Page 4 of Give Me Love

“I know.” I scan over her pretty face and exhale slowly. “I hate men.”

“Oh no, you don’t. You just got mixed up with the wrong one. He was a dick. He cheated,” she says with a shrug. “Not all men cheat. Some actually like the woman they’re with.”

“Oh yeah? Have you met one?”

She grins. “No, but I hear it’s a thing.”

“Do you now?” I reply sarcastically, turning my attention to the popcorn ceiling.

She pats my leg. “We’re going out.”

I sit up on my elbows. “Absolutely not.”

“Yes. I’m calling Austin. We three are going to get shit-faced and forget about your stupid ass ex-boyfriend for a night.”

“I really have no energy to party.”

“You will once you get some Fireball in your system.” She grins wickedly and waggles her brows. “Come on. We need a night to make dumb choices.”

I give her a sideways glance. “I think I already did that.”

Claire makes a face. “Yeah, well, different dumb choices then.” She stands and goes to my closet, pulling the string and shining light on my clothes. I swing my feet over the side of the bed and let my toes touch the soft carpet.

I frown at my dying green plant.

It needs water. I’ve neglected everything.

The air conditioner hums, and all I want to do is go back to sleep. How did I get mixed up with a guy like Mark?

Two years we were together.

I moved in with him, for God’s sake.

Claire walks out of the closet with a red dress and black heels.

“A dress like this needs to be worn, Kathrine. Not hung in the closet collecting dust.”

“You’re serious about this, aren’t you?” I say, unenthused.

“Damn right, I am. You have to get out of this house before you become a piece of furniture.”

I roll my eyes.

“Maybe you’ll get lucky tonight and this dress will end up on the floor of some hot guy’s bedroom.” She waggles her perfect eyebrows.

“The only floor this dress will end up on is mine. And probably after you leave this room.”

She laughs. “Get up, shower, and brush your teeth. We’re leaving in an hour.” She tosses the dress onto the bed. “And make sure you shave!” she calls out after she leaves the room.

I groan and fall back onto the bed.

___________

The line stretches around the block and the Georgia humidity causes sweat to build and start a trail down my back.

“It’s a thousand degrees out here,” I say, lifting my hair off my neck. “I’ll look like a melting clown by the time we get in this place.”

“Austin will be here soon,” she says.

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