Page 62 of It's a Date (Again)

She takes a step onto the porch, dressed in a long nightgown and a robe.

I look to her. “Wait, you have a gun?”

“No, I just say that to scare away burglars. But I do have a cattle prod, and I’m not afraid to use it.” She surveys Robbie and me. “What are you two doing?”

“HeyDebbie,”he says. His words slur together, forming one word.

Debbie flares her nostrils. “Robbie, are you drunk?”

“No,” he lies.

I nod. “Yes, he is.”

“Way to be a tattletale,” he pouts.

“She didn’t need to tattle. It’s clear you’re drunk as a skunk, Robbie.”

Bending over, I grab his arm and force myself underneath his shoulder. Debbie takes his other arm and helps hoist him up, getting him back on his feet.

“This porch is uneven, Debbie,” he says. “Probably wanna get Tyler over here to inspect it.”

She narrows her eyes. “My porch is perfectly level.”

Robbie leans into me.

“Let’s get you to bed,” I whisper.

“I’m not even tired,” he slurs, backing away from both of us and standing upright on his own. His body sways side to side. My arms and hands are already braced, ready to catch him if he falls again.

Debbie takes one step back and surveys him. She folds her arms across her chest. “You’re the one that’s supposed to be taking care of Peyton. Not the other way around.”

“I did by testing Tyler’s ability to withstand peer pressure. He failed, by the way. He’s no good.”

I roll my eyes.

“Are you okay to get him upstairs?” Debbie asks.

“Yeah,” I say, leading Robbie to my door. He walks a little better this time, still wobbly, but he’s trying. I unlock it and push it open. “Good night.”

“Night, you two. Holler if you need anything,” she says.

I lock the door behind me and eyeball the staircase. It seems more like a mountain now with drunk Robbie by my side. “All right, one more flight of stairs. Think you can make it?”

He swivels his head toward me and leans it against mine. “You smell nice.”

“I’ll take that as a yes.” I push more of my weight up and under his shoulder, and we sway side to side as we stumble up each carpeted step. Robbie holds on to the railing for balance but leans into me. At the top of the stairs, I blow out a deep breath. “Almost there,” I say as I start guiding him down the hallway.

In the bedroom, I switch on the lights. Robbie closes his eyes and holds a hand to his face, shielding them. “It’s too bright. Turn them off.”

“I’ll turn them off once I get you into bed,” I say, helping him to the other side.

“I can’t believe you thought I was trying to run the clock out on our pact.”

I help him get his jacket off, unzipping, sliding it off his arms, and tossing it aside.

“Yeah, and I can’t believe your forgot about our pact.”

Robbie stumbles back a step but he keeps his eyes on me. They’re intense right now. He unties the drawstring on his joggers and slides them down his legs. Underneath, he’s wearing a pair of black boxer briefs. He steps out of his pants shakily, using the nightstand to keep himself standing upright, and kicks them aside.