Blame it on the Tequila by Fiona Cole (the reading strategies book txt) 📕

Keeping my head down, I barreled through the crowd, blocking out anyone calling my name. I made it to the elevator, the doors just opening when the music blared into the hallway with the opened door.

“Dammit, Nova. Stop.”

I willed the doors to close faster but didn’t get that lucky. He stopped the door and climbed in with me.

“What are you doing here?” I sneered.

“Making sure you don’t run off half wasted and get hurt.”

“Like you care.”

I kept my eyes glued to the panel of numbers, begging the elevator to move faster. From my periphery, I watched his hands dig into his hair. He let out a frustrated growl before facing me.

“What do you want, Nova?”

“Nothing I can have,” I grumbled, letting some honesty slip free.

He shook his head and huffed a laugh. “You’re drunk.”

“And you’re a whore.”

“No. I’m a seventeen-year-old guy.”

“Exactly,” I snapped. “A fucking whore.”

“Jesus Christ,” he laughed without humor.

For as much as I stayed still and kept my eyes forward, he moved. His arms flew out in exasperation. He paced the small cube, rubbed his mouth, and shoved his hands back into his hair.

“You know what? Fuck it,” he said, stepping closer. “I went with her because if I stayed with you, I’d have taken you to that back room, and that can’t happen.”

That got my attention. I jerked my head up, meeting his angry, heated eyes.

“Yeah. Exactly,” he said, like my shock confirmed he made the right choice. “I would have taken you back there and made you dance for me again, this time taking your clothes off until I had access to every inch of you and could do what I really fucking wanted. And the only reason I’m telling you this is because you’re too drunk to remember in the morning.”

I couldn’t ever imagine not remembering this. This moment when his words set me on fire. When my cheeks flamed with the thought of being naked in front of Parker. Embarrassed that I liked the image he painted. Terrified of wanting it too.

“Why didn’t you?” I challenged.

“Because it’s not right, Nova. It’s too complicated.”

The obvious answer fell from his lips like he hated saying them as much as I hated hearing them.

“Parker…” I said his name because I think I just needed to hear it, but I didn’t know what to follow it up with. In the end, he was right. The can of worms giving in would open wasn’t worth it. At least, it wasn’t on paper. The tequila made everything swirl in a not-so-fun way, and I just wanted to go home.

“Yeah?” he asked when I didn’t say anything else.

“I’m tired.”

He heaved a relieved breath like I’d pardoned him from death, and I understood it at the same time as hating it. The door slid open, and he held his hand out. “Let’s go home.”

I latched on gratefully and let him lead me home. Usually, we took the subway, but after such a long night, we opted for a cab.

By the time we made it home, my exhaustion had turned a little crazy, and every time I stumbled, I giggled like an idiot. Parker did his best to keep me upright, laughing with me.

“It’s not fair that you’re not drunk with me,” I said, almost falling into my bedroom.

He shrugged. “Life’s not fair, Supernova.”

“Truth.” I blew out hard and fell back on the mattress.

I managed to get my shoes off and shimmy out of my jeans, not really caring that Parker still stood there, a bottle of pills in one hand and a bottle of water in the other.

“Uhhh …Nova.”

“Relax, I’m just too tired to care. Toss me my shorts.”

He did and finally relaxed once I had them over my hips. I climbed under the covers and gladly took the water and meds. When he tried to walk away, I snatched his hand.

“You need something else?” he asked, looking at my hand clutching his.

“I just don’t want to be alone. I’m not ready for you to leave.”

When he didn’t move, I tugged him softly, nodding toward the empty spot in my bed. After a moment, he finally caved, kicking off his shoes and climbing in, turning off the lights before lying next to me. We both laid on our backs and stared up at the ductwork decorating the ceiling.

“What’s not fair to you?” I asked softly, not wanting to disturb the moment.

He blew out a breath, and I wondered if he’d answer. Parker was light and smiley, but I knew things plagued him. I heard it in his music, in the moments he thought no one was listening.

“My mom left us.” He stated the fact so easily I could have believed it meant nothing to him, except for the shuddering breath afterward. “Just started a new family like ours wasn’t enough. Like I wasn’t enough.”

I reached over and snagged his hand, linking our fingers.

“And when I wanted to rant and rage over it, I was told to just smile—to push it aside, and it would fade with time.”

“Did it?”

“Maybe a little. What didn’t help was her constantly pushing me to be someone else. She thinks my music is a waste and that I don’t have what it takes to get there. So, the only time she tells her new circle of friends about her son is when it involves school.”

“I’m sorry, Parker. She has no idea what you’re capable of. She must have never seen you play because otherwise, she’d never doubt your talent.”

“Even if my talent isn’t perfect. I’m going to make it, Nova. Come hell-or-high water, I’ll make it. If only to make her see me.”

“I see you, Parker. I want you—the real you.”

His hand squeezed mine, and I held on tight.

“I forgive you,” I said after a stretch of silence.

“For what?” he asked incredulously.

“For abandoning me to get your dick sucked.”

“Uhhh…”

“Especially since you didn’t come.”

“What?” he asked, laughing.

“I mean, you still looked hard when I walked in, and unless you came in point-two seconds—which would be sad if we’re being