Page 113 of Only After We Met

“The sun was almost down though.”

“I’ll go to the pharmacy to look for something.”

“I want to cry. It hurts,” she moaned.

I bent down, kissed her on the head, and went to look for my keys. It was three in the afternoon, and we’d just woken up. Ginger was so red, I was shocked when I saw her. The outline of my glasses around her eyes was white, making her look like a raccoon. I could hardly keep from laughing when I saw her walk into the kitchen for coffee looking like that.

I returned after buying cream to soothe the burn and told her to lie on the sofa so I could rub it into her back after she’d done her face, arms, and legs. She obeyed and I slowly lifted her shirt.

“Careful.”

“I know. Relax.”

“I promise I’ll listen to you next time,” she said as I spread the cream on her. I took a deep breath as I touched her waist. “How can I even go outside? I’m supposed to go to your work tonight. Youwon’t be able to introduce me to your friends…”

“Don’t be stupid.”

“They’ll think I’m a lobster.”

“I’m going to unfasten your bra, okay?”

“What? No, leave it. It hurts.”

I held her down softly when I saw she was trying to get up, and I undid the clasp. She took a deep breath as that torture device was removed, and I rubbed the cream on slowly. Then I pulled her T-shirt back down and stood, my mouth dry.

“Don’t act stupid, and try to stay comfortable for the next few days.”

“I need to buy clothes,” she complained.

“Fine. We’ll go tomorrow afternoon.”

59

Ginger

I don’t know what I imagined when Rhys told me about his job in Ibiza, but this wasn’t it. I never thought the place would be so big, with all the people going wild inside, jumping and drinking to the rhythm of the music. I was amazed to see the spectacle as I was dragged up to the VIP lounge on the second floor, which looked down on the whole area. The floor seemed to be vibrating to the music.

I looked around and saw two guys and three girls, young, good-looking, and dressed for the occasion, not at all like me in my beach clothes with my face burned by the sun.

“Bro, you disappeared,” one of the guys said. He had an English accent and uncombed, dark curly hair.

“We thought you died,” a young blond added.

“Alec, this is Ginger, the girl I told you about.”

“What’s up, precious? Come here.” He motioned toward the empty seat next to him. “Don’t worry. I’ll stay with her till you’re done.”

“Cool. So this is Bean, Emily”—he pointed at the blond girl—“and her friends…”

“Helen and Gina.” They introduced themselves when they realized Rhys couldn’t remember their names.

“Right. Sorry. I gotta go…” He looked at me hesitantly.

“Relax, bro, I’ll take good care of her.” Alec wrapped his arm around my shoulders and lit a cigarette. I guess smoking was permitted in the VIP. Among many other things, as I had discovered. “Get out of here, Rhys.”

He looked back at me one more time and disappeared into the crowd. He had spoken to me already that afternoon about his friends. Or rather, his acquaintances. He’d been hanging out with them since he’d gotten here. He was closest to Alec, the nephew of the club’s owner.

“Where are you from?” he asked me.