Read Online Single Wide Female: The Bucket List Mega Bundle - 24 Books (Books #1-24) by Lillianna Blake - Free Book Online Page A

him, to force him to understand that it was the wine on my palm, not sweat, or some other random sticky substance. But there was no point. I had tried all day long to be more cultured, to be interesting and even a little wise. In the end all I had was a bunch of silly selfies and wine on my hand.
    I downed the remainder of my wine and then dropped the glass on one of the passing trays. The couple by the door no longer fascinated me. In fact, they were annoying.
    “Don’t you ever blink?” I asked as I shouldered past them and out through the door.
    Neither seemed to even notice my drunken, disparaging comment.
    Outside, the air had grown cool. I knew that I could spend a little more time wandering the sidewalks, looking for inspiration, but I felt completely dull. My evening out had only proven that I didn’t fit into cultured society, and as a result I wasn’t going to have anything interesting to share on my blog.
    I started walking back towards my apartment, thinking that a brisk walk might do me some good. I’d only walked a few blocks when my stomach began to churn. I rubbed my hand over it and moaned quietly. The wine was beginning to fight back. I glanced around to see if there were any shops or restaurants available. Everything was either closed or didn’t offer food.
    I wasn’t sure if I was going to make it. I knew I wouldn’t make it all the way home. I leaned back against the wall of a building and closed my eyes. The world began to spin around me. I knew the moment I opened my eyes I was going to have to vomit.
    “Sammy, what are you doing out here?” Max asked from a few feet in front of me. My eyes opened by instinct, and my stomach clenched tightly in preparation for revolt. I shoved Max hard out of my way just in time.

Chapter 8

    All of the wine was now out of me and onto the pavement.
    “Sorry.” I was mortified.
    Max handed me a tissue to wipe my mouth. “Wine on an empty stomach?” he asked and raised an eyebrow.
    I nodded a little as I wiped at my mouth.
    “When are you going to learn, Sammy?” he asked with a slight laugh. “Are you okay?”
    “I think so.” I sighed. “What are you doing here?” I asked when my head finally stopped swirling.
    “You didn’t text me back. I tried calling you and your phone was off. I figured you were mad or abducted, so I went to look for you at the gallery. Someone there told me you walked off this way.”
    “How did they know who you were looking for?” I asked. Then my eyes widened.
    “Oh no, you didn’t, did you?” I stared at him with horror.
    “Well, it was the most recent picture I had of you — and good job getting just the hint of the event sign in there along with your eye and nostril, which gave me a clue at least.” He laughed. “I’m glad to see that you weren’t abducted. So does that mean that you’re mad?” He pouted a little.
    “No,” I sighed and leaned back against the wall. “I’m not mad. I’m just a complete failure.”
    “Failure? What are you talking about?”
    “I came out here tonight to get a little culture, but I only succeeded in making a fool of myself — as usual.” I frowned.
    “Oh, listen to you.” He rolled his eyes and grabbed my hand. “What you need is food. Let’s go. There’s a little hole-in-the-wall restaurant a few blocks up.”
    “I don’t know if I should eat,” I said as I rubbed my stomach.
    “That means that you absolutely do need to eat.”
    As we walked I felt so much comfort with Max beside me. Even though our relationship was such a conflict in my mind, he still soothed me in ways that no one else could. But I couldn’t put that in my blog. My blog needed to be “Max-free”.
    “I guess I could eat a little,” I said and then sighed.
    “What were you even doing out here?” he asked as we walked toward the restaurant. “This isn’t where you usually hang out. Were you really trying to fit in?”
    “I didn’t think it would be that much of a stretch.” I