“What? No!”
“Who is it?”
The darkness outside makes me feel like I can tell this stranger what’s going on. I can confess my sins in the dark. I won’t see him again, anyway.
“It’s my dad’s best friend.”
He whistles. “That’s pretty bad.”
“I know.” But I straighten up and lift my chin. “I’ll figure it out.”
“How does your dad feel about it?”
“He hates it. He cut me off, so now I have to find a job.”
“Is that the worst thing in the world?”
“No. But my last one was for…him…and now I have to list him as a reference.”
“That’s complicated.”
“I know.” I feel a lot better just after talking, though. “You’re a really good listener. I think you’ll make a good therapist.”
“It’s easy to listen to a pretty girl like you.” He smiles at me.
“Get the fuck away from her.”
Both of us turn and look at Link, who is standing next to us. I was so absorbed in telling my sad story that I didn’t notice that Link had tracked me here.
“Link? What are you doing here?”
“This is my cue to go back inside.” He leaves the two of us alone on the front lawn, but the house is full of people who can see us through the front window.
“You’re mine,” Link says.
“But you didn’t reply to my text.”
“My phone was in my suit jacket, the one that I left behind. It’s still at your house. I already called the restaurant, but they told me that your father had taken it.”
My heart soars. “So you weren’t ignoring me?”
“Hell no.” He walks forward and yanks me into his arms, bridal style, and whisks me off to his car. He plunks me down in the passenger seat, fastening my seat belt before getting into the driver’s seat and driving away from the party. We leave behind the loud music, even though I can hear it a block away.
“Let me tell you how it’s going to be. You’re going to live with me and commute to school. You’re not working. I can pay for whatever you need. We’re getting married.”
“What? We’ve never even…how do you know that we’re compatible.”
“I could show you right now in my car, but I’m going to wait until we get back to your apartment. Your roommate is here, right?”
“Yeah. She’s probably going to stay here and come back in the morning.”
“Good. Then I can take it slow with you.”
First Time
Link
I park in one of the visitor spots at her apartment building. Then we’re walking into her place. She swipes a card that she tucked into her bra. And then we’re in the elevator. I hold her close.