Page 102 of Give Me Love

Maybe I think it’s my fault my mother left me and he treated me the way he did.

Maybe I deserved it all. Claire and I haven’t spoken about our argument last night, but the tension between us lets me know it’s not over, and the way she’s acting indifferent scares me enough to want to spill it all out now, but it’s Austin’s birthday and I’m chicken shit.

“What’s in the bag?” I ask.

“Underwear. Somehow I keep losing mine.”

“Your underwear?” I ask, looking at her like she’s crazy.

“Yeah. Four pairs that I really like are missing.”

“You look behind the dryer?”

“No. I need to.”

“You’re abnormal. Usually, it’s the socks that go missing.”

She laughs, but it’s unsteady and unnatural.

I sigh and grab the keys from the counter as she puts the top on the cake holder. “You ready?”

“Yeah,” I say, turning for the door.

_____________

We both step out of my beat-up Honda, and Claire grabs the cake while I gather the balloons and gift bag in the back seat. My beauty of a friend’s heels tap against the pavement, and I pull the gray metal door open so we can walk inside Austin’s shop. His office is dark, but the bay area is well lit, and I hear the sound of sanding coming from the back near his paint room.

We pass by his helper, Jim, and both of us put our finger over our lips for him to be quiet. He nods, and we try to be silent as we near our boy with Dickies coveralls rolled down to his hips. He has a smoke between his lips and sweat rolling down his face. I look over at Claire and see her in a trance.

I nudge her arm, and she jumps slightly. “Ready?” I mouth. Her face looks flushed, and she nods. I smirk before signaling, “One, two, three.”

“Happy birthday!” we shout.

Austin looks over our way and then shuts the sander off. He smiles, shutting one eye so smoke doesn’t get in it before removing the cigarette. “Well, what the hell is this?” he asks in a happy tone.

“This is your birthday cake.” Claire walks over and sets it down on the bench. He looks amused, and I study them both. His eyes follow her, and I wonder how I’ve been so blind to the way they clearly feel about each other.

This is a kind of thing that’s been simmering over years. When they finally do give in, it’s going to be life-changing for them both. It makes me both sad and happy. Sad because it won’t be the same, but happy because I love them so much, and I’d like nothing more than for them to be together.

Austin hits his smoke one more time before handing it to Claire so he can take his gift from my hand. She holds on to it like she’s done it a thousand times and she has… just for him.

“I don’t know why you smoke these things,” she fusses.

“Hey, it’s my birthday. Don’t give me any shit,” Austin replies. He winks at me as he rubs a hand through his shoulder-length blond hair.

I smile at the birthday boy.

“Whatever. Just open your gift already,” she says, acting annoyed, but I can tell she’s anything but. Austin removes the tissue and pulls out a flask that looks like aged wood and has his initials down at the bottom in small writing:AS.

“It’s already filled with your favorite,” Claire says.

“Oh, yeah?” Austin replies. “And what’s my favorite?”

“Any kind of liquor you can get your hands on, duh,” she says, grinning.

Austin laughs. “And here I thought you didn’t know me.”

“Oh, I know you, Austin Stone.”

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