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Vanessa’s mouth falls open. “Oh, I couldn’t disturb you and your roommates…”
“It’s just me, and I invited you. You wouldn’t be disturbing.” I tilt my head to the side. “I have some pretty good whisky inside.”
I wait for her as she thinks about my suggestion. I’m not sure where it came from since we’ve never interacted outside of the community center or the occasional hello when passing each other in the hallway. Still, I don’t want to let her go back into her apartment alone when she’s upset and crying like this.
The silence between us stretches for so long I can feel my nerves getting to me. I shift my weight from one foot to the other as I wait for an answer that never comes.
Screw it. If she wants to be alone, there’s nothing I can do but walk her down to make sure she’s safe while she gets her keys and…
“Okay,” Vanessa nods, breaking the silence. “I guess whiskey is better than the wine I have in my fridge.”
“Okay?” I ask tentatively, unsure if I heard her correctly.
“I mean, if you’re sure you don’t mind the company.”
Mind her company? Ha! Like that would ever happen. I let the corner of my mouth curl upward. “Not at all.”
Turning around, I pull my keys out of my pocket and unlock the door. “So, whiskey? I guess you’re my kind of girl.”
“I’m more of a cocktail girl, but I can drink whisky, bourbon, anything really. Well, except vodka.”
“What’s wrong with vodka?” Flicking on the light, I quickly scan the space before moving aside to let her in.
“I just had one really bad encounter with it when I was younger, and since then, I can’t even look at it.”
“You?” I raise my brow. “A bad encounter with alcohol? I didn’t take you for a rebel, Ness.”
This gets a small chuckle out of her. “What can I say? You don’t know everything about me.”
No, no I don’t. But I would damn well like to.
I tilt my chin toward the living room. “Just sit down while I grab the drinks.”
Letting my backpack drop on the floor, I shut the door and go to the kitchen, where I grab two glasses and a bottle of Jack before going to the living room, only to find it empty, balcony doors open.
I make my way to the door, and that’s where I find her. Vanessa’s leaning against the railing, her eyes closed as she faces out into the night. She must hear me coming because she turns to look at me over her shoulder.
“Sorry, I just needed some fresh air.”
“That’s fine.” I step over the threshold. “Do you want me to turn on the light?”
“And have mosquitos come in for a snack?” She shakes her head. “This is fine.”
Pushing from the fence, Vanessa goes to the little loveseat and sits down. Her red-rimmed eyes dart toward the sliding door and the room within, taking in the space around her. “It’s a lot cleaner than I expected.”
“You’re just lucky,” I chuckle, setting the glasses on the little table before sitting next to her.
“How so?”
“Between Nate’s classes and my job and volunteering, we haven’t been home much,” I say as I pour us both a drink. “Plus, most of the team is away for summer break, so there aren’t any surprise parties.”
“I guess there is that. You boys do love a good party.”
I wince. “Heard us, huh?”
“Sometimes, but you’re not that bad.”
Vanessa’s hand wraps around the glass as she swirls the amber liquid before throwing her head back and downing it like a pro.
