Page 10 of Jeremy
The moment is ended when she shoves ablender into my hands. “You can carry this. I’ll get the rest.”
Hertone is totally different with me than it was talking to the guys. Like she’stolerating me. I don’t know what possesses me, but I blurt out. “They’remarried.”
Balancinga box with a few bottles of alcohol and drink mixes, she replies, “What?”
“Tuckerand Justus. They’re married.”
“Okay.Cool.”
That’sall she has to say, and I follow her back to my place. It isn’t until a fewhours and quite a few drinks later, that I realize how misconstrued myannouncement was.
Justusslops his margarita down him and over my couch for the third time, so Tuckerreaches over and plucks the glass from his hand. “You’re cut off, man. Or elseI’m going to find you a sippy cup.”
“Pshhh,I’m good. Not nearly as think as you drunk I am.”
Tuckersighs, and dodges Justus’s half assed attempt to get his drink back.
“Howlong have you two been married?” Melissa asks.
It’sone of thoseneedle scratch across the recordmoments, where everythingseems to freeze. Looking a little uncomfortable, she adds, “You don’t have totell me. I was just curious. You’re so…cute together.”
Asecond later, Tucker throws back his head and loud laughter echoes around us.Justus’s alcohol soaked brain finally catches up, and he jumps to his feet,steadying himself with a hand on the arm of the sofa.
“Oh,hell no! I love pussy! I worship it! It’s like a religion!”
Tuckerjust laughs harder at his reaction, and I find myself joining him. “No! Seriously!Look!” Justus pulls out his phone and holds up a picture of Sadie. “That’s mywife! And she blows me every night!”
“I’msorry.” Melissa giggles. “Jeremy said you were married.”
“Yeah,to other women,” I clarify.
“Well,how was I supposed to know? You sort of blurted it out when I didn’t ask, so Ithought you were making sure I wasn’t homophobic or something.”
“Oh,”Justus says, stretching out the word as he sits back down. “That is a strangething to announce out of the blue.” He turns to Tucker. “Now why would Jer wantMelissa to know we were taken? It’s a puzzler.” His finger taps against hislips while I try to resist the urge to break it.
“Iwas just making conversation,” I reply, getting up to grab a shot glass and mybottle from the cabinet.
“Arewe doing shots?” Justus slurs.
“Nope,”Tucker replies, and Justus lies back on the carpet.
“Kay.”It’s his last word before he’s snoring.
“Lightweight,”I scoff, pouring two shots and handing one to Tucker.
“What?You can’t do shots with girls?” she taunts when I don’t include her. She was sosoft spoken and quiet at the beginning of the night, but I have a feeling thisteasing, smart ass version is the real Melissa.
Ifill another shot glass, and it’s the first of many, but the last I reallyremember.
#
Myrise to consciousness is slow and filled with flashes of the night before.Whiskey. So much whiskey. I can still taste it, though it feels like my tongueis permanently attached to the roof of my mouth. My first thought when my eyespop open is water. Thankfully, there’s a glass beside my bed. I’m pretty sureit’s been there for a couple of days, but right now, I couldn’t give a shit.
Itisn’t until I shift onto my side to reach for the glass that I realize there’sa slight weight draped over my shoulder. Who the hell?
Inkblack hair, straight and sleek, spills down my chest.
Ohfuck.
