider it.
I call the restaurant and order our food. It will be thirty minutes until it's here. Fast for a holiday evening.
I leave my phone on the counter. Fuck, this is weird. This time last year, I was high as a kite, balls deep in some chick who didn't even bother to tell me her name.
And now I've got Piper in my apartment.
She grabs a glass from one of the cabinets and nods to the sink. "Do you mind?"
"No, make yourself at home." I wait for her to sit on the couch before I pour myself a glass of water. Don't trust myself to get close to her. I can't remember the last time I had a woman here and didn't come with her.
Don't think it's ever happened.
She turns on the TV and goes straight to the New Year's Eve coverage, the one in Times Square where the ball drops.
