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“Where did you go?”

“The bar next door. I’ll pay a corkage fee, but I’m not drinking shitty tequila.”

HAYDEN: Hello?! Hard dick situation here. Any response?

BETTE: Sorry. I think we might need to get those tests tomorrow. I’ll take care of the dick tonight.

HAYDEN: Why not now? Dax is hunting down Sophie as we speak. We’re almost done here.

BETTE: {INSERT PICTURE OF SOPHIE WITH AN EVIL GRIN AND THE BOTTLE OF TEQUILA}

BETTE: I think we’re just getting started.

HAYDEN: Aw shit. Looks like there’s a double date about to happen. Where are you?

BETTE: Sophie’s texting Dax.

HAYDEN: Thank God. It’s been like four hours of missing you. And now I’ll get to see if drunk Bette is anything like puking drunk Lizzie.

BETTE: Nah. Bette’s a seasoned salty pro.

HAYDEN: We’ll see.

HAYDEN

We’re stumbling a bit. Sophie’s insane and the opposite of Dax. She lives her entire life out loud. She holds nothing back. Dax is a quiet, pretty closed-off person. He loves an economy of language, but Sophie almost never stops talking. And he’s crazy for her. I can see it. He doesn’t even want to be an inch from her. I think she’s in her late thirties or early forties and Dax is thirty. But somehow, they don’t seem like a boy toy situation. Sophie’s expression when she looks at him seems genuine.

My arm is around Lizzie and it’s so perfect. It’s almost everything I’ve ever wanted. How is it that I get that? After the fucked-up life I’ve had and the fucked-up life she’s had. How is it that we get to be happy now?

We’ve been walking for a block or two saying nothing. She breaks our introspective moments.

“I like you.”

I laugh at her, then pull her closer and kiss the top of her head. “You do? That’s a mighty nice thing to say.”

She pulls away and slides her palm against mine and we keep walking. “I mean, I loved Danny.” I grin. “Hated Hayden.” She shakes her head quickly as if she’s shuddering from how much she hated me. “But I like you. Whoever you are.”

“I’ll take it.” I lean over and kiss her lightly and we walk on into the night. “And, for the record, I like you, too.”

* * *

I’m so buzzed from the tequila and her skin. I kiss down her back and kneel behind her, holding her ass as the water cascades over us. I kiss it and she squeals.

“I’m still not less mad, just so you know.”

I squeeze it and stand back up. I kiss her neck from behind.

She moans and turns in my arms. “I’m so sleepy.”

We finish rinsing off and her tits are so shiny and pretty. I lean down and lave my tongue over her wet nipples, and she laughs.

I look up at her. “What’s so funny?”

Her eyes are glazed over and she has the dopiest grin on her face.

“My nipples like your tongue. They’re less mad at you.” Her eyebrows raise.

I’m not getting her meaning. “But the rest of you is still mad?”