Page 18 of Love Off the Rocks
Brittni giggles in return.
I throw up a little in my mouth.
What does Dev see in her?
Brittni continues with Chaz. “Oh, I see that your grandmother had a dog.”
“No, no dog,” he says. “But she had a cat.”
“Yes, definitely a pet. I see that now. It was you who had a dog.”
“No, I’m allergic to them,” Chaz says.
“Oh . . . I mean someone in your family had a dog.”
“No.” Chaz sounds sad as he answers her.
“How about someone you hung out with growing up?”
“Oh, yeah, I knew a girl who had a dog.”
“THAT MUST BE IT!”
You got a real winner there, Dev.
I head outside to the fire pit where a few people are sitting around it, toasting marshmallows and making s’mores. Sam is there with an open seat next to him that I quickly grab.
“I’m saving—” he starts, then looks at me. “Oh, hey, Mags. I didn’t realize that was you.”
“You saving Dev a seat? I’ll go.” I stand to leave.
Sam reaches out and grabs my wrist. “No, I was saving it for someone else.”
“Someone else, huh?” I wiggle my eyebrows and smile at him, and he laughs.
“Yeah.”
“Tell me about her.”
“There’s nothing to tell. I had my chance and I blew it. Now we’re just like ships passing in the night.” He passes one hand over the other in the air.
“Now you have to tell me about her.”
He looks around before scooting his chair closer to me. “Have you met Nancy?”
“Dev’s secretary?”
“Assistant, yes.”
“You like her?” I ask.
“Like her? I’m fairly sure I love her.”
“Oh, that’s awesome, Sammy. How does she feel?”
“I think she likes me.”
“Well, all right then. What’s the problem?”
