Page 53 of Loved

For fuck’s sake, this girl was something else. "I know I messed up. But Penny has forgiven me for that. For both things. And I was just..."

"Right," Melissa said, cutting me off again. "You were trying to protect her or some crap like that? Well I don't buy it. Because this whole thing," she said, pointing down to the news vans. "That doesn't protect her at all."

"Penny and I both want this. The way people are reacting is not my fault."

"Yes it is. Of course it's your fault. You can't cheat on your crazy ex-wife with a student and not expect things to blow up. You're like a celebrity."

Wow. Okay then.I didn’t cheat on my ex-wife, she cheated on me. Why did everyone believe what they read in tabloids? "I'm not a celebrity."

Penny started laughing. And it was like once she started she couldn’t stop. For some reason that made me start laughing too.

"What is wrong with you guys?" Melissa asked.

We both continued to laugh. The last few days had been so fucking stressful.

"Oh my God. You're drunk, aren't you? That's your drunk laugh." Melissa turned toward the kitchen. The bottle of vodka was still open on the counter. "Is that what you've been doing holed up in here?"

I couldn't seem to stop laughing.

"Stop laughing at me," Melissa said.

"I'm not laughing at you. I'm sorry," Penny said, still giggling.

"Whatever, I can't even judge you for this whole underage drinking mess you have going on. Josh gets me alcohol all the time. One of the many perks of dating an older man. Or super old," she said and looked at me.

"I'm not super old. I'm only 27."

"27 is the new 20," Penny said.

"Okay. I need a drink too because you're both being ridiculous. I'm glad this is going to be fun. Because I passed on a very sexy date with Josh to hang out with you guys." Melissa walked over to the kitchen.

"See, she's always mad at me," I whispered.

"Well maybe you shouldn't have broken up with me," replied Penny.

"I didn't break up with you. I just said I needed some time." I smiled at her. "I really wish we were alone right now.” I put my hand on her waist and let it slowly slide down to her ass.

"Oh my God, James." She grabbed my hand and moved it off her ass. "Apparently you get horny when you're drunk too?"

"No, I just always want you."

"You know, you're supposed to be charming Melissa, not me. I mean, not like that obviously. In a gentlemanly way."

I laughed. "Don't worry. The only ass I want to touch is yours." I slapped her ass and walked toward the kitchen. It was time to win over Penny’s best friend.

Chapter 15

Thursday

"Were you guys just drinking straight vodka?” Melissa asked. “No chaser or anything?"

"We both just really needed a drink," I said and sat down in one of the stools at the counter.

"Gross." Melissa opened up the fridge like she’d been here a hundred times.

She was very different from Penny. I stared at her as she poured a can of cherry coke into a glass, topped it off with some vodka, and leaned against the counter. Actually, she was pretty much the opposite of Penny. I wondered what they had in common. Or maybe it was something about them not having anything in common that made them friends?

"Why did you both need a drink so badly?" Melissa asked.

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