Page 28 of Voyeur Café

I wake up on the couch in our living room, my vision fuzzy and a sharp headache pressing into my skull. My eyes focuson the clock on the wall, and it reads seven-eleven.Ooh, now I want a Slurpee.I lost count of how many drinks I had by the pool, but apparently it was enough to warrant a hangover that timed up with the sunset. There’s a full glass of water and two Advil on the coffee table that I’m sure Sadie set there for me. She’s on the other side of the powder-blue tufted sectional, wearing an oversized cotton t-shirt, and tucked under a cream-colored knit blanket, scrolling on her phone.

Sitting up, I down half the glass of water in one go, followed by both Advil. I tap the rim of the glass. “Thank you for this.”

“Of course.” She smiles broadly.

Part of our conversation from this morning comes back to me, and I realize this is likely my last chance to chat with her before she leaves. “Sade?” I ask. “Are you really okay about Jared?”

She plops her phone down in her lap and rubs her hands together nervously. “Yeah, he’s a good guy. Sometimes I just need a break. Being here with you and Devon has been so nice. It’s like an escape.”

An escape from your boyfriend?I resist the urge to push her further about that. “We’ll have an office for Devon soon enough, so our third bedroom will be empty if you ever want it,” I offer.

“Yeah, right,” Sadie laughs without mirth, “I could never.”

“Could never what?” Devon asks, coming down the hallway. She’s fresh from a shower, smelling like clean laundry and peppermint soap. Her face glows from doing the kind of nighttime skincare routine that I’ve never mastered.Is she not hungover? How the fuck?

“I was telling Sadie she should move in with us.”

“Yes, you should. Dump that loser boyfriend, and get yourself out to the desert,” Devon agrees, cutting through the bullshit, yet again.

My phone buzzes, and I’m confused by the name on the screen.

Luke: Feeling okay?

I’m Day Drunk Hangover Barbie, to use one of Bea’s phrases, but I’m not about to tell him that.Why is he texting me?

My eyes focus on the rest of our text conversation, which should be details about dripping faucets and burnt-out lightbulbs. But it’s not.

Me: Luke.

Me: Lucas

Me: Im sorry im mean...

Me: I lov you

Me: you dog

Me: i love you’re dogg

And then an hour later

Me: dont hate me plss

My heart plummets to my stomach. The sounds of Devon and Sadie’s voices fade to nothing.Holy fuck. I look on in horror. I drunk-texted him from the pool today.And now he’s checking on me. I am beyond mortified.

“Oh, my fuck.” My words come out in a breath.

Devon’s face snaps to mine. “What happened?”

“I drunk texted Luke.”

“Noooo.” Sadie drags the single-syllable word out into a long gasp.

“Oh, yes.” I hand my phone over to Sadie soshe and Devon can read through the texts.

“Allie.” Sadie’s voice is a shocked whisper. “You told him you love him.”

I bury my hands in my face. The leftover smell of the rum on my breath fills my nose as I mumble through my fingers, “I know.”

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