Page 38 of South of The Skyway

“She’s more plastic than Kammi Barrow’s tits.” Kammi was one of those talentless, tasteless soap opera stars masquerading as a ‘reality tv’ show. She had a body more silicone than flesh and didn’t bother to hide it.

“Very good. Carry on. What did the twat do?”

“So she led me to the back where he was already in a booth andGod, Noel, he’s so beautiful.”

“I do hope you’ve at least fantasized about sitting on that face.”

It was my turn to cackle. “Obviously,” I added on a wistful sigh.

“So, he’s annoyingly handsome. Continue.” Noel sat down in her egg chair, and I wandered to my balcony, squinting against the assault of morning light.

“And when we got there, he stood up to greet me and did that thing where he set his hand against my low back.”

“Ugh,” she sighed. “How do they know how sexy that is?”

“God, so sexy.”

“Seriously, where they just casually slide down as precariously close as they can get to your ass and then linger.”

“Right. So, helingeredand guided me to the booth before sitting on the opposite side. Polite to the waitstaff. Open to try anything on the menu—”

“So, no stick up his ass.”

“Exactly.”

“Did you try the jumbo shrimp? I hear amazing things about the—”

“Noel.”

“Right, sorry, not the point. Dreamboat did what next?”

“We talked. But, like, really talked. Not about dumb, shallow shit, either. There was no discussion of pop culture, no drama. I mean a little drama, although that was my fault. Trauma dumping. However, Rhyett never made me feel like it was drama.”

“There’s nothing as sexy as a good listener,” she said, ironically a bit absently, as she wandered back inside. “Was he intentional about that with you?”

“So much so that I couldn’t shut up.”

“Oooh,” she said, biting her lip. “I dunno, Brex. I think if our situations were reversed, I’d be applying lip plumper, not talking to you right about now.”

“Thanks, asshole,” I said, rolling my eyes and wandering over to my espresso machine. It was cheating, really, the tiny box programmed with so many different drinks. It kept my creamer chilled and everything. With the press of a few buttons, the machine was humming as it heated water for a flat white. Noel poured her first cup, juggling the phone as she swapped hands and headed back out to her balcony.

“I thought for sure I ran him off with my trainwreck of a genetic code.”

“Eh,” she shrugged, coffee edging precariously close to the rim of her mug. “Genes are solid. There was just a malfunction in the dynamic. Good people. Not made for each other. Oil and water.”

“Regardless.”

“He didn’t run off.”

“Right.”

“But…?” Noel hedged, sipping what had to be scalding liquid.

“But should I even be dating? Everything is good right now. You and I are good, business is good, life is good. I don’t want to fuck it all up.”

“There’s always room for more love, Brex.”

“Woah, now, you’re skipping ahead.”

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