Before slipping out of the room, he set up his streaming service to play reruns of one of the Real Housewives franchises. Mary Allison wasn’t sure which city, but she looked forward to Donnie’s commentary. Pushing herself back, she propped up her head on a couple of Donnie’s cushy pillows just before he returned with two bottles of water.
He handed her the beverage. “Drink up, hooker. I can’t have you hungover while we’re shoe shopping tomorrow. We need to find some super-sexy boots or heels or something to go with the dress I’m making for you to wear to our high school reunion. You’re gonna look so cute, boo.”
“Thanks, Donnie, you are too good to me.” She took a sip from the bottle.
“I know that’s right,” he deadpanned before busting out laughing. “It’s going to have long, flowing sleeves,” He stretched out his arms. “Almost like a kimono but it’s going to be black and short with a sheer neckline. All those boys from school are going to be chasing you…except for the ones chasing me!” His eyes lit up as he spoke.
She giggled, impressed by his passion. The two watched a couple of episodes of their show and Donnie commented, “I don’t care what anyone says. I miss Danielle.”
“Is she the prostitution whore one?” Mary Allison spoke with a raised voice to mimic the famous words she was borrowing from the iconic scene.
“Danielle was the one being called the prostitution whore. The screamer is that one there.” Donnie pointed at the brunette on screen.
“Ah, now I remember. She was entertaining.” Mary Allison sucked in a breath and then exhaled. “Hey, Donnie?”
He turned his head toward her, lifting his eyebrows and smirking. “Hey, Mary Allison?”
“Shut your ass!” She nudged him with her elbow. “Do you remember that camp your parents sent you to the summer before our senior year to de-gay you?”
“Yes, girl! I never got my dick sucked so much in my whole damn life!”
Mary Allison laughed so hard she spewed water. “I never understood why they yanked you out of a school with no other openly gay kids to send you to a camp full of homosexual guys if they were so scared of your liking dudes.”
He shrugged. “To be fair, that was a new, very poorly run program. I’ve heard some horror stories about other places kids were sent to for conversion, and they were no joke.”
Her eyes widened. “Yikes. I’ve heard about some of that stuff. Did they do anything bad to you?” She grabbed his hand.
He pushed his lips into a grim line, his eyes darkening. “Yeah, there was the demoralizing shit-talking about the way I felt was somehow wrong and the whole program rested on a ridiculous notion that I could change it. There was also a lot of lectures about sin and abstinence and how we were too young to even know what we wanted—as if I’d wake up one day with a hankering for some pussy.” The smart ass look on his face as he rolled his eyes broke through the serious moment and Mary Allison spewed water again.
“Damn it!” She wiped her chin.
“Damn it?” He waved off her comment, lifting an eyebrow. “Bitch got my bedspread all wet and she says ‘damn it’. I should be the one saying damn it. You’re lucky I like to live the luxurious life or you wouldn’t have such plush, thick fabric to keep you from feeling that mess.” He waved his index finger back and forth as he spoke.
“Sorry,” she used a baby voice known to make him snicker while hugging him. He returned her hug and pulled her tight. “No matter what, from here to hell, you are my boo, Mary Allison Applegate.”
She locked pinkie fingers with him. “You’re mine too, Donald Collin McLeary!” She could barely get his whole name out without cracking a smile at his cringing face. His hatred for his given moniker had led him to legally change his name to Donald Max McLean, and he always went by Donnie Mac or Don McLean. Imitating his pouting face as best she could, she lifted her water bottle in a feigned toast. “Here’s to Irish-Catholic parents!”
“Damn! You’re going to have me spewing water.” He laughed. “Leprechaun sounding shit… Seriously though, boo, you okay?”
“Sure, why wouldn’t I be?” She relaxed against the pillows behind her.
“Well, you don’t usually get upset about not meshing well with a date. That Holden had you breathing hard, and you drank a lot more tonight than you are known to do.”
“Yeah, I guess he did…does have me breathing hard. I’m so pissed, Donnie. I mean, he’s sexy in an uptight, bend-you-over-the-desk-and-spank sort of way.”
Her friend’s lips turned upward and parted as his eyes danced. “Oh, my.”
“Yeah, I sort of wanted to fuck, but I never thought his stuffy, Armani-model ass would be right for me, and then he showed up knowing about Firefly and looking casual cute. Bastard fucked everything up and I still have to work with him.”
A shit-eating grin curved Donnie’s lips, and he nudged her with his elbow. “He wiggled into your geek zone. No wonder.”
She scowled. “Shut up.”
“You are a strong, beautiful, grown-ass woman, worthy of any man you want. Don’t forget that.” He tapped the side of her head with one finger.
She looked off to the side. While she always appreciated how he built her up, but she didn’t always believe him. “Thanks.”
“I’m sorry, boo. Maybe today was a fluke and he doesn’t know anything else good and…” His voice trailed off as he watched her hop out of bed and walk over to her bag. “Boo…what are you…?” His eyes widened. “Oh no! Gimme that damn phone!” He struggled to his feet but stumbled.
Mary Allison finished her text before
