Page 73 of Beautiful Life

“Kinda like beer pong. I think they just made it up. We used empty Dixie cups and we didn’t share drinks because that’s gross and germy.”

“Germy?”

She swallows another bite and grins. “Yeah, germy. But, I’d share a drink with you.”

“You would, would you?”

“Mm-hmm,” she hums her answer again and then smiles big. “I’m thinkin’ I kinda like your germs, Tony Carpin-O.”

I shake my head at her and say while tossing my plate to the table, “Let’s go.”

“But, what if they start a new game?”

Taking her hand, I pull her toward the door while looking back at her and say, “Maybe we can play strip poker at home.”

“Ha!” she bursts. “That’s funny!”

“I’m not being funny, sweetheart. I’ve had a long day and I’m ready to share my germs with Madonna.”

She giggles even louder as we head out the door and I hear her before I see her. Looking to my right, I see Gabby bent over a bush with Jude holding back her big eighties hair with one hand and rubbing her back with the other. He looks over at us and doesn’t say anything, just shakes his head with a resigned look on his face.

I hear Gabby spit and then whine, “I think I ruined my new sweatshirt.”

I look over at Leigh who’s looking at her friend puking in the shrubs, but her body is shaking with laughter.

“Shut up, Leigh,” Gabby slurs as she stands up, wiping her mouth on the back of her arm. “They didn’t have any more like it at the thrift store. It’s one of a kind.”

“Are you going to get sick, too?” I ask Leigh.

She looks back to me and says with a serious but still drunk face, “I hope not. I like my new outfit.”

I look to Jude. “Good luck with that, man. See ya later.”

“Yeah, we’ll see you later, new-ly-weds! The honeymoon couldn’t last forever!” Leigh is still laughing as I drag her to my car. But then she whispers loudly, “Oh shit. I’m going to wake up Rosa.”

“Who’s Rosa?” I ask, as I pull the seatbelt around her to buckle her in.

“My new friend. I’m going to do the texting with her. Maybe we can have her over soon and you can meet her. I think she’d love Finny and she wants to know all about you.”

I pull out of the neighborhood to make the short drive home. “She wants to know about me?”

“Yep.” Her knees bounce to the music playing low in the car. “I love Train. Do you like them?”

“Train?” I ask for clarification, because I’m pretty sure we’re listening to Matchbox Twenty.

“Yeah. The band, Train. I think they’re the happiest of all the bands. I mean, even if they’re singing a breakup song, it’s still cute and happy. That’s talent if you ask me. Bein’ able to sing a happy breakup song that everybody sings along with and it doesn’t even sound like a breakup song. And don’t even get me started on their happy-happy songs. They’re awesome.” She sighs, ending her crazy explanation of why she loves a band she obviously thinks we’re listening to but we’re not.

“I can’t argue with that.” I pull into my garage next to Leigh’s silly blue car. At least it’s small enough I still have more than enough room for my Harley.

I meet her at the front of my car as she stumbles around the hood with her shoes in her hand. We head into the house, Leigh going to the alarm panel and I go to Fin’s kennel where he’s yelping to get out.

“Finny,” Leigh calls and he goes right to her where she crouches low to greet him.

“Come on, buddy. Let’s go outside,” I call for him and he instantly runs to the back door. I’ve gotta hand it to him, he’s a pretty smart dog. He’s only been with us for a week but he’s settled in fine.

I hear clanking and turn around to look back into the kitchen. Leigh has shed her tiny sweater, net skirt, and leggings, all lying on the kitchen floor at her feet. She’s pulling off her jewelry, letting it clank on the granite. Her hands go to her head, yanking out the bow letting her hair fall down her back into a big eighties mess.

“I’m sorry you missed the party.” One side of her mouth tips and she starts walking to me in nothing but her tank and a black pair of panties. “I could have had drunk sex with the President.”

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