Page 23 of Only After We Met

I started typing…

Picked my words carefully…

I felt her near me.

11

Ginger

I sat on the porch swing with the flower pattern, cracking up at something James said. I don’t remember what. After a few drinks, anything seemed funny to me, no matter how stupid. He sat down next to me, and I shouted as the swing jerked and I had to grab on to one of the creaky chains. I could hear the music and the partygoers in the background.

“Is that my drink?” I said, pointing at his hand.

“Not unless you tell me another joke.”

“I’m not a circus clown.”

“You are the funniest girl I’ve met today though.” We’d been talking and dancing awhile inside and had finally decided to get a breath of fresh air.

“Let’s see.” I took a deep breath like I was getting ready for a big performance and turned toward him. He was staring at me. The swing started to move again. Our knees touched. “What did the banana say to the Jell-O? I haven’t even undressed yet, and you’re already trembling all over.”

“Jesus, Ginger!” he laughed.

My phone buzzed just then.

I looked at it, distracted, a little overexcited. But everything froze when I saw his name. I smiled as I read the message.I’ve never seen such an insanely sexy cookie. Have fun. And remember: Us on the moon.

“It’s weird we’ve never met before.”

I looked at James. “Is it though? I never go to parties like this.”

“Why, because you used to have a boyfriend?” he guessed. “And now you…don’t?”

I saw him looking at my phone, which I stuffed in my pants pocket while I shook my head. “No. I’m not with anyone.”

“Good to know.”

“Why?”

“I don’t want trouble.”

A second later, he was kissing me, and I was frozen. It was slow, soft, almost delicate. Eventually I managed to react, wrapping my hands around his neck and laughing as I felt the swing rock. He laughed too. I kissed him back, but harder, enjoying that intoxicating feeling and wanting it to keep going on. After dancing and not thinking about anything, I felt happy, at ease.

I was Ginger Davies.

One insanely sexy cookie.

12

Rhys

I stood up when I saw my mother. My heart was pounding. My mind was a mess, and I couldn’t think straight. She looked the same as always: neat in her light-colored suit, hair pulled back, her severe hair a contrast to her kind face and her huge sunglasses. I used to joke that she looked like a Hollywood actor in them.

I walked toward her, and a second later, she was in my arms, and I was hugging her and didn’t know if I’d be able to let her go. She was wearing the same cloying perfume as always. She pulled back to look at me from head to toe. Her lower lip was trembling; she was about to cry. I prayed she wouldn’t.

“You’re… You look good,” she managed to say.

“You too.” I smiled, almost as a reflex.