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Murray
Board in hand, I stuffed my feet into my Vans, and that was when the frantic knocking on my door began. My heart caught in my throat as I ran for it, ripping it open to find a manic-looking Yael on the other side.
“Alex.” Her voice quivered, and her eyes were round and wide. “I’ve made a giant mistake I don’t know how to undo.”
“Shit.” I threw my board down and caught both her shoulders in my hands. “What’s going on?”
She thrust her phone into my face. “Look what I’ve done. Just look.”
Steering her into my dining area, I pushed her into a chair and kneeled in front of her. “Breathe. I need words so I can understand what’s going on.”
Her arms splayed out to the side. “I texted him, Alex.”
“Who?”
She shoved her hand toward me, thrusting her phone in my face. “Read it. But not out loud. I can’t bear it.”
“All right.” I glanced down at the glowing screen. “I’m gonna guess my role in this drama will unveil itself.”
“It so will.” She covered her face with both hands. “This is an absolute disaster. I’ll never touch another drop of alcohol again. Never, ever.”
Unknown Caller:I heard some interesting news about you from my brother.
Yael:I’m sorry, I don’t know who this is.
Unknown Caller:It’s Harris. Don’t have my number in your phone anymore?
Yael:No. Should I?
Harris:Never mind. I hear you’re bringing that dickhead to my brother’s wedding. WTF?
Yael:You mean my boyfriend, Alex? Of course I’m bringing him. I find it odd you care.
Harris:Your boyfriend? Cut the bullshit.
Yael:I’m sorry you’re having trouble with this information. I’m sure Michelle will console you. I have to go now. Alex is waiting for me in bed. Good night. I’ll see you at the wedding.
I gave her the phone back before reading any further, although it looked like Harris had sent a few more expletive-laced texts.
“So, the ol’ ex has come crawling out of the woodwork now that he found out you traded up?” I puffed out my chest like a proud peacock. “Can’t say I blame him.”
She tossed her phone on the table and blew out a long breath in my face. “I’ve made an utter fool of myself. I’m like the kid who brags about his non-existent Canadian girlfriend to all his friends. ‘Alex is waiting for me in bed’—could I have been any more transparent?”
I had to laugh. “Gotta admit, that wasn’t your finest moment. I’m going to assume copious amounts of alcohol were involved.”
She hid her face again. “So much.”
“Does this mean we’re going Fingering after all?”
My feelings were mixed on the idea. Spending a weekend with Yael without the buffer of the band would probably end with one or both of us dead. At the least, seriously maimed. That, I could’ve probably dealt with, but it waswhowe’d be spending the time with. Rich, overprivileged hipsters weren’t my bag, and Yael’s college friend group had been chock full of them. I suspected her demon blood was the only thing that had allowed her to escape that shit a semi-tolerable human being.
Her hands dropped heavily into her lap, and her bloodshot eyes fixed on mine. I’d seen her like this more times than I could count—hungover, grumpy, messy—but I never failed to get knocked back by her absolutely exquisite face. Just for a second, I was the lovestruck sixteen-year-old kid meeting the new girl on the street. My heart stretched like a rubber band in my chest before rebounding back into position as I came back to my senses.
“It’s a big ask,” she said.
I shrugged. “Already told you I’d do it.”
She canted her head, surveying me. “Why would you?”
