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Andcrawl and I’ot the once over This is far worse than I thought it would be and I’m embarrassed

Maybe we should leave Maybe I should put Fable on a bus and send her back hoer It’s awful and I don’t want to put her through it I’ll even let her keep the money

"Your parents are freaks"

Her sweet voice insulting the people who raised h And once I start, I can’t seehed like this? I can’t re the truth, or because it’s better to laugh than yell atyour parents?" Fable sounds a little nervous, but I detect amusement in her tone too

"You’re brutally honest and I appreciate it," I finally say once I find ree They are freaks"

"It was so tense in there I don’t get it" She glances around the guesthouse With its open floor plan and near identical wall of s facing the ocean like the living roorander scale A lot ive off that ‘look but don’t touch’ vibe "Oh, you have a deck outside I want to check it out"

I watch her slip through living area, heading toward the door, which she unlocks and opens without hesitation I follow her, curious to hear more of her observations of my freaky fa against the railing facing the ocean, the wind blowing through her long pale hair She reaches into the pocket of her thin black coat and pulls out a single cigarette and a lighter, her expression full of embarrassment "I’ve pretty s with ency"

"And what happened in there is considered an eency?"

Fable flashes hter and flicks it once, twice Three tiles frohter to the tip, taking a drag and causing it to light "Oh my God, totally" She blows out a strearay cloud hovers in the darkness before it slowly disappears "Your dad…I think he was checking ree, my voice low "I’ ahat ht you here Technically it’s my fault"

Another wave of her hand as she dismisses my words "I don’t look at it that way I’ll just say this Next tiirlfriend, maybe you should prepare her a little better"

I chuckle There’s no way I’ain If I had my way, I’d never come back I don’t care how beautiful this place is I hate it This house is like a prison to ed breath escapes me Girls-- to be the death ofto hide

Bullshit I have so ay?"

Holy hell Why does everyone think this?

Fable

I wait breathlessly for his answer The air is frigid, the hipping around chillingthe sudden inhalation of nicotine for my way too brash question I could’ve waited at least a day or two, right? Hang out with hi fat er I had to know It woulddays a lot easier I wouldn’t have to worry about hi he wouldwhat my problem is and why he’s not attracted to ivena question with a question, which I hate Owen does that sort of thing toto y suspicion I have about him Not that I haveas hell drive to his parents’ house

"Well, you said you’ve never really had a girlfriend before Your dad is worried about you and your lack of feirl at the bar, let alone seen you flirt with any, not that I’ve paid any attention," Ihonest I haven’t paid too ht, he’s not that irl yet"

My heart flares with hope, which is so incredibly stupid I wish I could punch myself in the chest Yeah, I’ the one for Drew

The hired one? That’s all I’ll ever be

"Are you u yourself?" I forcehas turned to chaos I’m twenty He’s at least twenty-one Is there really a possibility he’s a virgin? I know they’re out there, but I never figured Drew Callahan for one

His dark chuckle tells h in But it’s…been a while"

I take a drag offinto his personal life when I have no business doing so

He shrugs, his flannel shirt stretching across his shoulders Drew has a really fine set of shoulders "I don’t do relationships Sex is too--co I find it far too easy "Maybe you’re having the wrong kind of sex"

"Maybe the wrong kind of sex is all you can get" His strong jaw goes firry I know this is all sorts of twisted, but he looks incredibly sexy His fierce expression alone o pitter-patter

His answer is way toothe wrong kind of sex" I try to laugh, flicking the ash of uised look of disgust

Drew’s not laughing either I wonder if I offended hiarette is because I’m nervous and it sucks that he doesn’t approve, but I can’t help it I sht it was cool and for whatever reason, the suraduated I up and quit cold turkey For the most part