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“I need to replace those You’ve read them to pieces and…” She paused Hiccupped They stopped, a stone clattering off his shoe

“Are you going to throw up?” he asked

“Totally not,” she said like she was offended Whichto puke He got theain A little faster now

Tonight, all he’d done was drive her and Helen around playing Beyoncé at top volu, to this place he’d found way up in the e, where there was a lake so clear and blue it looked like a sky A place he knew she would love But then he’d thought about being in a tent with her and rejected the idea

He’d thought this would be better

Stupid me

“You are such a good guy,” Josie breathed Her breath was, like, eighty percent alcohol; he was getting drunk just being close to her “Did you know that?”

“Yep,” he said, trying to keep her on her feet and also open the back door But she kept ainst the door She was a puddle of Josie, in the way of everywhere he was trying to be

“No” She grabbed his face

Ouch A little rough, there, Jos And he thought shefor some kind of stern look, some kind of serious I mean business type look But she was too drunk And too dear to e it

God She is beautiful

As quickly as he thought that, he stopped He was good at that after all these years Thinking a thing he shouldn’t and then just…not Just stopping

“You’re my best friend,” she said

“I know”

He got the door open, et the up

Thank God

But they were all sleeping here at the lodge Alice and her husband Gabe Max and Josie’s mom, Delia If they weren’t quiet he’d have a million Mitchells in here

“Cameron,” she said “You have to listen to me”

He actually laughed “Josie I’uy and I’s they didn’t actually say out loud Like saying theht tip the che to avoid Trying not to look at Trying to pretend didn’t exist

And, frankly, pretending was easier when they weren’t touching