Patrick laughed. “Showing her the ropes.”

“The ins and outs,” West added with a snicker.

I laughed, mostly because he was snickering about his sister. “There’s something about it that’s like a drug. To just own her like that, to show her something she’s never experienced. I never get sick of that look on her face. Like I blew her mind.”

“Years of practice paying off,” West said.

“What can I say. I’m a man of many talents.”

Patrick shook his head. “I wish I could … I don’t know. Give a fuck about another girl. I mean, I’m surrounded by hot chicks every day. Chicks I could take home with a word. Like Ronnie.”

West and I made appreciative noises. Ronnie was a tattoo artist at Tonic, where Patrick worked — a smoking hot, cat-eyed, raven-haired badass, covered in tattoos, with piercings that were somehow light and feminine, gauges, lip ring. She even had her septum pierced, which I usually hated. But she wore it well. And she wanted a piece of Patrick, bad.

His mistake was … well, he’d made a lot of mistakes. After he dumped Rose like an idiot, he brought Ronnie to Habits in a display of next-level dumbfuckery. I don’t know what he’d been thinking. But it was the final blow for Rose, and Ronnie hadn’t ever given him up.

Patrick took a drink and continued. “I just can’t, you know? It’s like once I had a taste, nothing else will satisfy my thirst. I’ve been thirsty for six months, and I still can’t think about being with anyone else. It’s fucked up.”

West picked up his drink. “Maybe one day you just meet a girl with a magical ass. Like she has some sorcery about her that renders every other ass null and void.”

Patrick laughed. “Voodoo Pussy. No other pussy will do. It’ll haunt you until you die.”

West snorted. “Bewitching Box.”

“Hexing Hole.” I took a drink, and we all snickered like junior high kids. “Do you think there’s a man-version of that? Like Incredicock.”

“Witching Wang.” Patrick shot.

“Jackhammer Juju.” West added.

“Hypnodick. Dicknotize her with it,” I said.

We laughed hard enough that Shelby shook her head at us from down the bar, smiling.

The idea made so much sense to me. “So instead of soul mates, you’re fuck mates.” I nodded and took a drink. “I can get behind this theory.”

West smiled. “If Lily was the only woman I slept with for the rest of my life, I could die happy.”

Patrick rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I hear about it. Like, every fucking night.”

I shook my head at him. “You’ve got to get earplugs or something, Trick.”

“Trust me, I’ve tried, but they bug me, or they fall out. Can’t listen to music because I’ll actually listen to it. And I keep getting these white noise machines, but I can’t get one to work for more than twenty-four hours.”

West made a face. “Weird, man. Maybe we should call an electrician.”

“Whatever. It would just be nice if you could keep that shit between nine a.m. and eleven at night.”

West shrugged. “Can’t say I’m sorry.”

Patrick sighed.

“It’s so weird, you know? Being with Lily. All these years she’s been such a big part of my life, and I had no idea what I was missing. Everything came together, and now it all makes sense. I hope I never stop feeling like I do. Like I know exactly what I’m doing and what I need. Like my life is completely full because of her.” He emptied his drink and shook his head. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to get all sentimental. It’s just that I’ve never felt like this. Like I can’t see outside of what I’m experiencing because it’s so overwhelmingly good.”

Patrick and I shared a look, nodding as Shelby came around to get us another round, and our conversation turned to lighter topics, but I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Patrick knew the feeling West described all too well, though he was even more familiar with the loss of it. And me? I realized distantly that I had an idea of what he meant myself.

POSITIONS

Maggie

THE NEXT AFTERNOON, I TROTTED up the stairs with a smile that wouldn’t be stopped and blew through the front door of our apartment to find Rose at the table eating a bagel in her pajamas.

She lit up when she saw me. “How did it go?” she asked hopefully.

I closed the door behind me. “I got the job!” I sang.

She threw her hands up and wiggled her fingers, smiling. “Oh, my God! Congrats, Maggie! Details.”

I sat next to her and leaned on the table. “I was so excited — that job was at the top of my list, so I was super nervous. But the second the interview started, I was fine. The more we talked, the better I felt about it. Such a great fit. And they need someone to start immediately. She offered me the job on the spot, can you believe it? I start tomorrow!” I was so giddy, I almost felt like I was high.

“This is so amazing.”

“I know!” I gushed. “I feel like I could run around doing the Flashdance right now.” I let out a sigh. “I’m also really happy to actually have something productive to do. It’s been a minute. Like, since the wedding.”

Rose nodded as she took a bite. “It’s gonna be great, Maggie. I bet you’re so good with kids. Not like me. I make babies cry.”

I laughed. “No, you don’t.”

“I totally do. Kids hate me. I think I’m scary and awkward with kids, like I expect them to burst into tears or explode or something. You, on the other hand, look like an adorable Disney character.”

I shook my head and chuckled. “I’ll believe babies are scared of you when I see it.”

“You’ll laugh at me when you see it, but that’s all right too.” She set down her breakfast and wiped her fingers on her napkin. “So you start tomorrow? That’s so soon.”

“I’ve got to start working on my lesson plans tonight, and tomorrow I’m getting a tour of the facility and working with the director on my lesson plans. Plus, it’s not like I have anything else to do.”

“Only Mr. M.” She waggled her brows and picked up her coffee.

I laughed. “Yes, only him. But I’ll still have plenty of time for him to tickle my fancy, even with a job.”

Rose smiled. “We should definitely celebrate tonight. We can get everyone together and go to Habits, yeah?”

“Do you work?”

“Nope, I’m off again.”

“You sure you want to go to work on your day off?”

She shrugged. “It’s my home away from home. Plus, I didn’t go in yesterday and had a pajama binge. My mascara’s calling me.”

My phone buzzed in my bag, and I reached into its depths, digging around before my fingers closed over it. I had a text from Mr. M.

How did it go?

I texted back, smiling. Nailed it. They offered me a position!

I knew they would. Can I offer you a position? You know, to celebrate.

My smile stretched wider. I will accept all celebratory positions. After Habits tonight — we’re going to have drinks if you want to come.

I always want to come.

I giggled, and Rose watched me with an eyebrow up. I guess I asked for that.

I’ll see you at Habits tonight. Wear those purple panties, the ones with the black lace. We’ll go to my place after.

I bit my lip. Anything you want.

I love the sound of that. 

My cheeks were hot as I set my phone face down on the table.

Rose shook her head. “You’ve got it bad.”

My blush deepened. “It’s nothing. We’re just hooking up.”

“Mmhmm. Sure.”

My brow bent, and I crossed my arms. “I’m so tired of explaining this to everyone. It’s like none of you trust me to handle my own decisions. Do you have any idea how frustrating that is?”