Page 58 of Second Chance

“Hiya, Billy,” she drawls, using her same screechy-screech on him. He’s less affected than me, holding his frame tight as his jaw ticks. Is he jealous? Does he want her? Please, someone, take her off me. The smell of her perfume wafts over my nose which twitches. This is wrong. She is wrong. This isn’t the scent I seek. Pomegranate. That’s what I want.

“Kristy,” Billy addresses her, his voice as tight as the expression on his cheeks. “Whatcha doing, Denton?”

“I’m drinking,” I say as if he doesn’t know. He’s been the one serving me most of the evening.

“Is this what you want?” Billy asks, nodding only subtly at Kristy whose cheek still presses against mine, her eyes directed at Billy while I see two of him.

“I don’t know what I want,” I lie. I want his baby sister. I want her to comfort me, hold me like she did and tell me it isn’t true. Tell me what I’m thinking about my parentage can’t be real. My eyes close.

“That’s what I thought.” Billy nods. “Hand me your keys.”

“I’m not drunk,” I admonish, slurring slightly.

“And I’m not letting you leave here with her.”

“Hey,” Kristy pouts and straightens to face off with Billy. “Why? Are you jealous, Billy Harrington?”

“Hardly,” he mutters, and I don’t know why I find this funny, but I do. Suddenly, I’m laughing, bent at the waist cracking up, until my eyes tear and I know I’m on the verge of spilling my emotions all over the bar. I pull my phone from my pocket, handing it to Billy as well.

“What’s this for?”

“So I don’t do something equally stupid like call her.” I swing back for the bar, disentangling my body from Kristy. I don’t need to tell him who I mean.

“You don’t need to call me, baby. I’m right here,” Kristy purrs, rubbing her hand down the back of my head. I shiver, and not with desire. Billy presses between Kristy and me, and his voice coats my ear.

“You don’t need to call her. I already did.”

My eyes close again. I don’t need to ask who he means.