Page 80 of The Long Way Home

Twenty

BJ

She was a little hot mess tonight, and I mean that in every way possible.

I probably should have gone after Jordan — didn’t.

Probably shouldn’t have come home with Parks either — did.

Felt like I had to a bit though.

She’s a mess because of a mess we made together, and I should have been there. Should have known she’d never miss it too.

Parks starts throwing up when I get her home.

“You can go,” Bridge tells me as she watches Magnolia throw up in a £50,000 Qing Dynasty vase.

I let out a dry laugh and nod towards her sister.

“Bridge, I think this is going to require the touch of a professional.”

She smirks, gives me a dry look. “You are a professional at touching my sister.”

I squash down a laugh, remind myself that I have a girlfriend and the night can’t go how I wish it could.

Bridget starts walking up the stairs, then stops midway up and looks back at me.

“Are you okay?”

I look up at her. I know what she means, what she’s really asking.

“Yeah.” I nod. “Thanks.”

I give her a small smile and then Magnolia starts vomiting again, fracturing the moment.

Bridget laughs as she jogs up the stairs. “Good luck with that.”

I scoop Parks up in my arms. “Come on.”

Carry her up the stairs. I love these stairs. I’ve missed these stairs. I have a thing for her and stairs, don’t know why.

Actually, I do. I used to think about asking her to marry me on the Spanish Steps in Rome about a hundred years ago when I was allowed to think about marrying her.

Back then, I thought I’d have married her by now, but instead I’m carrying her to her bathroom so she can throw up again because we still haven’t sorted our fucking shit out.

I place her down by the toilet. She grabs the bowl, starts chucking up again.

I kneel behind her, hold her hair back til she stops.

She rests her head on her arms on top of the toilet, all exhausted and shit — hair’s a mess, eyes are smudged.

She stares over at me.

I tilt my head. “How are you feeling?”

She blinks a couple of times then musters a smile. “Like the prettiest girl in the room.”

I nod once.