Hanging here with Drey and hearing Bill’s story only solidified my choice to stay, and even nudged me closer to entertaining the thought of marrying Lina someday soon. First, we needed to get Dad’s ass in prison, and we needed to get Lina to the college so she could make it through graduation ceremonies, and then…
My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I leaned to the side.
“Your girl calling to check on you?” Drey laughed. “You are whipped.”
“Douche bag.”
I flipped the phone to see the screen and saw Lina’s face. How could I not smile at those beautiful eyes? I tapped the text message open.
I need candy corn!
I laughed out loud and Drey leaned close. “Candy corn?”
“It’s our joke…kind of how we met.” I typed backI’ll stop on my way home.
Come get me. I feel brave!
You are brave. Okay. Meet me in the lobby in eleven minutes.
“Brave?” Drey asked.
“Snoop.”
“Curious.”
I glanced at him, not sure I should be sharing Lina’s issues, but if I really was going to hang around here, then having a buddy to throw things at might be nice. “She’s a shut-in. Well, she was when we first met.”
“Shut-in. As in doesn’t leave her place?”
I nodded. “Until a few months ago. I’ve been…helping her venture out.”
“For real?” He tipped the beer bottle to his mouth. “I hear that shit’s nasty. Agoraphobia, right?”
“Yeah. She’s kicking its ass, though.”
“How long?”
“Three and a half years.”
“Holy fu—hell. That’s—dude.” He shook his head. “No wonder she’s never been here. I was wondering if you even really had a chick. But man, that’s gotta suck not ever going out.”
“We’re getting there. Maybe soon enough she’ll be able to come here.” Though it might be a while.
“You’re a saint, man. I couldn’t hack that.”
She was worth it. I hopped off my seat and one lean arm slid over my shoulder, while the other curled around my waist and hugged me tight.
I reached for the arm around my waist, thinking for a split-second Lina was here, surprising me. For a while now, I’d wanted to bring her out somewhere, if not here, then out to a dinner or something more public.
I instantly realized it wasn’t her body against my back. No, this one was way too hard, as in fake boobs hard, and the perfume was too thick.
“Oh, hey, wait,” I said as I worked to unsecure the clasped hands around my chest and peel Sarah off me.
Lips brushed my neck, and a giggle made its way to my ears.
“Sarah?” I twisted out of her grasp as gently as I could. The girl was small, so I held her hand to make sure she stayed up right, keeping my annoyance in check.
“Hunter. Isssgreat to seeeyou.”Hiccup. “So sexy,” she whispered, her lids hanging low over her green eyes.