While Ethan and I wait for her to come back, I ask if he’s having fun yet.
His answer is a terse, “Sure.”
I knock his knee with mine.“Come on, grumpy pants.Lighten up.The storm is over, and just look at that sunset.”Although I point at the horizon over his shoulder, the grump doesn’t turn around.I have to slide off my stool and grab him by the arms, using all my strength to get him to twist on his stool.“Tell me that’s not impressive.”
All he does is grunt, take a sip of his beer, and say, “We have sunsets in Philly.”
I might never have seen a Philadelphia sunset, but I know for a fact that they’re: “Not like that.”
It’s as if someone took a bunch of pastel paint and smeared it across the sky.Peachy orange dominates, but there are pinks, golds, and blues in there too.
“There is nothing more beautiful than an Inner Shores sunset.”If I could live forever in the hour before dusk, I would.When I glance over at Ethan, he’s not even enjoying the view.He’s missing the moment by looking right at me.“What?”I say.
He glances at the horizon, then down at his beer, his cheeks slightly flushed.I’m not sure what that’s all about, but before I can ask, Lola returns with not one but two shots on a tray.
This is gonna hurt.With a deep breath, I knock mine back, and it burns like a hot coal the whole way down.My stick-in-the-mud guest doesn’t even touch his.
When I asked him to come out tonight, I thought he’d at least enjoy himself a little bit.If he doesn’t loosen up, this entire night will be a bust, and Operation Healthy Distraction will be dead before it’s even had a chance to change his life.
“Truth or dare?”I ask.
“Truth.”
I pick up the glass and set it right in front of him.“I dare you to take this shot.”
“I said truth.”
“Yeah, but that’s no fun.”Tequila sloshes onto my fingers when I nudge it closer.Lola always did have a heavy pour, and it’s gotten the three of us into a lot of trouble through the years.
“What’s the point in having rules if you’re only going to break them?”Ethan asks, his mouth tight.
He wants to play by the rules?I can do that too.“Fine.Favorite sex position?”
He’s back to scowling.“Why are you so obsessed with sex?”
“That’s what happens when you haven’t had any in forever.Now, answer the question.”
I swear I can hear his teeth grinding over Jimmy Buffett’s voice singing about wasting away in Margaritaville.Maybe I should order a margarita next.That would mean more tequila, but clothes are overrated anyway.
“You either answer or you take a dare.Those are therules, Ethan, and I know how much you like rules.”
The tiny shot looks ridiculous when he pinches the glass between his thumb and forefinger and slams it back.
Why didn’t he just answer the question?In the grand scheme of things, it was a pretty easy one.
Grimacing, he drags a hand across his mouth.“Truth or dare?”
Now he’s getting it.“Truth.”
His thumbs tap against the table as he stares down at the empty shot glass as if it holds the mysteries of the universe.When he raises his gaze to mine, his eyes look impossibly green.“How long has it been since you’ve had sex?”
Finally, we’re getting somewhere.Unfortunately, it’s at the expense of my ego.Oh, well.Rules are rules.“Almost a year.”Time for a big ole drinky drink to wash away the bitter sting of embarrassment.
I don’t stop until all that’s left in my glass are ice cubes and one sad little lime wedge.
Ethan’s beer bottle stills halfway to his mouth.“Seriously?”
“You sound shocked.”
