Page 25 of Now & Forever
Gwen couldn’t think of the words to describe Kathryn hopping into her boyfriend’s lap and making out with him like they were teenagers again.Cute? Gross? Eye-roll-worthy?Somehow, Gwen knew that a couple could be all three. “The worst,” she finally said. “I’m gonna barf watching them.”
James nipped her ear. His breath was ranker than what Gwen remembered from their shot glasses. “Maybe we should get some privacy and a little gross on our own.”
“What was in that glass? Aphrodisiacs?”
“I really hope so.”
Gwen put her hand on James’s chest. “If you can stumble to the bathroom and pop a mint in your mouth, Imightconsider making out with you when you get back.”
“What’s this might business?”
“I know how you get when you’re good and drunk. You think I want to have your mouth on mine when you fall asleep?”
“I didn’t used to be that bad…”
“We’re older, James.”
“Indeed.” With a sigh, James sat up, wobbling from how the alcohol suddenly hit him. “Guess that means I really should go to the bathroom, then. Getting older, you know.”
“Empty the hose, and we’ll talk.”
“Yes, ma’am.” James pushed himself off the couch. Gwen had to admire how well he kept it together on his way to the men’s room. “I’ll bring back two condoms!” he called over his shoulder. “One for both sides!”
Ian came up for air amid his hot and heavy make-out session with Kathryn. “Pleasetell me that means what I think it means?”
“Why?” Kathryn grabbed him by the chin and turned his mouth back to hers. “You interested in trying something fun and new tonight, honey?”
Growling, Ian shoved Kathryn backward onto the couch, practically on top of her by the time her giggles finished peppering the air. “I love you when you’re drunk.”
“And I love you when you’re drunk! Let’s get married!”
Gwen rolled her eyes. The only time anyone heard those words come out of Kathryn’s mouth was when she was full of liquor. Why did she have a feeling that sometimes bit her friend in the ass?
Five minutes later, James rounded the corner, suddenly sober.
“It’s Patrick,” he said, face white and hand clenching his phone.
His friends sat up. Gwen’s eyes widened. “What happened?” everyone asked.
James handed Gwen his phone. “I got a call from Cassandra. Apparently, they’re all at the hospital because he has a high fever.”
“You better go,” Ian said.
James looked to his partner, who attempted to shake off the effects of alcohol as she stood and grabbed her purse. “What hospital,” she asked, sure that she sounded like a bigger mess than she really felt.
“St. John’s.”
“Of course. Can’t go anywhere but St. John’s.” She put her hand on James’s arm, both to steady herself, and to – hopefully – reassure him. “He’ll be fine. Let’s go.”
“You’re going with me?”
Their hands were intertwined. “Yes,” Gwen said with finality.
She was too tipsy to understand what she had really agreed to, but by then, they were already on their way to the nearest hospital.
***
It wasn’t difficult to find the Welshes in the most private wing of St. John’s Hospital. They were the small family still dressed in their Armani and Chanel, as if that’s what they wore to bed every single night.
