Page 43 of Begin Again Again

“I just don’t think people should be rude.” He pulled her back into his side and they continued their walk.

“So, those were Zero beers last night?” he asked.

“I’m impressed you know they exist.”

He could have told her about the cases that appeared at his parents’ house when his dad was taking a run at getting sober. He didn’t. “How long’s it been since you drank?”

“Two years on and off.”

“What made you give it up?”

Beth smiled and shook her head. “That’s a bit much for a walk in the park.”

He decided not to push it. “Well, what should we talk about?”

“How about your roommate?”

Byron’s insides clattered to the ground. She was going to ask for an autograph. A phone number. A date. She was going to—

“Why is he such a wang?”

Relief came in blotches, starting in his face, working its way to his gut. He wanted to laugh, loud and hard. He struggled against it for a few seconds before he gave in. It felt good. Like eating ice cream in reverse.

“Not what you were expecting?” Beth said with a smile.

“Yeah… not really.”

“I ran into him while I was leaving last night. He looked at me like I was trying to steal his shoes.”

“Well, he’s a footy player. A professional, I mean.”

“So I’ve heard.”

Byron couldn’t tell if she was being funny. “Kinda like… the best one there is.”

“Yeah, that’s what my housemate Lara said, that he’s, like, AFL Jesus or something.”

Byron knew he should say something funny, but jealousy was building like ethanol in his blood. She could be pretending not to give a shit. Plenty of girls did. But that didn’t mean—

“So, why’s he such a dick?”

He glanced at her. “You think Derek’s a dick?”

“Uh, yeah…?”

Byron bent down, plucking Beth off her feet. She weighed about as much as a bluebird.

“Byron!”

“Bethany?” he said, carrying her toward an exposed brick building he’d bet his life was a cricket club facility.

“What are you doing?”

He pressed her against the wall, hand behind her head to protect it. “Kissing you. If you want me to?”

“I…” She closed her eyes and parted her lips.

Byron leaned in and pressed his mouth to hers. It was soft and sweet and impossibly small. He kissed her deeper and as he pressed his body to hers, his cock stirred. He was so surprised he almost dropped her, but he recovered and kissed her harder. Beth threw her arms around his neck, letting him in deeper.

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