“Sounds perfect,” I reply and end the call.
I sigh and look at the laptop on the coffee table, which shows me pictures of my rock god. I slowly close the lid and then push it to the other side of the table, as if moving it away from me will help me stop thinking abouthim. I lie down on the couch and switch on the television, watching reruns ofHome and Away,the Australian soap opera. Nothing like a bit of Summer Bay bad boys to take your mind off how crap your life really is.
The front door opens no more than thirty minutes later, and I sit up as I watch Joseph walk in and put a case of beer on the kitchen counter.
“Are we drinking for all of Great Britain?” I ask in a posh voice, and he laughs.
“Thought it was time for a good old drinking session. You, me, Danny Boy, and Princess Sophia are gonna get hammered!” He pulls two beers from the container and walks over to me.
“We are not getting Princess hammered,” I reply when he hands me a beer.
“Nah, but she can join in the festivities.”
“Festivities?”
He nods. “You’ll just have to wait and see. Danny’s bringing them along with the pizza when he finishes tonight.”
“Right.”
“Stress less, princess. It’s going to be great fun. I promise.” Turning toward the television, he says, “Are you watching bloodyHome and Awayreruns again?”
“So?”
“You know that’s where Chris Hemsworth started his career, right?”
“Oh, Jesus Christ,” I reply, rolling my eyes at him.
He laughs, and for the moment, the weight pressing down on me feels a little lighter.
Chapter Thirty
Danny walks in, balancing a stack of boxes up to his chin.
I spring up from the couch to help. “Pretty sure there’s a Danny under there somewhere,” I tease as I take some of the boxes from him.
He chuckles as we set them down on the kitchen counter. “I need a bevy… like, now,” he declares, as Joseph grabs a beer and hands it to him.
Glancing at the countertop, I spotTwister, Cards Against Humanity, andJenga.
“Board games?” I ask, raising a brow as Danny lifts a giant pizza box.
“Drunken board games, baby. It’s gonna be an epic night.”
About nine beers later and a persistent buzz in my head, I realize I have a slightly upset tummy, ending myhilariousnight. DrunkenTwisteris epic. These two guys know how to make someone forget their problems.
In the back of my mind for the entire evening, I was ruminating about the phone call withhimtonight.
Willhecall likehesaidhewould?
Hehasn’t called all day, wherehe’dusually call endlessly. But is that only because I didn’t answer, and now that I have and we arranged a call, maybehe’swaiting as arranged?
“Okay, guys, I’m done. It’s bedtime for this little princess.” I check my watch, notingheshould call in about ten minutes.
“Oh, c’mon, Dee Dee, don’t be a party pooper,” Danny says.
I arch a brow, smirking. “Dee Dee?”
He shrugs. “Thought I’d try it out. But we’ll stick with princess or just plain Dee from now on.”
