28. Lissie
Chapter 28
Lissie
“Drunk dial?”
I don’t tell Letti about Cody showing up at the bar.
I figure it’s not her problem.
She’s already been the best friend I could ever have hoped for.
I bought a new phone last week, and she is the only person with the number, besides work and my lawyer. I prefer it that way.
“It’s your birthday tomorrow,” Letti mentions as she hands me another black dress.
“You already got me a dress, remember?” She smiles and claps her hands. “I know, but my love language is giving gifts, so if you tell me you don’t want it, it will hurt my feelings.” I see a twinkle in her eyes as she says it.
“Are you sure your love language isn’t bribery?” I throw back, laughing as I examine the dress.
“When was the last time you went out for a girls’ night and simply had fun?” she asks. I stare down at the dress and go quiet. “There’s this club in town that serves mean cocktails, and I plan to try every one of them.” She goes on, asking while peering down at her shoes, “What’s your favorite cocktail?” She’s wearing a tiny pink dress and black heels. Honestly, she looks so stinking cute with her blonde hair in curls and her perfect smile.
“I haven’t ever really had a cocktail… or a girls’ night,” I finally say.
Her head jerks up, eyes going wide. “What? Okay, well, that works out perfectly. You and I are celebrating. No men allowed.” She nods as if that’s an order. “Now, go and get dressed so we can head out. The party has already started.”
I beam at her words and walk into my bedroom. Yes, it’s mine. It feels so weird to have a safe space of my own and food whenever I want. That one is my favorite, particularly not having to rely on a man to know when I can have my next meal.
After slipping on the dress, I grab a pair of heels—the twin to the pair Milo has at his house—and smirk as I slide them on.
I’ve managed to save a few thousand dollars and have started paying rent, even though Letti told me everything is already paid for. This place was her auntie’s apartment before she moved somewhere else, so it’s basically free.
As I step out of my room, Letti claps, then hands me a shot glass and smiles. “Let’s have the best night,” she says.
I look at the shot glass and grimace before I take it from her hand. The last time I was fucked-up, I told myself I would never do it again. A few drinks here and there is no big deal, but my being on drugs and alcohol led me to make the wrong decisions.
Seeing the look on my face, Letti says, “Lissie, you don’t have to drink if you don’t like it.”
“It’s not that.” I hand her back the glass. “I’ve just never felt safe before,” I say, shrugging.
Letti’s eyes go soft, and she throws her arms around me. “We can always have fun without alcohol.”
“No, I want to. I feel safe with you. And you know I have a few drinks now and then… I had some at Milo’s. I just never let myself get drunk anymore. Well, blackout drunk,” I say, grinning as she releases me.
“You’re safe with me, and I will drink less if you want to drink more. Or we can not drink at all. I’m good either way, as long as we get out there and shake our asses.” She shimmies her hips as she says it.
I laugh at her and agree.
Tonight sounds like a great plan.
We drink way more than we probably should, but it’s a good night, nonetheless. At first, I held back, unsure and cautious, but Letti has this vibe about her. She makes you feel safe and secure and doesn’t put pressure on you to be someone you aren’t. And after a few hours, we’re both dancing the night away. Though, when she gets drunk, all she wants to talk about is my relationship with Milo. I don’t really know what to say because Milo and I aren’t a thing. Yes, he is the only man to ever make me second guess everything, and my feelings for him may run deeper than I anticipated, but there is still no ‘Milo and me’ as such.
“I just want you happy,” she slurs as we dance. I nod my head at her because I know that’s what she wants for me. And I wish the same for her.
“I am. At least I think I’m getting there.” She pulls me in for a hug, her arms wrapping around me tightly.
“He’s good for you, you know. One day, I will have babies, and we will grow old together, and our kids will be best friends like we are.” I can only smile at her through the haze of alcohol.
I hope Letti gets everything she wants and more.
“We should call him,” she says, pulling back. “Make him confess his love for you.”
I chuckle at her and shake my head. My feelings for Milo are… complicated.
“I reckon he could give you some amazing birthday sex.” She wiggles her brows and reaches for my phone. I don’t stop her. What’s the point? She puts it to her ear, and I don’t even know if she can hear anything because the music is loud. She giggles and hands me the phone. I grab one of her hands and pull her from the dance floor and towards the door, but she is not leaving.
“Elizabeth.”
“Milo Savage,” I say his full name back to him. “Why do you never call me by my surname?”
“Because I know a better surname for you, and when I say your full name, it will be the correct one.” I scrunch my nose at his words, having no idea what he means. Letti yells something at me and points to the bar.
“Where are you?” I ask him.
“Riding.”
“Okay, so how did you answer?” I say, confused. Clearly, I need water.
“You called, I pulled over.”
“Oh, that’s nice. Are you riding home?”
“No, we are on our way to a job,” he says.
“We?”
“Yes, we… the club.”
“Oh God, why did you answer?” I say, baffled.
Letti comes back and holds out a drink for me. I’m already drunk, and I know this is going to end badly.
“Because if you call, I will always fucking answer. Even if I am drowning, you get me?” I don’t because Cody always ignored my calls, so I am not used to it.
“Let’s dance,” Letti yells.
“I have to go,” I say. “If I call later, feel free not to answer. I’m drunk.” I smile into the phone.
“I’ll answer,” is all I get back before I hang up.
“Where was he?” Letti asks, pulling me back to the dance floor.
“On a ride.”
She smiles big. “Those boys don’t even answer their wives’ calls when they are on a ride.” She pulls back and starts to dance as she yells over the music.
“I’m going to have Mason’s babies, and you are going to be my bridesmaid, and we are going to have the best life.”
I don’t argue with her because even though Letti is always a positive person, tonight, she is extra optimistic, and I hope it rubs off on me.
Early the next morning, my phone dings from the bedside table, and Letti kicks a leg over me in her sleep. As I reach for it, I realize somehow we passed out in my bed. When I see his name on the screen next to the message, I drop my phone on my face, hitting my lip. I swear and shake my head as I pick it back up.
Milo: When you drink, do you call all the men you’ve fucked?
I read it two times.
Did I call him?
I go to my call history and note he is the last one called.
Shit.
I must have.
But what did I say?
I don’t reply to his text message as Letti stirs next to me.
But then my phone dings again.
Milo: I can see you read my message, Pretty Lady.
I throw my phone across the room, and Letti sits up at the sound of it thudding on the carpet.
“Shit, sorry.”
“What’s wrong?” She looks around before her hand goes to her head, the aftereffects of last night hitting her full force. “My head hurts.” She groans and lies back down. “We drank way too much last night.”
My phone dings again from the floor, and I bite my lip.
“Why is your phone dinging?” She covers her head with the pillow.
“Did I call Milo last night?” I ask. Pulling the pillow away from her head, she seems to think about it for a while before she answers, “Yeah, you called, then later on you FaceTimed him,” she says, then adds, “He did not look impressed.”
“You let me call him ?” I accuse.
“I think you insisted.”
Now my phone starts ringing from the floor.
“Can you at least turn it off? It’s too loud,” Letti grumbles before pulling the pillow back over her head.
I contemplate not answering it, but when Letti groans again, I get out of bed and pick it up.
Turning my phone over, I see his name on the screen. Pressing accept, his face comes into view. Shit, FaceTime . I hang up, but he calls again. And again. Stepping out of the bedroom and shutting the bedroom door so as not to wake Letti any more than I already have, I answer it. As I’m pressing my hands to my hair to flatten my curls from last night, I see his face.
“Stop messing with your hair. You look great.” I stop fidgeting and focus on him.
“Are you ignoring me?” he asks.
“No.”
“Why are you lying?”
I bite my lip and look away.
“You do know I can see you, right?” I bring my eyes back to his and catch him as he licks the scar on his lip, his gaze assessing me. How can he be so intimidating even through the damn phone?
“Why are you awake?” I ask.
“Because you are,” he says. “You called last night.”
“I don’t remember,” I tell him honestly.
“I do.” He grins. “One of us has to remember you confessing your love for me.” I gasp, and he just smirks.
“I did not.” I sound horrified, my voice trembling slightly as my cheeks flush.
“No, you didn’t.”
“Why are you calling, Milo?”
“You know why.” I sit down on the couch, tucking my legs up under me and pulling a small blanket over them. “I have to tell you something…” His voice drops low, and he looks away for a second.
“Will it make me sad?” I ask. My head hurts, and I don’t want to deal with anything that might make my heart hurt, too. “Will it make me want to hide?” I whisper.
“Yes.”
“Okay, then don’t tell me yet. It can wait.”
“I still have your book.”
“I know.”
“You should come over.”
“I need more sleep,” I tell him.
“You can sleep with me,” he offers.
I pull the blanket up over me and cling to it as I hold my phone with the other hand. “Milo…”
“Don’t you miss it?” he asks, without even knowing what I’m about to say.
“Miss what?”
“Being with me.”
God, I do. I miss him so much. But I don’t want to go back down a road where I’m not fully in control.
“I should sleep.” I try to smile but fail.
“If you say so,” he utters. He moves his phone, and now I see he is not wearing a shirt. My gaze slides down to his chest before moving back up to his eyes. “It was fun to break all those rules, wasn’t it? You and me.” He winks.
“Very much so,” I agree.
Someone knocks on his door. He sets his cell down to answer the door, and I can hear him say something. I wait, holding the blanket to me until I hear his footsteps, and he comes back into view.
“Happy birthday. Open your door,” Milo says.
I glance to the front door and back to the phone. “Why?”
“Open the fucking door, Elizabeth,” he growls.
I smile as I get up and do as he says. On the floor, outside the door, is a large bag. I bring it inside and shut the door behind me. Placing the bag on the kitchen counter, I open it, and the minute I do, my gaze flicks to his on the screen. He’s watching me with those dark, dangerous eyes.
“You get that you’re supposed to be a big scary man, right?” I watch as his lips fight a smirk.
“I am,” he says proudly.
“Okay, so why are you buying me books?” I lift one out and smile as I read the title.
They’re all from the same author of the book he stole from me.
“I have ulterior motives,” he says.
“You want me to read them to you,” I say, knowing where this is going.
“No, I want to read them to you. While you sit naked and listen to me.” My cheeks flush at his words. “Happy birthday. Be ready tonight… I’m cooking you dinner. And bring one of those books with you.” Then he hangs up before I can say another word.
I can’t help the smile that plays on my lips as I pull each book out of the bag. In total, there are twenty-six books, matching my age. I don’t know if he did that on purpose, but I sure as hell love the thought.