Page 52 of Burn Falls

“Monday night I got a call from Athan.” She smiled, and I took a sip of my drink while I waited for her to continue. “And I may have seen him every night since.”

“What?” I choked on my margarita. “He’s been in Seattle all week?”

“Yeah. He comes over when I get home from work, we have dinner, and then we …you know. I pass out, and he leaves.”

“He leaves? Where does he go?”

V shrugged. “He said he was staying with that guy Martin.”

“So, it’s a nightly hook-up?”

“Pretty much.” She nodded.

“And you’re okay with that?”

“It’s not like he’s going to move here. We’re just having fun.”

“As long as you’re happy, I won’t give you shit.”

She leaned toward me and lowered her voice. “You know what’s weird though?”

“What?”

“I swear he fucks me so hard I have amnesia.”

Oh, dear Lord.I laughed—hard. “What the fuck?”

Valencia shook her head slowly as though she was trying to think of how to explain herself. She took a sip of her drink. “I know we have sex. You can always tell when you have sex, you know? And I remember bits and pieces, but I can’t remember every detail. Also, my neck is always sore the next morning.”

“Are you drunk?”

“Now?”

“No! When you two are—”

“No. That’s the thing. I have maybe a glass of wine. Max.”

“Have you asked him about it?”

“Ask him what? ‘Hey so this is crazy, but I can’t remember us fucking. Do you know why?’ Talk about an ego buster.”

“Well, when you put it that way.” We laughed. God, I was going to miss her. “Maybe you should record it?”

“Ladies.”

I turned my head around to see the man of discussion standing behind us.

“Athan!” V beamed. “What are you doing here?”

“My boy Draven said that I might find you two here.”

“You’re looking for us?” I asked.

“I’m looking for this one.” Athan wrapped his arm around Valencia and pulled her against him.

“You found her, but it’s Margarita Friday so you can’t take her,” I stated.

“Not wanting to take her—yet. Is it cool if I hang with you two?”