Page 34 of Special Delivery

“How do you know that?”

She shrugs. “I like plants. They’re fascinating.” She pauses for a second before continuing, “I wanted to apologize… for today.”

“It’s okay. You don’t have to apologize. It was an honest mistake.” I dare to sneak a peek at her, and the sight of her flushed cheeks painted in the colors of the sunset punches the breath out of my lungs.

“Maybe.” She lets out a soft huff. “But I still practically sexually assaulted you.”

“You can assault me any time you want.” It was supposed to be a joke, but my nose scrunches as soon as it exits my mouth. “Sorry, that was bad.”

Luckily, she chuckles, the sound warm and honest. To keep myself from saying anything else, I light up the joint. I inhale a deep breath, and she lets out a gasp.

“Is that pot?” she whispers. “Are you smoking pot right now?”

“Well, I had to do something to erase today’s image from my mind,” I respond with a laugh. She slaps my shoulder playfully, and I like the feeling of her hand on me. “Kidding.” I lift the joint in the air. “It’s medicinal. I get really bad headaches.”

“Well, I for one haven’t smoked pot since college.”

This time, I turn fully toward her. Her hair is wild and messy, only adding to her beauty. “You smoked in college? I’d never guess.”

“Of course. I like plants, don’t I?” Her teasing tone pulls another smile out of me. Her voice turns to a whisper. “I might have even grown a plant or two.”

My eyes widen. “Really?”

“Don’t act so shocked.”

“You just don’t seem like the type.”

“Well, maybe I’m not anymore.” A hint of sadness creeps into those captivating eyes.

“Want to join me?” My hand reaches out, hoping she’ll take the offer.

Slowly, reluctantly, she does. With shaky but experienced fingers, she lifts the joint to her lips, taking a hit. It’s followed by a cute cough before she returns it. I take another hit. The fuzzy cover that was wrapped around my mind is already slipping off, the tension slowly loosening.

“So headaches, huh?”

“Yeah. Tension headaches, they call them. Triggered by stress, mostly.”

“Fuck, that’s like being allergic to oxygen. Stress is everywhere.”

Another laugh bubbles out of me. “Pretty much.”

“So, how do you do it? Avoid the stress?” She takes the joint from my hands, taking another hit.

“Well, so far I’ve quit my high-paid corporate job in San Francisco and moved back to Fig Bay to live with my mom.”

“Shit, Ryan. I didn’t know. I’m sorry for making assumptions.”

“Yeah, you sure did make assumptions,” I say lightheartedly.

She hands me the joint back, her gaze dropping to the palm trees below us. “My writing got so bad that I almost lost the one job I’ve always wanted. Now, to keep it, I have to write about trying out sex toys.”

“Oh, that’s what that is.” That gets me another slap on the shoulder.

“I was honest. The toys you delivered weren’t my idea. I was kind of forced into it.”

“That’s fucked up.”

“What do you mean?”