Nothing.
I know it was Zeke and my mom’s anniversary party, but I don’t recall anything past arriving there. I don’t remember the fight that led up to getting arrested, and I certainly don’t recall what got into me that would cause such a violent reaction out of me.
I’m not a fighter.
That night is one big, black hole. But something in those two sentences that he muttered while thrusting into me has me questioning what the fuck I said to him. The memory is just outside of my reach, and it’s driving me nuts. It’s like an itch I can’t quite scratch.
Walking around the track for another twenty minutes, I finally decide I cannot stand in this Georgia summer heat any longer, and I make my way back to the car. I left my phone in there so I wouldn’t be tempted to mess around on it instead of doing what I came here to do.
Turning the car on and blasting the AC, I grab the phone and pull up Katie’s contact, hitting dial. It only rings a few times before it connects.
“Hello, hello,” she sing-songs.
“How was your late-night, drunk hook-up with the sheriff?”
She scoffs, and it makes me laugh. “Fuck off. There was no hook-up.”
“Mmhm, sure,” I drawl. “What are you doing right this second?”
“Nothing. Just got back from a shoot. Why?”
“Can you come to the house?” I ask, putting the car into reverse and backing up. “I need to talk to you about something.”
“Is it something bad?”
“Not at all. Can you? I’m on my way back there now.”
“Where were you?” She’s so fucking nosy.
“Can you or not? Jesus, Katie.”
We both chuckle.
“Yeah, I’ll head over now.”
It doesn’t take me but ten minutes to pull up out front, happy to see Zeke’s car still gone. Not that I thought he’d be home yet, since it’s only a little after one in the afternoon, so he’ll probably be at work for another four or five hours.
Katie surprisingly pulls up beside my car before I’m even able to get inside. She waves when she sees me before climbing out.
“You got here fast,” I mutter as we head up the steps.
“Well, yeah. I live right down the road.” She laughs.
Hilda greets us as soon as we walk in. It’s her first day back after her two-week vacation. Her, her daughter, and her new grandbaby all went to California for the holiday. Apparently, they have family out there.
“Hi, Mr. Elias, Miss Katie.” She smiles. “Can I get you two anything to drink? A snack?”
“I think we’re okay,” I reply. “Thank you, though. We’ll be out by the pool.”
“Certainly. Let me know if you change your mind.”
We get situated by the pool, our legs dangling in. The cool water feels great against the heat of the air.
“So, what was so important that I needed to rush over here?” Katie asks.
“Do you want to get a place together?”
I’ve been wondering how me moving out would work, especially with my previous concerns about finding a landlord that will rent to me, even with my unconventional ways of making money. Then I remembered that Katie has talked about wanting to move out too. I’m already used to living with roommates, so it’s not like living alone is a hard rule for me. And we already get along so well. It would honestly be perfect.
