"You smoke weed a lot?" I watched him lick down the edge of a joint, and it did terrible, wonderful things to my insides.

"Not often. Just when I need to relax." He held the joint out to me.

"Are you telling me I need to relax?"

"Yes."

I took a drag. Coughed some and took another. It was nice. Tasted good. Mellow.

He was right—I did need to relax. The last fifteen minutes had been insanely awkward. He had asked to use the restroom, and I beelined for the kitchen, pouring myself the biggest glass of wine I could. I was gonna need it. A couple of hasty gulps to make more room in the glass, polishing off the bottle as he reappeared.

"Aren't you going to offer me some?"

I shook my head. "I'm not into doing jail time for corrupting minors."

"I'm old enough to drink." He was leaning against the doorway, watching me hog all the wine, and I scoffed.

"Yeah, right."

"Twenty-one last month. I'm legal."

"It's all gone." I shrugged. "Sorry."

"Then you'll have to share it with me."

Nope. I was going to need this entire glass to myself.

"There's more in that cabinet." I waved to my stockpile, and he picked a bottle of bourbon, the expensive one. I almost stopped him, but I let him crack the cap because of the way the muscles in his forearm flexed. Now, he was nursing a glass of liquor while I sipped my wine, and the sun set on the back patio.

"This is good stuff."

"My dad gave it to me. Cheap beer and expensive liquor. A man of many mysteries."

"A gift?"

I nodded. "I graduated nursing school with top marks and a toddler."

He was quiet for a while, sipping his drink while I chugged my wine.

"She could go pro," he said. "Easy."

I laughed. "Don't get ahead of yourself; she's only been doing this a week."

"Doesn't matter how long you've been doing it—just matters how good you are. She's good enough."

"Says the expert?" I chugged more wine, teasing him.

"I got sponsored when I was just a little older than she is. And I wasn't much better."

I stared at him. "You skate for money?

"Is it so unbelievable?"

"No, I mean… I just didn't know that was an actual thing."

"It's a thing."

"Like, competitions?"

"Yeah, and product tours. X games. Charity stuff."

"Wow."

"Don't sound so skeptical."

"I am." Inside, I was flailing. Maybe this kid was just jerking me around. A deadbeat who wished he was Tony Hawk.

"I make enough to live ok. Don't get me wrong—I sell boards for a buddy downtown to make some extra cash, and it gives me something to do. Mostly, I just try to get better and then win it or lose it. Hard."

"I bet you have the girls fawning all over you."

"It's the girl who isn't fawning all over me that I'm concerned about." He gave me a meaningful glare and drained his glass in one fast gulp.

"I'm not a girl."

"Woman, then."

AN

HH holds my heart and my words.

Thank you for reading.

HB