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“No, that’s a birthday wish,” Tali said.
He gave her a sidelong glance before breaking into a smile. “Ah, fuck. I always mess those two up.” The girl sharing the Adirondack chair with him giggled. “Resolutions...hmmm...I guess I resolve to let go of things I can’t have and push harder for things I want.”
Tino snorted. “That was unnecessarily vague. How about you Judy Jude? What will you be resolute about in the upcoming year?”
Tali shifted to face me. I met her eyes, the reflection of the fire lighting them, even in the dark.
“My resolution is to be the man my girl needs me to be, from a distance or up close.”
I got plenty of groans, but I didn’t give a shit about what any of them thought. Tali melted against me, arms circling my middle.
“That is a sweet resolution, Judy Jude. You know about the curse you acquire if you don’t keep your resolution? Seven years of bad sex,” Tino said with an evil grin.
“Won’t be a problem,” I said.
Juan nudged him. “I thought that was for breaking a mirror, honey.”
“That’s bad luck,” Nina supplied.
Juan nodded. “Oh, right. Can’t keep my superstitions straight. What about you, Nina? Any resolutions?”
She sighed, leaning into her girlfriend. They were a weird couple. The vibes I got from Heather weren’t great, and she was constantly surveying the room, like she was looking for better company. Nina seemed into her—if not happy—so I kept my opinions to myself.
“How about working out more, babe? Didn’t we talk about tightening up your ass?” Heather asked.
The collective wince could almost be heard. Every single one of us fell silent. Except Tali. She stiffened immediately and leaned forward.
“That was really bitchy and uncalled for,” Tali said across the fire.
Heather shrugged. “How about you worry about your relationship, I’ll worry about mine. Nina knows her ass is getting a little chubby.”
“It’s fine, babe,” Nina said in a shaky voice. “So, my resolution is to work out more.”
“Should be to grow a damn spine,” Tino muttered.
“Then my resolution is to call bullshit out when I see it,” Tali said, staring right at Heather. “I guess that won’t start until tomorrow, though. That’s too bad.”
Heather arched a brow at her. “I’m not here to fight with you, Tali. All I want is to get a buzz from this champagne and enjoy my girlfriend.” She held her champagne flute up before taking a long sip.
Tali fell back against me, letting out a frustrated groan. My arms circled her waist, holding her close. “I’m sorry, baby. That’s gotta be hard to watch.”
“It’s like I’m in bizarro world. The real-world Nina would have kicked that bitch to the curb a year ago. But she’s just sitting there, letting Heather humiliate her. Is it as first love thing? Is she clinging to her because she doesn’t know there will be someone else, eons better, down the line?”
I ran my nose up and down the side of her neck, and she relaxed into me even more, tension melting from her muscles. “Nothing wrong with first loves.”
She reached up to clasp the back of my neck. “No, nothing wrong with first loves at all when they’re you.”
Tino turned on music to cover up the awkward silence.
Tali turned her head so her lips brushed my jaw. “Sing to me.”
“All you had to do was ask.” Bending my head, I sang along with Death Cab for Cutie, for only Tali to hear. “I would follow you into the dark…”
She pressed kisses along my jaw and made happy humming sounds while she listened. After a while, we both seemed to forget we weren’t alone. The night became about us, finishing one year and entering a new one together.
We were pulled out of our bubble at the sound of counting down. It was almost midnight and we nearly missed it.
Tali and I joined in the counting. “...five, four, three, two, one! Happy New Year!”
