Page 167 of Give Me Love

Bryce

I walk into my apartment, startled when I see Lou at the stove. I toss my hat onto the bar along with my keys.

“Bryson, you look exhausted, son.”

“I’m all right. You didn’t have to come over and do this,” I say, grabbing a glass from the cabinet and the liquor bottle.

She looks at me. “You can’t live off no sleep, working out until you drop, and that,” she says as I throw back the drink.

“Yeah, well, it hasn’t killed me yet.” I fill the glass again, going to take another drink, but she stops me. My eyes go to her and hers soften.

I let her take the glass from my hand, trading it out for a plate of food.

“Sit and eat. You’re not doing anyone any good by fading away.”

I take the plate and set it down.

“Have you spoken to her?” she asks, shutting the stove off.

“Yes.”

She turns around. “And?”

“And she all but told me to fuck off.”

Lou sighs and looks down.

“It’s all right, Lou. I deserved it.”

“You have to keep trying, Bryce. Let her see that you want this.”

“I told her I love her.”

Her brows lift, and she fusses with her watchband, clearly trying to contain her grin.

“She walked out on me,” I say, looking down at the plate of food before picking up my fork and taking a bite. It’s not something I want, but I haven’t eaten all day.

“Maybe she just needs a little time to process everything. I mean, you all but made her feel like your mom’s overdose was her fault, and then you ignored her phone calls.”

Lou doesn’t know about the club incident, and it’ll stay that way. I’m ashamed of my actions.

“Lou, I don’t need a reminder.”

She sighs and wipes the counter off before walking around the island and sitting down. “What now?”

“Now I pack a bag.”

“A bag? What for?”

“Because she went out of town. I found a note she left on the counter for her friend. I have the address where she’s staying.”

My eyes go down to the floor as I chew on the corner of my lip. “You know what’s odd?”

“What?” she asks.

“It’s not far from where I grew up before Lee.” I scratch my chin. “Why on earth would she be going to a shit place like that?”

Lou shakes her head. “If you don’t know, then I surely don’t.”

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