Page 36 of Give Me Forever

Chapter Ten

Sam

Avery didn’t miss abeat. She seemed to have the night planned. "I was thinking more like a bottle of wine, although I think this has already escalated to whiskey level. And we can definitely put on some music, as long as you promise, one, to stop with the innuendos, and two... Hmm, I have to think about the second boundary. I need to make it a good one."

She was adorable, and I played along. "You can have as many boundaries as you want."

"No, no. You seem to have trouble keeping track of them," she said with sass. "Best to limit the number. Maybe then you’ll remember them. I can make us some kick-ass cocktails, if you want. We have Coke and bourbon. It was in one of the boxes your brothers carried in."

"Okay. I haven't drunk Jack and Coke in a while."

"It's not fashionable anymore, is it?" she asked.

"Honestly, I've been gone for so long that I have no clue what drinks arein.”

“Gin. It’s popular, and I love it. But we don’t have any.”

"I'll order some if you like it," I countered.

"You don't have to order it for me," she said.

Why was she surprised that I wanted to do something for her?

She jumped up from the table, about to take her plate, when I scolded, "No, sit. I'm cleaning up."

"But I didn't cook."

"You're making cocktails." I winked at her.

I cleaned up everything while she busied herself taking out the drinks and mixing them expertly.

"You’re doing it professionally," I remarked.

"I worked as a bartender for a while when I was in community college. I also waitressed."

"How many jobs did you have, exactly?"

She laughed, but it was devoid of humor. "Who can keep track? I took everything that came my way, and it was still impossible to keep up with bills."

"Why didn’t you tell me? I would've helped."

She stopped putting ice cubes in the drinks and looked up at me. "I know you would have. That's why I didn't tell you."

"That makes no sense."

"Oh, Sam. Let's not get into it tonight."

"You promise we'll talk about it another time?"

"What if we never do? That sounds like a great plan."

I swallowed hard, moving closer to her, putting a hand on the counter and the other at the small of her back.

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