Page 15 of Won't Let Go
“There’s Bonez,” Josh offers, not letting up on this helping people thing. I’m not opposed to helping. If the sisters ever needed anything, I’d give them the shirt off my back and then some. But people I don’t know? No thanks.
“Gunz’s brother?” I ask, anyhow, knowing where this will lead. “What about him?”
“They opened that new place for survivors. We could visit.”
See. This man is relentless.
“Why would we do that?”
“I dunno, butthead.” He shrugs and boops me on the forehead. “To get you outta town for a while. Maybe meet some new people. People you can relate to. It’s just a suggestion.”
That sounds terrible.
I scrunch my face, like I just ate a sour grape. “I already have people I can relate to… and I may not seem like it to you, but I’m one of those introverts. Ever heard of ‘em?”
Josh dry-chuckles and rolls his eyes. “Funny. Asshole. I know what an introvert is.”
“Us weird, artsy people, covered in tattoos, who wear mostly black… I know this might be a surprise, but a lot of us are introverted.” Covering my mouth for show, I mock gasp.
In retribution, the jerk pinches my shoulder.
I swat his bare chest. “Hey!”
He snickers. “You started it.”
“No. You did when you got in bed with me.”
“And look how much that helped. You slept through the night.”
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
“That’s beside the point. We’re not talking about that. Plus, I saw… your…” I nod toward his downstairs bits.
Josh’s lips twitch. “Penis. You can say it. P-E-N-I-S. Penis.”
I am not saying that. Not when I haven’t seen one of those willingly for years upon years. But we are not talking about that or his… thingy.
“Aww. That’s cute.” I pat Josh’s pec. “Did you win a spelling bee as a child?”
Digging his head into the pillow, he stares at the ceiling with a smile. “You’re such a pain in my ass.”
I pat his pec again. “Yeah, and this pain in your ass needs to pee, and I have to work at noon.”
“’Til five.”
“Yes.” This man never forgets anything.
“Do you wanna go on a dinner date after?” His gaze meets mine. “Maybe visit the sisters and Hunter?”
No. That sounds horrible. Facing Loretta, after what I made her sit through, and the sisters with them fawning over me and asking all the questions? No thanks. I’ll pass.
“Could you pick Hunter up to go with us before you pick me up from work?” I ask instead, because I’d love to see my son. Imiss him like crazy. I’ve texted him a few times to reassure him everything’s okay, but I know if I talk to him on the phone, I’ll break down. In a public setting, at dinner, I might be able to keep my shit together. There’s like a five percent chance.
“So, you’re not ready to see the sisters yet?”
“No. Hunter first. Baby steps. As much as I’ve been giving you hell and my entire body hurts, the past few days have been… a little nice. Ya know, with the peace and quiet… and the other stuff, too.” It has helped. Some.
Eyes rounding to Looney Tunes insanity, Josh gasps. “Holy shit, did you just say something sweet to me?” He grasps his heart, and if swooning while lying down could be a thing, that’s what he’s doing.
