Free Peace in My View by C. L. Rosado

and best friend were there.
    “Sorry,Liv,” I mumble. I look back to Ari who has a huge smile on her face. She is like a breath of fresh air that I can’t help but need.

 
     
     
    Chapter 13
    Ariana
     
    “ O h crap, Oh crap! Hurry up and open the door,” Liv says, bouncing beside me while I dig my keys from my bottomless pit of a purse.
    “I’m trying! Calm down,” I tell her.
    “Calm down? I’m about to go in my panties!” she exclaims.
    “Maybe, if you quit saying CRAP, you wouldn’t,” I tease as I open my door. She hates to talk about going number two, even though she joked about the guys doing it.
    Narrowing her eyes, she says to me, “Really? I don’t need to crap. I just need to pee!” and stomps to the restroom. I turn to the side to allow the guys through. Apparently, we are having a sleep over because no one, aside from me, is sober enough to operate a vehicle.
    “Gentry, you and Peck can either share the guest room or one can take the couch,” I explain, pointing towards my living room. I have one of those sectionals with the large chaise attached.
    “Or I can share with you?” I just ignore Gentry’s comment because of what comes out of Peck’s mouth.
    “What about Olive Oyl?” Peck questioned with somewhat of a slur. I busted out laughing which caused Gentry and Peck to do the same. I’m bent over clutching my stomach when Liv walks back in the room.
    “What the heck is going on? What’s so funny?” she gives me a look that says I’ve lost it. I try catching my breath. I direct my attention to Peck, hooking my thumb towards Liv.
    “Olive Oyl has her own room here.”
    “Why didn’t you say so? That’s where I will sleep then.” he states simply. He’s obviously been infected by the truth serum, but doesn’t have a clue who he is dealing with. Liv will never go for it.
    “The hell you will! I don’t let just any ole captain board my ship!” Gentry and I both laughed.
    “ I just wanted to cuddle.Why do you have to be so mean?” Peak pouts
    “Uh-huh, Sure you did,” Liv quips
    Peck’s smile is deep; he just shrugs his shoulders before looking to Gentry and saying,
    “I’ll take the guest room then, you take the couch.”
    “Just down the hall to your left,” I tell him as he makes his way past us. It’s already 2:00 A.M., and I’m beat. “ I’m going to bed. Y’all good?” I ask my best friend and her devastatingly handsome cousin, who is sporting the cutest pout I have ever seen, these guys are something else tonight . Liv being the grouchy drunk she is, just turns and leaves.
    “I was hoping we could talk,” Gentry says in a whining voice.
    “You’re drunk. I’m tired. How about we talk tomorrow?”
    “I am buzzed, thank you very much. I would love to talk to you tomorrow, but I’m only gonna stay until I can drive because of Momma.” I hadn’t even thought about his mom tonight. I suck.
    “How is she doing?” We hadn’t talked much at all since I walked in to find Bea straddling him on the barstool at Muddy’s. I did know that his mom had stopped treatment because it wasn’t helping. Eleanor’s cancer was terminal, and it was only a matter of time before Gentry lost his mom.
    “She has good days and bad days. She would love to see you. She misses you. We both do…. Listen, I wanted to talk about the Bea situation. I know what it looked like, and well, I was drunk and wallowing in self pity. I was being stupid, but I didn’t ignore you, Bea had taken my phone and turned it off. She is crazy. I didn’t know about it until a friend told me. You had already left and wouldn’t take my calls.” Liv has already explained all of this to me, and I believed it. It just hurt so much to see him with her.
    “I know. I forgive you, and I believe you. Really, I do. I just… needed a minute. I’m sorry, I had Brocarditis.”
    “What the hell is that? Did it hurt? Will you be ok? I can’t take anymore.” I almost feel bad for making him panic,