Page 22 of Running from Drac

“C’mon, Amber. Just some details. I want to picture this mysterious Australian that turned you into a bad girl.”

“Ugh, I’m not a bad girl, Mal, I just had a momentary lapse of judgment. I’m pretty sure I was drugged.”

“You said he was hot though, do hot guys actually drug girls?”

“I don’t know. All I know is I don’t remember anything about that night.”

“But you saw him in the morning, didn’t you? What did he look like with bed head?” She mocks my glare with one of her own. “C’mon, Amber, tell me please.”

“Fine, he was hot, okay? I’ve never seen anyone hotter. I swear there were so many muscles on his body he could’ve been a model for our Anatomy class. And his hair, don’t get me started on how fucking sexy long hair is on a guy. Longer than Eddie’s. Oh, and he had these moss-colored eyes. Like Spanish moss. They were unreal and really unforgettable. I’m gonna have those eyes locked in my brain for years to come.”

“It sounds like he was really hot!” she exclaims while placing another bottle on the shelf. “So did you get his number?”

“He called me last night. It was really noisy wherever he was so I only caught bits and pieces of the message but his number came up on my phone.”

“Are you going to call him?”

“No, I deleted it last night. I’m going to try to get back with Eddie. He’s the one I love. He’s the one I want to be with for the rest of my life.”

Mallory rolls her eyes as she cuts open the next box.

“Why would you want to put yourself through all that again?” She opens a bottle of Snow Apple and smells it, lettingout a content sigh. “This one is my favorite. I think I have eight bottles put away to buy just for myself it should last me until the New Year.”

“You use lotion way too much.” I can smell it on her, there’s an overabundance of apple wafting off her skin. Though, I have to admit, Snow Apple is one of my favorite scents too.

“I work in a perfume store, being a lotion whore is bound to happen.” She starts to grab another bottle, but stops abruptly, her eyes widening. “Speaking of Eddie.” Pointing behind me, she motions to the door. “He’s um, right over there.”

After whipping around, I find him standing by the door, motioning with his head to come talk to him.

“Can you cover for me?”

She nods.

“Thanks, Mal, I owe you one.”

One of his hands is hanging loosely by his side, the other is shoved into his pocket. He looks miserable.

“Hey,” he says, giving me half a smile. “Can we talk?”

“Um sure. I just can’t be gone too long.”

He nods. “It won’t take long.”

He leads me outside, both of us sitting on a bench by the door. There’s a cool breeze in the air, one that plays with the hair sticking out from beneath his ball cap.

“About what happened in Vegas—”

He cuts me off before I can say anything else. “Do you love me, Amber?”

His question throws me off. “Of course I do.” He recoils after I touch his hand, trying to comfort him. At first, I think it’s because he’s still upset, but then I realize it’s because it’s bruised and probably broken. “Eddie, your hand!”

He tucks it back in his pocket, wincing just a tad. “It’s fine. Look, Amber, I’m sorry about how I reacted last night. Iwas slightly drunk, and I’ll admit, a bit surprised by what you said.”

“I know, Eddie. I’m sorry. I never meant for any of it to happen, you have to believe me.”

He smiles, but only a little. “I’m trying. It’s just hard. The idea of another man touching you absolutely kills me inside.”

“I’m sorry… I wish I could say something else, but I’m sorry is all I have.”