Graceless (Grace Notes #2)

Lane’s cheeks turned all the way up to crimson.

“I’m gonna head off,” they announced, getting stiffly to their feet. “I’ve got kind of a headache.”

Everyone watched them go. The door of the guesthouse shut with an audible thud.

“Cassidy.” Savannah stared at her. “What in the world did you do to Lane?”

Distantly, Cassidy wondered if she should resent that. Sober Cassidy would be pissed that Savannah instantly took Lane’s side instead of her sister’s, but drunk Cassidy was only focused on the hurt in Lane’s eyes.

“You’re right,” she said calmly. “I’m gonna apologize.”

She ignored the loud protests of her dining companions and, placing her feet carefully so as not to wobble, made it all the way to the guest house.

Lane looked up as she entered their living room. They were curled up in the corner of their sofa, their knees bent up like a kid.

“Are you serious?” they asked irritably. “You don’t even knock?”

“Knock knock,” Cassidy said belatedly. Lane sighed.

“I kind of left because I didn’t want to see you right now?” they pointed out.

Cassidy sat at the other end of the sofa, ignoring the huff her action produced and kicked off her shoes.

“We’re going to have to figure this out,” she said, settling in. “Because as I believe you already know,” she pointed at them, “we live together.”

“There’s nothing to figure out,” Lane snapped. “We made a decision. And it’s cool.”

“So cool,” Cassidy agreed. “Can I tell you about my day?”

“I’d really rather you didn’t.” Lane looked away.

“You didn’t look at me this morning,” she began, “which makes me crazy. Then I literally fantasized about you in public, which is an awkward thing to happen in the street.” Lane turned to look at her, their eyes a little wider. “But I know you’re off limits now. So I went to go pick up the bartender,” she explained.

“I’m good,” they gritted out. “I don’t need to hear the rest.”

“Oh, but you do. He gave me a stack of free drinks-”

“Clearly.”

“And told me I was the prettiest girl he’d ever seen.”

“Of course.” Lane looked slightly sick.

“And he told me he lived upstairs and would I like to come up.” Now Lane was silent. “I said yes. When we got up there, he kissed me and I let him.” A slightly strangled noise escaped them. “And it was gross,” she said quietly. There was a silence. Lane looked up.

“What?”

“It was gross.” She shrugged. “His beard scratched me. His tongue was too big. He didn’t smell like you.” Lane sucked in a breath. “I said goodbye and I left, and Burt took me home.”

They sat in silence for a long while. Cassidy wondered if she was sobering up. The room wasn’t spinning, but her eyes felt heavy. Then, silently, Lane took hold of her bare ankles and gently dragged her all the way along the couch toward them.

“Are you finally going to have sex with me?” she asked hopefully, as she arrived practically in their lap with a bump.

“Not a chance.” Lane maneuvered her legs so she was just sitting next to them, pressed up tight against their side. “I don’t have sex with drunk people. And anyone who gives a girl a bunch of drinks before they try to sleep with her is a real asshole.” They wrapped their arm around her and Cassidy let her head drop onto their shoulder.

“I don’t think he was trying to be a creep,” she mused. “I think he was just trying to give me whatever I wanted. Unlike some people.”

“Whatever,” Lane said quietly. “I hate him.”