Read Online A Small Town Dream by Rebecca Milton - Free Book Online
Authors: Rebecca Milton
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computer geek of some sort. He was completely outside Annie’s circle, but there he was. Lighting a perfectly rolled joint.
He took a hit, then realizing he’d been rude, held it out to her. Annie looked at it, then looked at him, and shook her head. He waited to exhale, and then asked, “Sure you’re not interested?” That one word opened a floodgate.
Interested? Absolutely, she thought, I am. I am interested in so many things, but I somehow seem to let them all slide by.
She took a step closer. “Maybe I will, Paul. Thanks.” He held it out to her.
“Um, I don’t… Sorry.”
“That’s OK. Just breathe in a little at a time, like through a straw. Let it go down slow, and then try to hold your breath as long as you can.” She did as he instructed, except she didn’t cough. He was impressed. “Nicely done. You sure you’ve never smoked before?” She shook her head.
She passed the joint back to him, still holding her breath, but starting to struggle. “My word, OK, you can breathe now, Annie.” She let out her breath in a rush then smiled at him goofily. They passed the joint back and forth a few more times, and when she began to weave a bit, he gestured that she’d probably had enough, then finished it off himself.
Out of the blue, she started to giggle.
“What’s so funny, Annie?” he asked, his eyes twinkling because he already knew.
“I have no idea, Paul, but this is—” and she dissolved into laughter.
“Good stuff, isn’t it?” It took all she had just to nod her head. She was doubled over, still laughing, feeling a release she never knew possible.
Finally, she slowed down enough to say, “Thanks, Paul,” then giggled some more. “So, I guess I’m… I think I’m…am I—?”
“Stoned? Oh yeah, Annie, you’re toasted.” That made her laugh ever more. “You sure you’re OK?” She nodded, still giggling. It felt great. “Good for you, Anne. I think you needed that.”
“More than I knew, I guess.” She took a deep breath of the wintery air and hugged herself. “This is one terrific feeling. And that moon …” It was now desperately beautiful to her. “Look at that moon…” He put a brotherly arm around her shoulder and gave her a gentle squeeze.
“You enjoy the moon, Annie. I’d better get back, else my date will be worried.” She turned her head to look at him.
“Oh, you have a date? Who?”
“Betsy Mayfield.”
“She’s sweet. Are you going together?”
“It’s nothing serious. We’re just friends out for the night.” Then he frowned. She looked a little dopey still. “You sure you’re okay?” She nodded, then turned back, still lost in the wonder of the moon.
“I’m fine, Paul, and thanks again. I think I needed that.”
“I think you did. Happy New Year, Annie.”
“Happy New Year, Paul.” At that, he turned and went back inside.
He went inside, and she returned to the moon and that light, relaxed feeling. She loved it, then suddenly thought, oh no, what if I get addicted ? Then she laughed at herself. I’m such a control freak .
The wind came up, making it uncomfortably cold, so she decided to return to the party. But when she turned to go inside, there was Parker.
“Mr. Levitt,” she said formally, wondering just how long he’d been standing there. “Happy New Year to you.”
“And to you, but what are you doing out here?” She tried to move past him, but stumbled a bit. He put a steadying hand on her arm.
“Whoa there, Annie.” Then he tilted his head and raised an eyebrow. “You smell like…” He sniffed near her face. “I had no idea you smoked.”
The part of Annie that would have continued on her way was short-circuited, so she found herself beckoning him closer.
“Well, just between us friends ,” she emphasized, “it’s my first time. I like it but, you know, don’t worry about me, I won’t
He took a hit, then realizing he’d been rude, held it out to her. Annie looked at it, then looked at him, and shook her head. He waited to exhale, and then asked, “Sure you’re not interested?” That one word opened a floodgate.
Interested? Absolutely, she thought, I am. I am interested in so many things, but I somehow seem to let them all slide by.
She took a step closer. “Maybe I will, Paul. Thanks.” He held it out to her.
“Um, I don’t… Sorry.”
“That’s OK. Just breathe in a little at a time, like through a straw. Let it go down slow, and then try to hold your breath as long as you can.” She did as he instructed, except she didn’t cough. He was impressed. “Nicely done. You sure you’ve never smoked before?” She shook her head.
She passed the joint back to him, still holding her breath, but starting to struggle. “My word, OK, you can breathe now, Annie.” She let out her breath in a rush then smiled at him goofily. They passed the joint back and forth a few more times, and when she began to weave a bit, he gestured that she’d probably had enough, then finished it off himself.
Out of the blue, she started to giggle.
“What’s so funny, Annie?” he asked, his eyes twinkling because he already knew.
“I have no idea, Paul, but this is—” and she dissolved into laughter.
“Good stuff, isn’t it?” It took all she had just to nod her head. She was doubled over, still laughing, feeling a release she never knew possible.
Finally, she slowed down enough to say, “Thanks, Paul,” then giggled some more. “So, I guess I’m… I think I’m…am I—?”
“Stoned? Oh yeah, Annie, you’re toasted.” That made her laugh ever more. “You sure you’re OK?” She nodded, still giggling. It felt great. “Good for you, Anne. I think you needed that.”
“More than I knew, I guess.” She took a deep breath of the wintery air and hugged herself. “This is one terrific feeling. And that moon …” It was now desperately beautiful to her. “Look at that moon…” He put a brotherly arm around her shoulder and gave her a gentle squeeze.
“You enjoy the moon, Annie. I’d better get back, else my date will be worried.” She turned her head to look at him.
“Oh, you have a date? Who?”
“Betsy Mayfield.”
“She’s sweet. Are you going together?”
“It’s nothing serious. We’re just friends out for the night.” Then he frowned. She looked a little dopey still. “You sure you’re okay?” She nodded, then turned back, still lost in the wonder of the moon.
“I’m fine, Paul, and thanks again. I think I needed that.”
“I think you did. Happy New Year, Annie.”
“Happy New Year, Paul.” At that, he turned and went back inside.
He went inside, and she returned to the moon and that light, relaxed feeling. She loved it, then suddenly thought, oh no, what if I get addicted ? Then she laughed at herself. I’m such a control freak .
The wind came up, making it uncomfortably cold, so she decided to return to the party. But when she turned to go inside, there was Parker.
“Mr. Levitt,” she said formally, wondering just how long he’d been standing there. “Happy New Year to you.”
“And to you, but what are you doing out here?” She tried to move past him, but stumbled a bit. He put a steadying hand on her arm.
“Whoa there, Annie.” Then he tilted his head and raised an eyebrow. “You smell like…” He sniffed near her face. “I had no idea you smoked.”
The part of Annie that would have continued on her way was short-circuited, so she found herself beckoning him closer.
“Well, just between us friends ,” she emphasized, “it’s my first time. I like it but, you know, don’t worry about me, I won’t
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