Wild Card

by Elsie Silver

“Yeah, it’s like when life gives you lemons, don’t be an asshole to the service staff. Or something like that.”

“Oh, tonight? Tonight is just our meet-cute. It’s the night we’ll tell our kids about one day. Remember?”

I tell myself it’s just goodbye for now and not forever. Because the world works in mysterious ways, and it would never squander a meet-cute like ours.

To the outside observer, it would appear that I’m staring at the guy I showed up here with. But they would be wrong. I’m staring at his dad.

I watch Bash go with my heart in my throat and my eyes on his ass.

“Gwen told me about the chakras yesterday. She said one has to do with enlightenment. And you are certainly not acting very enlightened.”

He’d hobbled away and come back with a handful of cash, shoving it at me brusquely. Then he looked me straight in the eye and told me to never work for free. To never sell myself short or question my value.

“Almost as impressive as the depth of my daddy issues and the uniform kink my upbringing sent me out into the world with.”

“Careful what you wish for, Gwen. I’ve got a laundry list of ways I’d like to watch you work for it, and none of them involve poker.”

I’m damned if I do, and damned if I don’t.” Then let’s be damned together

“Don’t act so surprised. I love that big doofus like he’s my own, and to be frank, you’re feeling an awful lot like my second doofus.”

Too many people walk around never reflecting on their actions, never owning them, never admitting when they’re wrong.

“It’s not complicated. You look at her like she hung the moon, and she’s the only woman in the world who finds your shitty attitude to be endearing.” “I don’t have a shitty attitude.” He turns in his chair to face me. “Kid, you are one big shitty attitude. When I close my eyes and try to envision you, I see a frown floating in the abyss.

“I wish Bash were in love with me. Then maybe he’d make me nice breakfasts too.”

Have you heard of competence porn? It’s kind of my thing.

It’s him knowing me. Knowing I don’t want roses. Or diamonds. I want this. Adventures. With him.

“Yes. Because raccoons are the official animal of romance. Nothing says I’m into you like sharing rabies over a bowl of Doritos.”

you meet that one person who makes you want to break out of your shell. Who it’s worth taking those risks for. Who…without them, you’d stay on the same miserable path. Never improving, never changing, never becoming a better version of yourself.”

“Sometimes when you’re paralyzed like that, it’s not because you don’t know what to do. It’s because you know exactly what to do. You know what’s right, but it scares you.

“You’re a fucking wild card. Unpredictable and never what I expect. You scare the hell out of me every damn day. But today more than any of them. Because I thought I lost you.” His voice cracks. So does my heart. “And I love you, and I hadn’t even gotten the chance to tell you.”