Read Always and Forever for Free Online Page A

from
     the bottle of Knob Creek she got for Christmas from a customer.
    I laugh then take a drink making a face not used to drinking straight bourbon or whiskey
     or whatever this is. We’re sitting on the loveseat that’s at the back of my store
     with our feet up on the coffee table, high heels on the floor under it.
    “Who got this for you?” I ask.
    “Sean Matthews, Mr. Sexy Football Coach,” she answers, biting her lip. “If he didn’t
     have a girlfriend, although I’ve never seen her, I’d be all over him like herpes on
     a vag—”
    I slap a hand over her mouth. “Don’t you dare finish that.”
    She snorts when I take my hand away then clanks her teacup against mine before taking
     a drink. “So, you doing better now?”
    I down what’s left in my cup and she refills it. “I’m still pissed,” I say with a
     shrug. “But one more cup of this and I might not give a shit anymore.”
    “There’s your answer. Just stay drunk all the time and you won’t be mad.”
    I roll my eyes. “Did you talk to Mike?”
    “No, but they gave him my number, so I’m waiting to see what he’s gonna have me do
     for a whopping thirty bucks, Ms. I Got Bought for Five Hundred Dollars. Jesus, that’s
     a lot of cash.”
    I purse my lips. “I know. So stupid.” I finish off the rest of my drink and welcome
     the fogginess that’s starting to invade my head giving me a slight reprieve from my
     worries. Ryan just might have something with the staying drunk all the time gig.
    She lifts her cup to her mouth and says before drinking, “At least the money’s going
     to a good cause.”
    I laugh and take the bottle from her filling my cup again. “I hope the park people
     erect an elephant with a slide coming out of its ass in his honor.”
    Ryan giggles. “Or a fountain with a woman vomiting out the water.”
    “In my likeness and flipping everyone off,” I add and smirk at the thought.
    “Good one.”
    “I wonder what Brody’s gonna want me to do.” I curl my legs up under me, covering
     them with my dress as I turn to face her resting my cup on my thigh.
    She puts her head back against the loveseat and looks at me. “You probably don’t want
     me to answer that.”
    “God, is your mind always in the gutter?”
    “Pretty much.”
    “I’m thinking I’ll just give the city the five-hundred dollars and they can void his
     check. Then I won’t have to worry about it.”
    “You’re no fun.”
    I shrug. We sit in silence for a bit drinking, both of us wondering what these guys
     are going to make us do. She’s had two more cups than I have now and I know that’s
     not good because she’s a lightweight when it comes to alcohol. I’m about to tell her
     to slow down when my phone rings. “Hey, Greer,” I answer. “Tell Clay thanks for trying.”
    “Hi, Greersy-poo!” Ryan hollers.
    I put the phone on speaker. “Hey, Ry,” Greer replies. “Yeah, he tried. Sorry, Pipe.
     We just couldn’t justify putting up Addie’s college fund to bail you out of being
     won by Brody.” She snorts. “Where are you guys?”
    “My store getting plastered. You should join us,” I tell her.
    “I would but we’re leaving in the morning and I don’t want to deal with a hangover
     and being in the car for an hour with Addie wanting to play ‘Where’s the moo cow’
     all the way home.”
    “Aw! I don’t want you to leave yet,” I say with a pout.
    “I know but Clay works Monday and I’ve got a mani-pedi scheduled. Maybe you can come
     up next weekend?”
    “Maybe. Unless I’m having to be Brody’s fucking slave.”
    “Oooh, a fucking slave. I’m thinking that might kinda be fun.” She chuckles again.
    “I see you’ve got jokes tonight,” I snap. Ryan’s cracking up so I smack her arm and
     give her a scowl.
    “Hey!” she grumbles, scowling at me then she smiles suddenly. “Wouldn’t mind being
     Mike’s fucking slave,” she retorts and starts laughing again. Yep. She’s