Page 7 of Under the Influence

“I’ve been domesticated,” she says and flashes her ring in my face before crawling over me on the couch and shoving her body along the back. Draping her leg over both of mine, she traps me in place. “But let’s get back to you. You seemed upset after the party, and you’ve been hiding. Did one of those meatheads upset you? Should I sneak into their house and glue their balls to their thighs? I’m ninety-nine percent sure Bullet and Roxie would help me.”

“I didn’t like any of them.”

“And that’s why you’re sad,” she says and cuddles against me. “I don’t want you to move away.”

I think about Duke. I wish he were here right now. I don’t know what I’d say, and I look like a mess. However, I want to see him, and I need him to see me. I felt different while we talked, even if he got irritable at the end.

“Men suck,” I mumble, enjoying her cloying affection.

“No, no, just most of them. Some are good like in our family. I think maybe a random guy I met in passing was nice.”

My mind locks onto Duke. Is he nice? His club is filled with rowdy jackasses. While he seems smarter than Cubby, I don’t know what kind of man runs with such sweaty weirdos.

“How old is Duke McGraw?”

“Fifty-six,” Tuesday says in that brazen way she acts when she’s full of shit. “Or forty-six. Or maybe another age.”

“So, you don’t know?”

“Cubby said Duke was an old man. But he also said Duke had Lola when he was a teenager. I don’t think she’s old enough for Duke to be in his fifties. But I don’t know. Cubby has many great qualities, but thinking ain’t one of them.”

I flash her a dirty look, stopping her flapping mouth for a moment.

She smiles and continues, “Cubby also thinks everyone older than thirty is ready for Social Security.”

“Isn’t Cubby nearly thirty?”

“Yes, and I’m sure he’ll think he deserves Social Security on his birthday.”

Frowning at her, I wonder why she would waste time with such a dumb man. Tuesday acts like a slutty ditz, but she has genuine qualities, not made-up ones like Cubby. Fortunately, she stumbled her way into bed with a man worth keeping.

“Do you like Duke?” Tuesday whispers, making me go still. “Because your father willnotbe okay with that.”

“It doesn’t matter what I want. I’m going to end up alone or need to leave town.”

“Duke is attractive,” Tuesday says, still speaking in a whisper.

“He isn’t interested.”

“But you are?” she asks, seeming startled despite her bringing it up. “Why waste time with a guy who had his kids twenty years ago?”

Her words inspire me to tear up. Tuesday hugs me and whispers how I’m awesome and will find the right man.

“I felt a weird little connection with Duke,” I admit, whispering too. “It was dumb. He blew me off.”

“He’s very cranky about stuff, and he’s probably stressed about losing his club to Val’s overbearing personality.”

“Yeah.”

“What did you hope would happen when you talked to him?”

“Nothing.”

Tuesday kisses my cheek. “I won’t tell anyone your secrets. If you have a crush on Duke, I’ll keep my mouth zipped tight.”

“No, you’ll blab.”

Tuesday climbs over me until I’m pinned under her on the couch. Her blue eyes flash with hurt. “We might call each other names from time to time. I also made you eat grass that time.”

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