Did people fuck themselves into a coma while thinking about their friends? Was that allowed? Too bad if it wasn’t, because I felt better than I had in weeks. Maybe months. If it wasn’t for thefact that I was starving, I’d have stayed right where I was, upside down on my bed, uncovered, unbothered. But the growling was audible, and hunger pangs twisted my stomach. I’d stopped briefly for lunch but hadn’t eaten much, or since.
Climbing out of bed was rough when all I wanted to do was get under the covers and sleep. But I forced myself to my feet, and I discarded the soiled towel, tossing it in the hamper. I took the dildo off the headboard and carried it into my attached bathroom. I gave it a quick wash in the sink before I freshened myself up and slid a pair of lounge pants on.
I’d left my phone on my dresser when I’d come in from work to shower and when I retrieved it, I saw a series of missed text messages from Perry.
Perry
I hope your day was good.
I know I had the easy job.
I’m treating myself to ice cream and a true crime marathon tonight.
Are you still working? It’s so late.
I found myself smiling at my phone, unable to stop, like some school-kid with a crush.
Got home a while ago. Showered but passed out after
On my way to the kitchen to see what I have to eat
YOU’RE ALIVE!
Not for long if I don’t eat soon
My stomach let out another vicious growl as I arrived at the fridge. I cracked it open and took out the ingredients to make my favorite easy dinner. Grilled cheese sandwiches. I had some pepperoni slices for homemade pizza, and I took them out to put in the sandwiches.
How’d the day go?
I answered Perry after I got my sandwiches in the frying pan to cook. Perry asked a lot of questions, like how many animals I ended up operating on today (a lot) and if there were any complications (there were none) and how many hours I was on my feet (too many). He seemed genuinely interested in the answers too. Where other people often said stuff like “Gee, you must make a lot of money, being a vet and all,” Perry said things like “It must be hard when things go wrong, or when you get an animal you can’t help.”
It made me feel like someone saw me.
If I wasn’t careful, I was going to develop actual feelings for Perry.
TEN
PERRY
For our second date,Rex asked if he could pick me up. He wouldn’t tell me what we were doing, only that having two cars would make it difficult and when he pulled into the drive-in theater outside of town, it became very clear why.
“I’ve never been to one of these before.” I looked around as Rex slowly wound through the rows looking for a place to park. The screen was high enough that every vehicle would be able to see it from whatever spot they chose. I’d only ever seen drive-in theaters in old movies, never in person.
“I don’t think a lot of people have. This one is new. Like, it was here years ago and it shut down, but then old things became new and cool again and they revived it last summer. I’ve been meaning to come and check it out, but I never seem to make the time.”
Rex pulled into a space and killed the engine. “We have time to hit up the concession stand and get snacks.”
He smiled broadly like an excited kid, and it was impossible not to return his expression.
I got out of the car and walked with him to the concession. The line was long and filled with mostly middle-aged people and older, but a few groups of teens had made the trip to the edge of town. The line moved fairly quickly and soon we returned to his car with a couple of drinks, a bucket of popcorn, and a jumbo bag of Reese’s Pieces. Once we were in the car, Rex turned the key to auxiliary and fiddled with the radio to set it to the station that the theater broadcast on.
He shifted in his seat and met my gaze. “Do you trust me?”
“Uh… what?”
“Do. You. Trust. Me.” He said each word slowly and carefully, his gaze never wavering from mine.
“Yeah, of course.” And I found it to be true. I did trust Rex. It probably had a lot to do with how the way he treated me hadn’t changed since I’d had a scene with someone the other day. Rex had been aware of it; he’d even asked if it had gone okay. And then he hadn’t gotten all weird about it. He didn’t shut me out or give me the cold shoulder, or get intrusive and ask a bunch of questions about who put what where.
