Lipstick & Camera Clicks

by D.J. Murphy

“Yeah, I need to find work. Hopefully, I’ll hear back soon.” He scratches the back of his neck and looks away. “You don’t have to try so hard. I’m not in a rush for you to leave.”

“Unless you want to borrow mine. My stuff looks good on you.” I wave him off. Flirting is a part of Rivers’ personality and I’ve learned not to take it seriously.

“You’re the easiest person to love. There’s no way he doesn’t regret it.

“I’m not mad. I just learned not to let you go again.” He brushes sand from my hair, “I’m just saying he mishandled you in ways that will never make sense to me.”

“If we’re being honest, I made Javi who he is today. Some men are good at that. They know which women they can suck dry until they don’t need them anymore.”

I’ll be the bad guy if they want me too, but they can hate me while I collect that check.

“I had it in my head since we were kids that you were mine. I’ve been in love with you since before I was old enough to know what love was.”

“You can’t put a meal in front of a starving man and then take it away.”