Page 58 of Begin Again Again

“I don’t know. Maybe.”

“You don’t strike me as someone who pretends very well.”

His mouth quirked up. “Of course, I do.”

“Really? I thought you were, like, better than that.”

“I’dliketo be better than that,” he corrected. “Going along to get along makes life easier sometimes.”

Beth stared up at him, fascinated. “So, what does your perfect world look like?”

Byron’s gaze fixed on the empty stage. “We only talk when we have something to say. We stop trying to understand what other people want or change how they feel. We just chill out and do our own shit. Go to the beach. But that’s…”

“Mega impossible?”

“Too hard. You’d have to change the whole world.”

He swigged his scotch, apparently unconcerned he’d just unloaded his whole crazy ethos on her.

Classic Aquarius.Sexy, nutcase Aquarius.

“Maybe we should make a pact,” Byron said suddenly.

“To change the world?”

“Eventually, but first, me and you agree to say what we mean.”

“What would that look like?”

“I could tell you that you look like Bella Thorne and I’ve had a thing for her since ‘Shake it Up.’ So, this is working for me.”

Beth laughed. “And I can tell you I don’t know who that is and you’re making me feel old.”

He grinned. “She’s a hot redhead. Ex-Disney princess. She directed a porno.”

“That… didn’t go where I thought it was going. But thanks for saying I’m a hot redhead.”

“No problem. Anything you want to get off your chest?”

Beth held up her glass of tepid water. “I hate when bars don’t have decent non-alcoholic drinks.”

“That makes sense. I hate it when they don’t have decent beers on tap.”

“Hence the scotch and dry.”

Byron raised his glass. “That, and I’m terrified I’m gonna see my sister’s tits tonight.”

“That makes sense, but I’m sure you can shut your eyes.”

“I fully intend to.” Byron eyed her water. “Do you… have a problem?”

“I thought we weren’t going to sugar-coat our words?”

“Fair. Are you a pisshead then, or what?”

Beth threw her head back and laughed. “Iwishpeople would just say that. Especially when I can tell they’re thinking it.”

“So, no?”

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