Page 65 of A Better Place

“Here’s the deal. Whatever happened for you two before you moved here shifted something in your mom. And not to sound cocky, but ever since she met me, she’s been allowing parts of herself she’s kept hidden for so long to shine through.”

“I see that,” he says as he gazes at his mom passed out on the couch. “So, uh, this is kind of awkward. I mean, no more awkward than asking for kissing tips, but still… I don’t really know what to do here. I’ve never been around a drunk person before.”

“That’s good news,” I tell him, grinning. “I’ll help you get her to her room, then I’ll sleep on the couch. I’d like to be here in case she needs me. If that’s okay with you, that is. Not that I don’t trust you to take care of her…”

He lifts a hand. “Yeah, that’s okay with me. I’ll go get her bed ready for her if you want to carry her in?” he says pointing in the direction of her bedroom.

“You got it,” I assure him.

He grabs the trashcan, and I hand him a bottle of water. I watch as he disappears down the hallway leading toward her bedroom, and I bend down next to Carly.

“Carly, sweetheart,” I say in a quiet voice. “I’m gonna lift you up and bring you to your room, okay?”

She grunts and moans but doesn’t protest, so I pick her up to carry her. Just as I’m getting to her doorway, Jack is stepping out.

“I moved her blankets aside so you can just lay her down, and I put the trashcan beside her bed, just in case.”

“Thanks, bud.”

“Do I need to do anything else?”

“Nah, I’ve got her. Thanks though. You’re a pretty good kid, you know that?”

“Eh, she makes it easy,” he says as he backs away and moves into his own bedroom just across the hall.

“Here you go,” I whisper into her ear, taking a moment to inhale her intoxicating scent that luckily isn’t overrun by vomit, as I lay her down on the bed.

I stand up straight and look around. As dark as Jack’s bedroom is, Carly’s is just the opposite. Everything is white, except for the wall her bed sits against, which is a deep teal color, and a few throw pillows it looks like Jack tossed on the ground that are the same color. On one wall, she has three signs hung, each with one arrow on them, painted in gold and teals, and a large golden full-length mirror on a stand in the corner. The bedroom furniture is all white, with frames of pictures of Jack covering the surfaces. It’s Carly. And my eyes can’t take everything in quickly enough.

She starts mumbling, and I turn my head toward her, noticing her eyes are on me.

“Hey, beautiful. How you feeling?”

“Mmgrffs are the dlivl,” she says.

“Ha! What was that?”

“Margaritas are the devil,” she says much more clearly this time.

“Well I think that might have a little to do with the quantity rather than the margaritas themselves.”

“Eh, you say potato and I say tomato,” she says nestling in to her bed.

Man, she’s even adorable drunk. “Need anything? Aside from sleep?” I ask as I pull the covers up over her chest.

“Nuh-uh, sleep is good.”

I look down. Her eyes are already closed, her dark eyelashes fanning out, cheekbones still flushed and dark pink lips set in a pout. Her lips part and start to move slightly, like she’s trying to say something.

“Baby, you need anything?”

She looks back up into my eyes, hers surprisingly clear. “You,” she mumbles.

I kneel closer, praying she continues. Praying that I heard her right.

“I just need you, James. You’re my lobster,” she mumbles before closing her eyes again.

Thank the good Lord Tess is still a Friends freak, so I know exactly what she meant by that. And the thought has me smiling all the way to the couch where I stretch out my long body, arms behind my head, feeling more content than I’ve felt in… well… ever.

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