Chapter 21

A little after noon Bo drove us home. She refused to leave the hotel before I had a nice greasy hangover breakfast, which even though I protested, really did hit the spot. Seeing as how I’d missed the chance to take Bo and my one hundred S out for a morning ride, my new plan was to get cleaned up and take mom shopping. There was just one month until the gala and she was beyond excited. I wondered if she was more excited about meeting Bo’s parents or actually going out to a formal event? As long as she was happy, so was I. What we really needed was to get dad to go. I actually thought he would have jumped at the chance to hob nob with a bunch high powered business owners or at least want to meet my girlfriend’s parents, but then again, I never understood his motivations. That didn’t mean I would stop trying to change his mind though. I was every bit as hardheaded as he was.

”You okay?” Bo’s hand on my thigh yanked me out of my thoughts and back to the present. She wore a look of concern, which given my state this morning, she was probably afraid I would throw up in her car.

”I’m fine. Just thinking.”

”Oh boy.” She laughed. ”That could mean trouble.”

”No silly, nothing bad. Just about dad and the gala.”

”Maybe he will change his mind.”

”Maybe.”

”Have you seen my clutch from last night?”

”No. I don’t think you had it when you came up.”

”Great.”

”Maybe Mandy or Shawnna have it.”

”I hope so.”

”You were so trashed baby.”

”I know. Well I don’t really remember that much, but I can tell it was bad and thank you for taking care of me.”

Bo’s mood shifted with a frown, sending a surge of worry through me. I searched my memory for the bits and pieces of the evening, putting together that I had hurt her somehow before I stumbled upon the source of her discomfort. I quickly realized that she was upset thinking I didn’t remember our talk, but that was the only clear moment of the evening that remained after we arrived at the club. It was as if my brain, even in its drunken stupor, recognized that I should pay close attention to those few important moments before it fell back into an alcohol haze.