“I’m thinking you got drunk and gave me a topless lap dance again?”
“Well, I did have you on my lap at one point.” He winked at me. “And on your front.” He licked his lips. “Which did you prefer?”
“From behind?” I said softly, remembering how deep inside me he’d gotten when he’d been thrusting from behind. My body trembled at the thought.
“That was my favorite as well.” He rolled me onto him. “In fact...” He paused as his phone started ringing. “What the hell?” He grabbed his phone off the nightstand.
“Everything okay?” I raised an eyebrow, wondering if it was some woman calling him so early. “Amelia?”
“Amelia?” He shook his head. “No, no, it’s my dad.” He sat up and answered the phone, his eyes still on me. “Dad, what’s going on? It’s five thirty in the morning.” I stared at him, hoping that everything was okay. My parents never called me that early in the morning unless it was my birthday or when my great grandma had died when I was at college. I froze as I wondered if someone had died.
“Is everything okay?” I mouthed at Foster. He nodded through his frown and got off the bed. I watched as he walked over to the side of the room. His voice was lowered, but I could still hear him.
"Dad, what are you saying?" Foster's voice sounded agitated, and I sat up straighter in the bed. Something was not right. "Why didn't you tell me about this, Dad?" I looked at Foster's hands, and his fists were clenched. Something was terribly wrong. "How much? Dad, just tell me. How much?" Foster was no longer trying to keep his voice low. I bit down on my lower lip. "A million dollars! Dad!" Foster was almost shouting now. I got out of bed, walked over to him, and touched his back. He looked at me with wide eyes and made a face. "I'm sorry," he mouthed.
"Don't be," I whispered, shaking my head.
"How long, Dad?" he said. "I'll see what I can do. I'll call you back." He hung up the phone and then looked at me.
"What was that about?" I asked softly, wondering if he would tell me. I didn't want to be intrusive, but he sounded so upset.
"Nothing," he said, shaking his head quickly. "Let's go back to bed. We're both still asleep, remember?"
"I think I kind of woke up now," I said softly. I rubbed my forehead, debating whether to ask him again if everything was okay.
"Yeah, I guess we are." He sighed. "Maybe I'll grab a quick shower." I was disappointed. That wasn't what I wanted. Him taking a quick shower meant he was going to get ready for the day and would probably leave me. And I didn't want everything to end already. Not like this. Just minutes ago, I'd been feeling so happy and exhilarated, and now I felt deflated. "Hey," he said, grabbing my shoulder to pull me toward him. "It's got nothing to do with you, okay?"
"I know," I said quickly. "I just... Well, last night was fun, and I thought maybe..."
"You thought maybe what?" he said, a slight smile on his face, though his eyes still looked depressed.
"I don't know. I thought, you know, we'd grab breakfast and..." I shrugged, not wanting to tell him that I'd hoped we'd have morning sex, that I'd hoped I'd fall asleep and he'd wake me up with morning wood. How could I tell him that was what I wanted?
"I mean, we can still have breakfast," he said quickly. "Of course, I..." He sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm not good company right now."
"It's okay. You can talk to me, you know?" I looked at him. "Seriously. I know we haven't been in each other's lives like that in a while, but you know I consider you one of my best friends. You were there for me at a time when I really needed someone, and..." I bit down on my lower lip. "I'll never forget that. You know?"
"Alice," he said, "I’m always here for you. You know that. I would never let anything happen to you. I’m here if you want to talk about anything. Any problem, personal, financial, emotional."
"And I'm here for you too," I said softly. "If you need someone to talk to, if something's going on with your parents, if..." I sighed. "I just want you to know you can talk to me."
"I know," he said, "It's just..."
"It's just what?"
"Well. Rosalie." He sighed.
"What about her?"
"I just don't know if I want her to know what's going on right now."
"I don't have to tell her. I mean, you know I can keep secrets from her." I laughed. "I never told her about what happened all those years ago until recently."
"I know," he said. He sighed. "My dad's just got himself into some financial trouble."
"Oh?" I asked him, wondering what had happened.
"He invested in some companies that he shouldn't have. And then he bought some stocks and he remortgaged the house and he bought expensive cars. And now I just find out that he invested in a commercial property that he thought was going to get turned into condos, but the person he invested the money with has gone bankrupt and literally has now just gone to jail for fraud. And my dad signed the note."