This fic has been modified from its original content to fit with the real image ending on the DC series finale.
Love ridden I’ve looked at you
With the focus I gave to my birthday candles
I’ve wished on the lidded blue flames
Under your brow
And Baby, I wished for you
****
“Are you okay?” Pacey asked Joey in a low voice, following her out of the living room and into the hallway of the Leery’s house. It was Christmas Eve, and Joey, gracious at Gale’s offer to join the drinks party she had put on, put it upon herself to help and prepare the drinks and dips.
“Yes, I am.” Joey smiled reassuringly at her boyfriend, pushing back strands of hair that had been falling in her face all evening.
“I’m just going to get some more glasses.” Her cheeks were flushed, and her smile looked strained.
“And—it was getting hot in there. I think I stood too close to the fire.”
“Alright.” Pacey leant over and kissed her on the mouth. “Mmm.” She let their mouths linger for a moment, and then pulled away, smiling at him.
“I better get moving…” she tapped his cheek, “So, you can go back and resume talking to Audrey, okay? I’m fine.” She patted his waist briskly.
“I…don’t think so.”
“Hmm?”
“Audrey still has the shits with me.”
“Ohhh…Why?” Joey crossed her arms and a smile glimmered on her mouth.
Why? Well…Pacey had tried to fix her up with one of his friends, who, he had to say, was the perfect match for her—(Utterly charming, tall, blonde…a bit of a Dawson) and she had been mildly insulted for some reason. “I can pick my own boyfriends,” she had said icily, “And besides, I may already like someone.”
“Well…” Pacey was trying to figure out a clever way of making himself look good and wonderfully helpful, but the words died on his mouth when the front door swung open, and Pacey’s eyes fixed, almost disbelievingly at the figure that entered with a mechanical ease.
“Dawson!” Joey took in a sharp intake of breath, clearly expressing her surprise at his sudden arrival.
A tanned, blonder Dawson gently dropped a suitcase in the front hall. His movements fluid but slow, he straightened, and smiled cautiously yet warmly, knowing he had interrupted them in the middle of a conversation, but not caring.
“Well…” he mirrored Pacey’s dialogue from before, “Long time no see, huh? How are you guys?” He studied the two, tall dark figures in the hallway closely, not being able to keep the smile off his face. He was incredibly happy to see them…but he wasn’t sure what to do. Hug them? Talk? Say something else cheesy? What…?
He did nothing, and just let his eyes soak in his two oldest friends. Joey looked beautiful in a red dress and jacket, and Dawson tried not to stare too much at her, and Pacey looked older then usual—more twenty-seven then twenty-four, dark and brooding in a brown jacket.
“What are you doing back? I thought you were…” Pacey found his voice.
“I just thought it’d be cool if I came home for Christmas. You know, since it’s the time for family and friends and all that.” Dawson replied candidly, stamping his feet on the Welcome mat, and shutting the front door behind him. “Shit it’s cold.”
“Ah. Okay…” Pacey wished Joey would say something, because he was starting to feel like an idiot.
“I have to admit, I’m also sort of selfish.” Dawson admitted, slipping off his jacket and hanging it on the coat rack. Joey kicked herself mentally—she should have already offered to do that—who knew how long his flight had been…
“Brian—the guy I was travelling with—actually met and got engaged to this stunning Italian girl who’s dad owns a villa on Capri, so basically I lost my ‘travelling companion.’ The rest of them are fluttering around somewhere… and, uh, I needed some decent American food,” he added, laughing at himself.
“Where’s your ‘stunning’ Italian girl?” Joey teased, cocking her head to one side.
“Well—the girls over there are beautiful, I have to say. But I prefer American women.” he grinned zealously at her, cocking one eyebrow. Joey rolled her eyes but smiled nonetheless.
Pacey asked, “So you were…where?”
“Um, recently? Nepal.”
“Riiight…doing what?”
“Trekking through the Himalayas. Well, that’s what I enjoyed doing the most. It’s completely mind-blowing. Challenging, but…no words to describe it. You have to do it one day.” Pacey and Joey both nodded slowly, their eyes still latched on Dawson as if he was just a vivid image.
“You know…I never thought I’d feel like a stranger in my own home.” Dawson mused, his eyes wandering over the hall, the stairs and the familiar paintings on the walls. His gaze then focused on Joey.
“Joey...” He said unreservedly, her name sounding like both a greeting and a statement.
“Dawson,” she replied almost playfully, a smirk tugging at the corners of her mouth.
“You’re not going to hug me?” he inquired good-humouredly, and Joey retorted, “No, because you don’t deserve it.”
“What do you mean?” Dawson chuckled, and Pacey swung his head around to stare questionably at her.
“You didn’t write to me enough.” Joey crossed her arms and tried to look cross, but her sparkling eyes gave her away.
“Come here,” he held out his arms and Joey, laughing with mock contempt, threw her arms around his neck. Pacey watched awkwardly as they embraced, both of them laughing, talking energetically about everything, yet nothing at all…
****
Nobody sees when you are lying in your bed
And I wanna crawl in with you
Bu I cry instead
I want your warm
but it will only make me colder when it’s over
So I can’t tonight, baby
****
Dawson had been gone for almost two years. Not just gone from Capeside, but gone from The States, gone from his job in L.A as writer/producer of the hit television series “The Creek.” He had left one broiling day in the middle of July, with a large rucksack, a passport, a reluctant grin at his worried parents and seven year old Lily, and with three friends from L.A by his side, all of them eager to explore the world. Two of them had contacts in Europe—family and a girlfriend, so accommodation was more or less taken care of—not that they cared—if all they could sleep on was a slab of concrete in a medial village somewhere in India, they would have slept on the concrete without any complaints.
Dawson leaving had just been another step in ‘growing up’ as Joey liked to put it. Jen was gone, Jack was busy with Amy and it seemed almost natural Dawson should leave too. After the funeral Dawson had been on a high. His show was a hit, and he was rolling in the money and the fame. But then he had gotten sick of it. Less than a year later he had just left.
And at first, she hadn’t minded. After all, she had Pacey. Well, she still had him until she started to live in New York, where her job was, and he could only come up on weekends.
Dawson had his own life, and she had her own life—with her career, where she was climbing the ranks of an industrious Interior Design company, and with her friends—she and Audrey had actually started to share an apartment and Joey had kept most of her College friends, both male and female, many whom worked in the same field as her. Although she loved Pacey, it got difficult sometimes with him being away during the week.
Whilst Audrey fluttered around confidently at parties, and then went home with whoever she pleased, Joey had to fend off guys.
“You’re the good one.” Audrey told her once, after waking up on the couch with a killer hangover and a great story to tell about the night before, which she had spent smoking crack and getting cosy over poems with a Literature student she had met at the library no more then fifteen hours earlier. Joey had greeted her with a glass of orange juice and a sympathetic, dubious smile.
“You’re…you know, proper. No one can ever accuse you of being careless.” Joey had given Audrey an icepack and had laughed, “Well—I’ll take that as a compliment. I think.”
Audrey would sometimes urge Joey to be a bit wilder, not so apprehensive. “Flirt. You don’t have to cheat on Pacey, god no, just…open up a bit more.” She would ask her questions, test Joey’s kiss-and-tell abilities. “I’ll bet you’ve never used a whip.” She commented archly one night, while the two girls were watching ER.
“I’ll bet you haven’t either!” Joey retorted.
“Have you ever…given head, then?” Audrey continued curiously.
Joey gasped and angled her head to stare at her trash mouthed friend. “Audrey!”
“Come on, girl-to-girl sex talk.” Audrey urged her.
Joey was blushing, and Audrey raised en eyebrow. “Well?”
“Once.”
“Ooh really?”
“Yeah, and it wasn’t that nice…he didn’t…it was too late, and I ended up…um…you know…”
“Swallowing?”
“Uh…yeah. And it was…for lack of a better word, weird.”
Audrey let out a peel of laughter, unable to help herself. Joey sighed and turned back to the TV.
“Who?” Audrey asked with interest.
“Excuse me?”
“Who did you…do that with?”
Joey crammed her mouth with popcorn. “Not telling.”
“Oh, come on…” Audrey sighed. “Fine…” she flipped through a magazine.
“Do you wear lace or cotton panties?” Audrey asked, and Joey groaned and threw cushion at her exclaiming, “Enough!”
“I just read somewhere that your underwear is who your ‘sexual’ being is.” Audrey explained.
“Oh, did you read that lucrative piece of journalism in Cosmopolitan perhaps?” Joey quipped.
“Yes! I did…I actually have it right here.” Audrey held up Cosmo.
“It also has a ‘what is your sexuality’ quiz.”
“Well I’m a female.”
“Duh. Don’t try and be all sarcastic, you’re not escaping this one.” Audrey grabbed a pen.
“Okay…how old were you when you lost your…oh, I know this one. Seventeen?”
“Yeah.” Joey nodded, sighing dejectedly and leaning back against the couch. She had hoped to watch a little of ER…
“Out of these men, which one is your biggest fantasy to sleep with? A) The mailman. B) Your college professor. Ew. C)Your best friend…” Audrey looked up and waggled her eyebrows. “Who is your best friend, by the way…?”
“Dawson, of course.” Joey replied without missing a beat.
“Well, duh…”Audrey shrugged. “Hmm I guess I thought things might have changed…what about Pacey?”
“Well—of course he’s a friend! I see him as more of a boyfriend, though. And Dawson’s more my friend. Best friend. There’s a distinct difference between the two.”
“Okay…Well, onto D…which is, your boss? I have to say, your boss, Mr. Sanderson is pretty cute.”
“He’s forty and has three sons.” Joey laughed.
“So? Which one is it? Are you a post girl, a teachers pet or…what?”
“Ohh I don’t know.” Joey sat up and pursed her lips. “I’ve never wanted to sleep with the post man or a teacher, and not my boss, so…”
“Have you?” Audrey asked with collateral interest.
“Have I…?”
“Slept with Dawson.”
“You know we did…” Joey retorted. “You overheard us screaming about it in the bathroom at my surprise party.”
“True. I just wanted to hear you say it. You never talked about it with me afterwards. I wanted juicy details.”
“The last thing I wanted to bring up was sex with Dawson after finding out he had a woman stashed in California,” Joey explained sarcastically.
She stared off into space. “He hasn’t written or called for six months.”
It was then that Joey really started to miss Dawson.
“Oh bunny…” Audrey patted her back. “He’s just off having the time of his life and being a selfish, spontaneous bastard. But I’m sure he hasn’t forgotten you.”
“Some Italian girl probably has her long brown legs around his neck,” Joey laughed soberly. “I heard the Italians cant resist blondes.”
Audrey smiled at the image. Joey snatched the magazine out of Audrey’s hands and turned up the volume. “Lets watch and be silent,” she ordered. Audrey pouted and reached for the popcorn. Joey then said quietly, “It was Dawson by the way.” “Huh?” Audrey looked confused. Joey was smiling mischievously. “He was the guy I…you know.” “Oh…” Audrey’s eyes widened. “Really?”
****
Dawson’s arrival had been met by surprised and overjoyed family and friends; all of them eager to hear about every single last detail about where he had been and what he had done. Audrey had latched onto him especially, as she hadn’t seen or heard from him for, her quote, ‘ages and ages and ages.’
Everyone agreed that the evening grew warmer at his appearance, and to this, Dawson just blushed and shook his head, arguing that his appearance was most probably an annoyance. He then told a rough version about where he went—“Oh, you know, around,” He was yawning too much to speak and was herded up the stairs by his old posse: Audrey, Jack, Joey and Pacey.
“It’s good to be back,” he said sleepily, leaning against numerous fluffy pillows on his bed.
“Have you got presents for us?” Jack asked eagerly, joining Audrey on the bed. Joey settled herself next to Dawson and rested her head on his shoulder, smiling peacefully. She didn’t know what was up with her, but she just felt…safer. And whole. As if a missing piece had just been found.
“Yeah, come on, where are our presents?” Pacey laughed.
“Presents? Umm…well…” Dawson laughed guiltily, and Jack pretended to pout.
“Hey, don’t be sad, I got you all something.” Dawson reassured them, and he patted Joey’s head. “How ‘bout you wait until I can like, open my bag? My arms don’t wanna move.”
“We know, we’re just being stupid. You need lots of sleep.” Audrey patted Dawson’s jean-clad knee.
“Yeah, and don’t think your getting away with not telling us every single itty bitty detail.” Jack put in. “We wanna know what you’ve been doing, man.”
“And for two years.” Joey added. “My god.”
“Hmm not exactly two years.” Dawson’s eyes were closed, and Joey stroked his cheek, “He’s so cute when he’s sleepy… and ouch! He needs to shave.”
“I can still hear you.” Dawson mumbled, and they all laughed.
“Maybe we should go.” Audrey suggested thoughtfully. No one moved straight away.
****
Dawson announced his plans to stick around for a while, and then put his good contacts and famous show into use. “I think my wanderlust has worn off,” he said contemplatively when he handed Audrey her present, which was wrapped in tissue paper.
“When I left it was intentionally only for a few months. And then it turned into way more then I imagined.” He laughed briefly, and smirked to himself, as if he had a delicious secret. Jack and Audrey swapped glances.
“Oh…” Audrey’s excited noise was enough thanks, and Dawson grinned as she held up the glittering jewelry box, studded with flecks of gold and red.
“Did anything…interesting happen over there? You know, did you meet any, um, interesting people?” Jack asked lightly, fingering the small, eye-catching painting of the mountains in Nepal.
“Interesting people? Yeah, tons.” Dawson replied casually.
“We can guess who he found interesting.” Audrey said mysteriously, “All those women.”
“It’s funny…coz you’re the first people I may talk about ‘the’ women with, and neither of you are interested in the female sex.” Dawson shrugged, and both Audrey and Jack rolled their eyes in synch.
They were seated on the Leery’s front lawn, welcoming the late afternoon sun. Dawson looked relaxed in a shirt and jeans, after having slept for almost two days. Audrey had already commented that Europe agreed with him—he had never looked so good.
His little sister, nine –year- old Lilly walked shyly out, and plopped herself down next to her brother.
“Hiya Lill.” Audrey greeted her warmly, and Lilly replied timidly, “Hi.”
“It’s good to have Dawson back, isn’t it?”
“Yeah.” Lilly nodded.
“She’d never admit that if you weren’t around.” Dawson laughed, tugging Lilly’s brown pony tale.
“Joey—good to see you.” Jack called, as Joey walked towards them, her face lit up by her smile.
“Hi guys.” Joey levered herself gracefully onto the lawn and waved to Lily, who immediately got up and threw her arms around her favorite adult.
“Look what Prince Charming gave me.” Audrey clicked her tongue and handed Joey the box.
“Oooh…this is amazing.” Joey exclaimed, and Lily mimicked, “Amazing, amazing!”
“She’s been copying me all summer.” Joey said, exaggeratingly frustrated.
“I have my own Dawson, too. Alex.” Lily then piped up, and they all laughed. “Own Dawson?” Dawson raised both his brows. “Am I a product and copyright now?”
“I was just telling her about Dawson and Joey, super-buddies when we were like, eleven.” Joey explained. “Remember? And we like, swapped spit?”
“You did? You kissed?” Audrey asked in interest.
“Ew, as if I would let him kiss me!” Joey looked horrified. Dawson sniffled and tried to look mournful.
“Spit buddies. We spat on our hands and shook them.”
“Gross!”
“Anyway, I told this little Lily, and she went out and got herself a Dawson, too…my nephew…they’ve been playing all summer long. He’s almost twelve, he’s much older and wiser…” Joey rolled her eyes.
“What is a Dawson?” Jack wondered.
“A boy you can push.” Lily explained seriously, “Not a boy you kiss. Joey’s good she didn’t kiss Dawson.”
“She did eventually,” Dawson argued to the sounds of Audrey, Jack and Joey laughing.
“Okay guys, you want some cokes?” Dawson stood up and stretched, and Audrey and Jack nodded eagerly, as did Lily.
“Juice for you.” Dawson tickled her chin and she shrieked.
“I’ll go with you.” Joey offered, getting up and following him indoors.
“Here.” Once inside, Dawson handed Joey two cans, and got out two cans for himself.
“Where’s Pacey, by the way?”
“Working.”
“Ah.”
He stopped and looked at her strangely. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“It’s just good you’re back.” She replied softly, laughing. “And I’m not looking at you like anything.”
“Okay, okay.” He lowered his face close to hers and stared exaggeratingly into her eyes. “It’s good to be back too!”
“Freak.” Joey whopped his butt with a can.
“Woah, don’t put that there Jo.” She just smiled smugly.
“Okay. Come here.” Dawson set down the cokes on the coffee table, and Joey raised her brows in suspicion. He drew her into a warm, tight hug, and Joey laughed until she had to tell him that he was squashing her. “Sorry…” he apologized, picking up the cans.
“Promise you’ll stick around more often?” Joey asked reflectively. “Promise.” Was his heady reply, “After all, every Joey needs their Dawson,”
“Cheesiness!” Joey giggled, following him outside. “But true.” She took a deep breath. “Please don’t go away. I need you. We all need you.”
“I know.” He touched her cheek.
“Tomorrow we’re going to…visit her,” Joey told him. “Will you come?”
“I wouldn’t miss it.”
****
Later that night, Dawson suggested he row Joey to her old house, for old times sake. “God I missed this thing.” He grinned, energetically rowing, flexing his arms as if he was an Olympic Rower.
“You went to the Himalayas and you missed a rowboat?” she laughed incredulously, and he shrugged in reply, “Yeah.” He then stopped rowing and placed the paddles back inside the boat.
“Why are you stopping?” Joey asked, and Dawson answered by handing her a small parcel. “I gave everyone else their presents already…and this is yours.”
“Oh…” she gave him a small smile. “Thank you…” she unwrapped it, and let out a small laugh of disbelief. “Wow.”
“What’s wrong with it?”
“Nothing! They’re beautiful, Dawson.” Joey held up an amber stone bracelet, and a silver and topaz studded necklace.
“Yeah, well…” he scratched his ear. “You…are, too.”
Joey was fastening the bracelet around her wrist, and she looked up at him. “Dawson—“
“Don’t be embarrassed.” He took her hand in his, and stroked the soft skin under the bracelet. “I saw them, and I just thought of you.”
There was no mistaking that glow in his eyes. Joey was starting to feel…what? Nervous?
“Look, Dawson, I’m…with Pacey…”
“What?” Dawson let go of her hand and he snorted incredulously. “Joey, I wasn’t hitting on you.”
“Oh, well…, ” Joey blushed, and she laughed.
“I just meant, I thought of you a lot. As friends often do. And besides, if I was hitting on you, then I was doing a pretty pathetic job…” Dawson continued, chuckling tautly.
Joey giggled.
Dawson picked up the oars, not meeting her gaze for a moment.
“I hope you like them.”
“I do. A lot.” Then she surprised him by leaning over and kissing him softly on the cheek.
“I love them.”
****
“You seem kinda subdued tonight.” Pacey commented, and Joey rolled over in the bed and looked at him. She sighed, “Sorry…”
“Let me guess.” Pacey said tightly, “Um…he’s about my height, blonde, was a virgin until he was eighteen…”
“Pacey.” Joey frowned and sat up. “You don’t have to sound so…”
“Bitter?” Pacey finished for her. Joey nodded. He sighed, “I really can’t help it…”
“You’re overreacting. How do you know I’m thinking about him?”
“I don’t, but I can guess. I mean he was your life for so long.”
“Well, maybe you’re wrong.” She smiled and lay back down, rubbing his arm.
“Joey…” Pacey sat up this time. “I have to ask you something.”
“What?” she started to push back the cuticle on her thumbnail.
“Will you marry me?”
Joey froze. “Huh?”
“I want you to marry me…” he kissed her lips softly.
“I love you and I there’s nothing more I’d like then for you to be my wife.”
“Marry you?” she whispered, sitting up, her eyes widening.
“Just say yes…” he urged her. “We’ll have a great life…with the boat…you’ll have me.”
She was completely speechless, and Pacey’s expression grew from wistful to nervous.
“Joey…”
“I do love you.” Joey said breathlessly, “But…marriage? We’re still so young.”
“I think we’re ready…I think we’ve been ready for ages.” He argued.
“I have to think about this.” She suddenly slid out of the bed and reached for her clothes.
“Jesus Christ, Joey!” Pacey exclaimed. “I thought you loved me.”
“I do.” She buttoned her jeans. “I told you already.”
“Will you ever be ready?” he called after her. She didn’t answer.
****
“So, you rejected him?” Audrey handed Joey a cup of coffee and joined her on the couch in the Leery’s living room. Gale was already sitting down, listening attentively.
“No---not exactly,” Joey sighed. “I just said I wasn’t ready. And I’m not…am I?”
“Only you can truly know.” Gale advised her compassionately.
“I love him. I want to be with him—it’s just, I don’t want marriage to come into it. But he takes my hesitating over it as a sign that I don’t love him.” Joey sipped her coffee.
“And—“ she lowered her voice. “He’s jealous of…Dawson.”
“Has he got a reason to be?” Gale asked inquisitively.
“No!” Joey exclaimed. “No, he doesn’t.”
“He doesn’t what? Who?” Dawson bounded into the living room in only a pair of jeans, carrying a glass of juice. “I just got up…” he then stopped when he saw Joey’s surprised face mixed with despair, and Gale’s serious expression. Audrey was smiling wickedly at him, but stopped when Gale sent her a look.
“Honey, put some clothes on.” Gale sighed. “And—please, we’re having a private conversation here.”
“I’m twenty-six mom, I can dress myself…” Dawson sent Joey a sympathetic, inquiring look before retreating.
“Anyway…” Gale turned back to Joey. “Have you two talked?”
“Not really. I rang him, and we had a bit of a talk—he ended up saying we needed a break, and that maybe I don’t love him.”
“Break—that’s more promising then, ‘time apart’ or, ‘seeing other people’ or something.” Audrey put in.
“Yeah, well, I can’t believe he’s making all this fuss.” Joey sighed. “Just because I didn’t say yes immediately, it doesn’t mean I don’t love him. He’s being really obnoxious about this.”
“His pride was dashed.” Audrey said softly.
“I suppose.”
Joey put her head into her hands. “I just want this mess to be over. I want him to understand I can’t commit to him now! But I’m afraid I’m wrong. I’m afraid in five years I’ll wake up and realize what I’ve missed.”
“Joey…” Gale chided gently. “You’re still in your early twenties, the stepping-stones to life. And life can only be good if you follow your heart. If your heart tells you that you can’t commit, then maybe you really aren’t ready.”
“Maybe in five years you’ll wake up and realize you want to marry him.” Audrey suggested.
“What if he doesn’t stick around for that long?” Joey replied in a disconsolate voice.
Gale said almost immediately, “Then it wasn’t meant to be.”
“Who knows, maybe in a few days you’ll run to him and tell him you’re ready.” Audrey stroked Joey’s hair. “It’ll all turn out alright, I promise. As I once said, good things happen to good people.”
Joey managed to crack a weak smile.
To be continued
****
“Thank you.” Joey said unrepentantly, after the waiter left. Dawson, who was pouring water into her glass, knew what she was thanking him for and smiled warmly. “This is completely my pleasure.” Dawson had approached her the day before, almost a week after he eavesdropped on Joey’s conversation with Audrey and Gale; and he had asked her out on a “Friends’ date.
“Not a romantic, expectant sleep-with-me date, just a get-your-mind-off certain things date.”
Joey had agreed enthusiastically. Dawson was being extremely sweet. He had picked her up, given her a flower, told her she looked stunning, (she was wearing an oyster green knit sweater and a) and had opened doors and taken her seat out for her, all of this making Joey laugh in acute embarrassment.
“It’s a beautiful restaurant.” Joey leaned her chin on her hand as she studied the elegant, sophisticated yet old-school charm of the Italian restaurant with an expertly trained eye, her focus lingering on the couples dancing on the pinewood floor.
“Yeah, it is—it’s new. Well, almost, it’s about three years old. I bought Elizabeth here before it was refurbished.”
“Elizabeth?”
“Elizabeth McGill. Sort of girlfriend I had before I left. She dumped me when she realized I’d be gone for more then a couple of months.”
“Ah. She sounded like a bit of a bitch.”
“Joey, all my girlfriends were bitches to you.” He grinned, and raised his glass of Chianti.
Joey laughed, not bothering to oppose his statement. “I was probably the biggest bitch of a girlfriend you had.” She said, sipping her wine thoughtfully.
“What? Hardly.”
“I told you I didn’t want to know you after you saved my dad from that horrible fire, I ran off with your best friend, I was a bitch to your first girlfriend because I was jealous, I dumped you twice---and I dated Jack only weeks after the first time I dumped you—“ Joey was counting on her fingers.
“Okay, okay.” Dawson interrupted, “You’re beginning to make me sound like a bit of a wimp.”
“You weren’t a wimp. You were an amazing guy. No matter what I did, you forgave me and gave me a chance.”
“Yeah. Total doormat.”
Joey giggled, “You weren’t…”
“If I had been any more in love with you I would have tattooed your name across my ass.”
Joey burst out laughing, startling the waiter who delivered the peperoni pizza they were sharing.
“Yum.” Joey licked garlicky fingers after munching into her first piece.
“One day, I’ll have to take you back to probably the best restaurant I’ve ever been too… it was in this tiny village called Rufina, and there wasn’t much on the menu, but all of it was amazing.” He said, completely unperturbed and earnest.
Joey cocked her head to one side. “Tell me everything.” She requested.
“Everything?”
“About your trip. I want to know where you went, and the people you met…all of that stuff.”
He smiled and nodded, “Okay, well, I’m not the best storyteller, but I’ll try.”
It didn’t matter if he claimed he wasn’t the best storyteller, for within a few minutes, he was re-living his adventures with excitement. His eyes were glowing, his voice was lively and animated, and he was telling Joey things he hadn’t even told his own travelling companions.
“Initially, it was just going to be about six months around Europe. Then in March when I planned to come back to the states, this guy we met, Mike Harold, told us about his place in Morocco where his father owned a hotel, and he also owned a pub in the Lakes District in England, and he said if we were running low on cash, which we were, he had jobs for us. I figured, I’ll only do this once, so I went. We had to re-issue our green cards, but we all went, and it was great. I actually earned enough to go back to Capeside for Lily’s birthday, and then Egypt and Morocco again, and then I went back to Britain.”
“You were in England for almost three months…in fact, the last three months.” Joey pointed out, wiping her mouth with a napkin. “Did you just work at the pub there, for the whole three months?”
“Yeah. Basically…and I, um met a girl.” Dawson added, draining the rest of his wine.
Joey’s brows raised in interest, “You did?”
“Yeah. Cara Vincenzi. She was studying at Oxford, and we met one weekend I went down there.”
“Was it serious?”
“You could say that.”
“I can?” Joey asked surreptitiously.
“We have something in common, my Joey.” Dawson clinked his empty wine glass (His third) with her half-full one. “She wanted to get married, I felt I was too…young. Too unready.”
“So…” Joey raised an eyebrow, “You almost married her?”
“Not really. She asked me to consider it and I did, but then I…just got scared. So that was the end of England.”
“Is that why you came home?”
“Sort of, yes. And I was sick of travelling. But I had the best time.”
“Which was your favorite place?”
Dawson frowned thoughtfully. “Hmm…oh, probably Nepal. It was this sort of expeditional holiday. The lads and I—oh god I’m turning into a Brit! Lad means guy, by the way…” Joey giggled, “I know.” “—Anyway, the guys and I really thought it was a bit of an adventure. Trekking the mountains, the snow, meeting all the villagers. I didn’t shave for two weeks. At night, we’d sit outside our tents, and we’d just talk for hours about our childhoods. We’d just sit under the stars…the stars were amazing there, huge. And the moon was so clear. Every time I looked at it, I couldn’t believe it was the same moon we looked at as kids. I mean, I was in India, you were in America…yet we were looking at the same moon.”
“At different times.” Joey put in, and Dawson chuckled, “Okay, my train of thought has broken.”
“Take me there one day,” Joey then said softly, excitedly and half-jokingly without thinking.
“Of course I will. And we’ll get up really early and watch the sunrise over the vineyards in Tuscany…and then you can get a tan in Rome, and hike through the markets in Morocco, trying to say no to a persistent African who tries to sell you a cheap plastic thing. Did you know it snows in Morocco?”
“Really? I thought it’d be hot over there.” Joey replied dreamily.
“Yeah, me too. But it’s freezing in the winter.”
They were now just smiling at each other, lost in the blissful promise of an adventure together.
“Dessert?” a waiter rudely interrupted, passing them menus and giving Joey a long admiring glance.
“Thank you.” Dawson said irritably, wishing the ‘Gar’son’ would piss off.
“I can take your orders now if you know what you want.” The waiter continued to gaze hopefully at Joey, and Joey flashed him a bright smile.
“We’ll need some time.” Dawson said loudly, and he glared at the flirtatious waiter. Jesus, he hated it when those guys cracked shamelessly onto his female dinner partners.
“Oh, no, I know what I want. The strawberry cheesecake.” Joey handed the waiter her menu and he nodded reverently. “Good choice. That’s my favourite. And you?” the waiter’s voice friendliness turned down several notches.
“Chocolate ice cream.” He picked his favourite childhood serving.
“Anything else?”
“No thank you.” Joey smiled again and managed a fluttering of eyelashes the waiter sent her one last smile before retreating into the kitchen.
“My god. I’m surprised he didn’t offer you a full body massage.” Dawson sniggered.
Joey laughed disbelievingly, “He was being polite…”
“Not surprising. You’re like the most beautiful woman in the room.” Joey smiled, but she was looking a bit downhearted now, and Dawson stroked her hand. “You okay?”
“Yeah.” She shrugged. “Just, you know, a certain brunette male who…just doesn’t understand me at the moment.”
“Hey, I know how you feel. Kind of. And I’m telling you now, it should work out. He loves you. I can tell…he’s totally besotted and you will work this out. And even if it didn’t work out, there are doubtless a hundred guys ready to break down your door.”
“Whatever you think. Most of my other boyfriends have either been psychos or guys at parties who’ll have anyone because they’re extremely drunk, or, they’re perfect but they’re too perfect, you know? I mean, it’s like there’s something wrong with me.”
“Joey, when I showed the guys your photo, all of them asked me for your phone number. And an Indian called Shakire asked if he could marry you.”
Joey blushed, flattered and surprised by his proclamation. “Yeah right…did you give them my number?”
“Uh…kind of.” Dawson pretended to be interested in the spoon situated at the right of the table.
“Kind of?”
“I admit I may have told them the odd wrong numeral.”
“Dawson! Really. It seems like you’re trying to keep me bottled up,” Joey smirked, “No one, not even you, can have access or something.”
“Believe it or not, I’m actually still quite attracted to you…” Dawson sighed, shaking his head.
Joey laughed, rolling her head to one side in a motion of disbelief. Pushing a strand of hair behind her ear she exclaimed, “You’re so damn straightforward these days!”
The waiter arrived, and plonked the ice cream down heavily in front of Dawson, and then placed the cheesecake gently in front of Joey, who ignored him this time.
“Don’t worry, I’m not going to ask you to hop into bed with me…just yet.”” Dawson grinned.
“How’s the ice cream?” Joey piped up, and Dawson levered a spoonful towards her mouth. “Try some.” He fed her gingerly, and she laughed in between mouthfuls.
A few moments after they finished, Dawson spoke up. “Do you want to dance?” he gestured towards where Joey’s eye line was, and she nodded, smiling happily. “Yes, I’d like that.”
They fell into the casual, elegant position of Dawson holding her waist, Joey’s hand gently on one shoulder and their hands joined.
“How come, for us mainly, dances have always ended up in disaster?” Joey mused as they swayed to a singers’ husky rendition of Fiona Apples’ Love Ridden.
“Well one dance ended in sex,” Dawson pointed out.
Joey rolled her eyes. “I mean the other dances…”
“Well, for us, every typical high school spectacle had to end in some sort of disaster. We weren’t the usual kids, after all…”
“What are you talking about?”
“I have no idea. I’m not really thinking.”
Joey wrapped both her arms around his neck and looked into his eyes. “Either am I.” Joey then smiled softly to herself and focused on the spot over his shoulder. She liked how they could speak with one simple gaze. But it got…complicated when the gaze went on for too long.
No it’s not baby anymore
if I need you I’ll just use your simple name
Only kisses on the cheek from now on
And in a little while, we’ll only have to wave
My hand won’t hold you down no more
The path is clear to follow through
I stood too long in the way of the door
And now I’m giving up on you
****
“Tonight was great.” Joey sighed, leaning back in the boat. She groaned. “I feel like a thanksgiving turkey, though.”
“Okay. What do you think? Row straight home…or we could row to China?” Dawson pondered, dipping the oar into the water.
“Hmm. I’d prefer France. Much more romantic.”
“Both are pretty easy to get too, so it’s a tough one…but I’ll go with your suggestion.”
“Mmmm.” Joey closed her eyes for a moment.
Dawson started to hum as he rowed, and Joey listened for the tune. It had been a game of theirs when they were kids.
“I can’t guess.” She said after a few moments. “Guess what?” he looked momentarily startled.
“The song. What you’re humming.”
“Ahhh. Well—here’s a clue. It’s old, and it’s about a prostitute.”
“Oh!” Joey laughed, “God I hope I wasn’t inspiration…. umm, Pretty Woman?”
“Ecch. No.”
“Sing it, then.” She jostled him playfully.
“Now I’m embarrassed.” He laughed, and she pouted, “Come on. I’ve always wanted a guy to sing for me after a date.”
“Aha, but it wasn’t a date.”
“Ugh. So?”
He sung a little of ‘Roxanne’, and then stopped and sighed. “I have just risked my masculinity.”
“That was beautiful…even if you were singing about a prostitute.” Joey smiled, stroking his arm. “You have a good voice…I didn’t know.”
“Now it’s my turn to say ‘whatever you think’.”
He walked Joey up to the door of her old house, where she was staying, and they paused. “It’s really late.” Joey whispered. “We better be quiet.”
“Well---I had a good time tonight…” Dawson started, and Joey giggled, “How predictable.”
“I know. But it’s all I know…then comes the look, then the kiss if the girl wants it, then the goodnight I’ll call you, and I vanish.”
“Will you call me tomorrow?” she cocked her head to one side and looked at him demurely though half closed lids.
“Maybe.”
“Tease. Okay, thank you again. You’re the best.”
“I know.”
“You’re not getting a kiss now, for being too egotistical.” Joey hissed, and she pushed open the door. “Girls aren’t supposed to kiss on first dates anyway…” he retorted.
“This is about our… fortieth.”
“Okay…” he was again, caught off guard when she kissed his cheek. “Thanks for the rose. I love them.”
“That’s okay.” Their faces were inches apart, and Joey suddenly realized they were in the position for a kiss full on the mouth…
Maybe she’d let him…could she remember what his kisses felt like? He pulled back abruptly before she had time to think anymore.
“Goodnight.”
“You never do go beyond that step, do you?” she said softly. “You wait for me, for your conscience, for what’s right.”
“I have to remind you Joey,” he replied huskily into her ear, “That you’re ‘with’ Pacey whether it’s physical or not. And we’re long over. And for me to kiss you…even if I wanted too—is a lost cause.”
Despite herself, Joey shivered. Before going inside she whispered, “You don’t know until you’ve tried something, Dawson,” and then she was gone.
****
“You’re still in love with her, right?” Dawson asked Pacey. The two men were strolling down the main street in Capeside, after a quick lunch together.
“Pretty much.” Pacey replied wretchedly.
“Why did you…you know, break up with her? I mean, I know she didn’t want to marry you, but she still wanted to be with you.”
“How do you know this?” Pacey angled his head and looked curiously at Dawson, who hid his embarrassment quickly and expertly. “I can tell. Uh, could tell.”
“Look man, if you want to know, I’ll tell you.” Pacey closed his eyes briefly. “ I don’t think she loves me.”
“Are you kidding or something?” Dawson shook his head in disbelief. What was up with Pacey lately? Why couldn’t he just accept Joey’s decision?
“No, I’m not kidding.”
“Look.” Dawson stopped walking. He couldn’t believe he was helping Pacey with Joey.
“Joey’s obviously scared of marriage. Right now, anyway. If you stay with her for longer, love her, show her how much you love her, she might come around. Breaking things off with her because she disagreed to marry you wasn’t a smart move.”
Pacey was silent. Then he said slowly, “You’re right…but…say, um say I may have used the whole marriage thing and her saying no as an excuse to break up with her because I felt…insecure and guilty? You know I think I just made myself sound like the biggest ass in the world.”
Dawson registered what Pacey was saying after a few moments and he exclaimed, “What?”
“I love Joey more then anything…but…a few months ago, I um, slept with someone else.” Pacey’s eye level was downcast, and Dawson thought that was probably best. If Pacey had been looking up, Dawson would have punched him right in the eye.
“Why?” Dawson asked steadily.
“There was no reason. Joey was in New York, I was here, out with friends, had one too many drinks, met up with Melanie…an old friend… and…that’s it. That’s the end. But I was feeling guilty. The usual. And then you come back and Joey’s all starry-eyed. I wanted to see if she loved me enough to say yes, to take a chance, and I wanted to prove to her and everyone and myself that although I cheated on her once, I want to marry her.”
They started to walk again, Dawson’s hands stuffed into his jeans pockets. “When she said no, all of that was shattered and I couldn’t take it. I’m an ass.”
“You have to tell her.” Dawson advised him. “Tell her what you told me. If you lose her, then you lose her with at least an ounce of amiability. But then, she might understand. But from what I know…she wants to be with you.”
**** to be continued
____________________________________________________________________
Love ridden I’ve looked at you
With the focus I gave to my birthday candles
I’ve wished on the lidded blue flames
Under your brow
And Baby, I wished for you
******
So, Pacey had told her.
Joey had been furious when Pacey had told her about sleeping with someone else while she was in New York. So furious she hadn’t said a word—she had just stomped past him and out of the cabin, silently shaking with rage.
“I’ve lost her.” Pacey said quietly, staring after her. Forever? It was too unbearable to think about…but he deserved it, he deserved a lot of things right now, none of them good. Would Joey still love him? Would she forgive him? Or had her love vanished, in the blink of an eyelid? Could feelings for a person be cut, just like that?
****
Joey had gone to her sisters’ house, and freshened up. She had had a shower and washed her hair, exfoliated all over and shaved her legs. Humming ‘Roxanne’ she had slathered Calvin Klein body lotion all over her damp skin, before she slipped on some black lacy underwear.
The phone rang a few minutes later, Joey picked it up with one hand while hopping on one foot, her other hand slipping on one of her leather brown mules. “Joey? You still on for tonight?” Audrey asked.
“Of course. I’m actually getting ready now.”
“Oh, good, coz Dawson can pick you up, he asked me to ask you…”
“Yeah, that’ll be great.” Joey smiled lavishly into the hallway mirror.
“By the way…uh…are things good with you and Pacey?” Audrey’s voice now took on the air of concern and Joey felt mildly irritated.
“They’re okay.” She hoped Audrey got the tint in her voice, which said, ‘don’t ask.’
“Cool. Well, I’ll see you tonight at the beach.”
“Hmm,” Maybe Not Joey placed the receiver down and sighed. For a moment she looked worried, but then that look passed.
“Alex? Come help me zip up my dress.” She called to her twelve- year- old Nephew, who groaned and reluctantly tore his eyes away from the TV.
“Where are you going? Mom said you’d be here tonight.”
“Yeah, well, change of plans. I’m going out with Dawson—to a beach party.” She sat down and tickled her Nephew in the belly. He frowned and avoided her hands, and he quickly zipped the back of her black dress up.
“Dawson? Will he be coming here?”
”Uh-huh.”
“Good.” Joey sent him a look.
“I didn’t know you liked Dawson.”
“He’s cool. I like most of your boyfriends. And his sister’s cool, too.”
Joey laughed, “Did you know he helped get you born?”
“Gross.” Alex went back to the TV.
Joey was applying her lipstick when she heard Dawson’s voice in the living room. “Hey Alex.”
“Hey. JOEY! HE’S HEEERE!”
“Alright!”
Joey drove a brush through her carefully crimped and wavy hair and sailed out into the living room.
“Lets go.” She laughed inwardly at Dawson’s reaction. She knew he’d like it—her little black dress showed a healthy amount of tanned leg and cleavage, and she was wearing the perfume he had given her for her twenty-first birthday, Calvin Klein Obsession.
“Uh…you won’t be cold or anything, will you?” he managed to get out, his eyes passing over her admiringly. She admired him openly in return, liking the way his shirt showed his shoulders off and his jeans showed his…well…it was a good look.
“Won’t you?” she laughed, “Don’t worry, it’s hot out.”
“See you later Alex.” Dawson held the door open for her and she waved.
****
“Hmm…” Joey fiddled with the radio knob, leaning over him, subtly smelling his aftershave, which was lovely—spicy.
Dawson was having trouble keeping his eyes on the road and his thoughts in check, but he managed.
“Uh…how’s things with Pacey?”
Joey groaned, “Jeez, is that all people are gonna ask me?”
Dawson wondered if Pacey had told Joey yet. Joey didn’t seem that upset, so he probably hadn’t.
The warm air crackled inside the car, and Dawson decided he’d put the top down. Joey smiled warmly at him, lifting her face up to the night air breeze.
“Are we nearly there?” she asked distantly, and Dawson nodded. It’d be a relief to have people around…not that being alone with Joey wasn’t good, but the way she was acting…well, it left a lot to be imagined.
“Well, I know a good way. A different way.” Joey pointed left. “Go down here…and turn right.”
“You sure?” Dawson craned his neck. Wasn’t going right going away from the beach?”
“Hmm-hmm.” Joey nodded.
“And now…go up here, and keep going and then when you get to the top…stop.” He did just that, but as soon as he stopped he realized she had been wrong. It was a dead end and there was no sign of the beach.
“I love it up here.” Joey said softly.
He looked around. They were up on some sort or range, looking down at the ocean. It was a beautiful place—he hadn’t known it existed, but then, it was a long way from where he lived. Pacey and Joey had probably gone here.
“Joey, why are we here?” he asked, turning his head to look at her. She flickered an eyebrow.
“It has a nice view.” She was looking at him now, coyly, and then she said, “But I can give you an even better one.”
She slipped the sleeves of her dress down off her shoulders in one quick movement—she had no bra on underneath, and her breasts sank forward slightly, olive-skinned and soft. Dawson’s jaw dropped open.
Her hand then smoothed up his thigh and softly over his zipper, and she could feel his heated skin underneath. “Jo…” Dawson’s voice cracked. He was completely sensitised, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, as did something else.
His hand closed over hers, to stop her stroking, and she angled her face so her neck was close to his lips. “What’s wrong?” she whispered. “Haven’t you ever wanted…to…do this again?” and without hesitation she lifted his hand and placed it carefully on her breast. Her nipple hardened under his touch and he let out a short sigh.
“And, um, this…” Joey was beginning to lose control as well, her head was spinning, her cool, seductive charms blurring as she smoothed his hand down her ribcage, over her stomach and then under her skirt and onto to crotch of her panties. His hand then moved itself, and she removed hers and settled it onto her other breast, making sure he watched. But her eyes closed when he slipped his fingers into the side of her panties and brushed slowly and tantalizingly over her clit. “Ohh…” she shuddered, surprised, and pleasured.
His mouth kissed her slender neck, before touching softly onto her lips, which were parted as she moaned some more. She held onto the back of his neck as they kissed hungrily, inept of thought, only feeling urgency and sex. It wasn’t wrong to imagine they had wanted to do this since Dawson had stepped through the door Christmas Eve.
Sitting in his lap, facing him, Joey watched his eyes, which were dark with desire.
She was unzipping his pants when Dawson finally tried to place all of his thoughts together---but all he could come up with was that the last time she had tried to seduce him he had rejected her, and he had regretted it pretty much for years after.
A few girls had ‘seduced’ him overseas---some brazen, dominative women, others a bit more subtle, all sexy and warm, and he had had no problem with it—he was an American Male with red blood, who liked sex. Was this any different? He moaned, his mind going blank when Joey gripped him in her hand and nipped at his throat. Oh fuck it.
Joey slid her hand up and down his shaft, clearly pleased at what she was touching, and enthusiastic to give it a test drive.
“Do you…do you…um, “ Joey moaned breathlessly as he kissed her neck and throat over and over, and tugged gently at her nipples, and he answered, panting, “Yeah, uh wallet.”
“Joey…” he whispered as she ripped open a package. “Joey, what…”
But she just held a finger to his lips.
“You want to fuck me. Just give into it. Just once.”
She had rolled the condom on and was raising her hips, and he felt he was ‘too much of a gentleman’ to interrupt now. And oh god, he wanted this. He slid into her with a bit of maneuvering and she gasped loudly, swearing under her breath. He held her hips firmly as she started to move up and around and down, throbbing relentlessly. She was so warm and wet and he never wanted this to end it felt so damn good…
He looked up at her, amazed that this beautiful, mature, woman who was giving him so much satisfaction and vice versa was Joey Potter, his best friend since third grade. She was so sexy, so desirable…they hadn’t done this for years, and he’d almost forgotten how it felt. Almost.
Joey’s cries got louder and they came together, and he came so hard his whole body contracted and shook. Joey threw her head back, completely abandoning herself to the sensations, and she tightened her arms him, breathing heavily and saying his name over and over.
He stroked her hair and they lay still for what seemed like hours, shivering, listening to the crash of the ocean and crickets chirping in the warm breeze. Eventually, Joey moved off him, still breathing heavily. They sat side by side, not saying a word, but both smiling, Dawson wistfully, Joey contentedly. He switched the radio on, and sat back, his arm draped casually around her. He couldn’t believe they had just had sex in his car.
Joey smoothed Dawson’s hair down, and buttoned up his top, smoothing her hand over his warm skin, smiling tenderly and kissing his temple. She then sat back in her chair and he leaned over and zipped up her dress. She cocked the rear view window sideways so she could reapply her lipstick, and Dawson laughed when she wiped away at the red smears on his chin and mouth.
“Left behind a few other marks, too.” He pointed towards a hickey on his neck, which was swelling slightly.
“Yeah-ah…” Joey stroked the love bite, “Sorry about that.”
“I like my women rough.” He commented candidly.
“I’ll bet.” Joey stared off into the distance, preoccupied.
“Joey…what was this?” Dawson finally asked. He was flushed with just having sex, and he hadn’t felt so relaxed all day, but there was that nagging question biting at him.
“Incredible sex.” was her soft reply.
“You’re a great guy with a big cock who knows how to…um…satisfy a woman.” She smiled and stroked his hair. “I needed this. And you needed it too.”
“So it’s…closure or something?” Dawson nodded, his eyes thoughtful, then unreadable.
“Only if you want it to be.” Joey sat up and tried to coax him to look at her. “Dawson…”
“Pacey told you, didn’t he? About his little affair. And what we did just then—well, that was just getting back at him, wasn’t it?”
Joey shook her head. “Dawson---it wasn’t just to get back at him at all.”
“Good timing, though, huh?”
“Yes.” Joey continued calmly, “Because I realized I could make love to you without feeling guilty. Because I’ve wanted this so long I just…”
“But why? Aren’t you in love with Pacey? That usually means you don’t want to sleep with someone else.”
Joey looked down at her hands. “I love him, yeah. He’s been such a big part of my life. But what he did was unforgivable. And what we did just then is…separate to him and me.”
“It was unforgivable…” Dawson’s eyes softened for a moment. “But Joey, using me to make you feel like you have one up on him was…” he stopped and shrugged. “Not like you.”
“This wasn’t like that, I swear.” Joey tipped his face towards hers and kissed him full and passionate on the mouth.
“All I want now is to stop talking and to just…let things happen. This can be our summer.”
“’Our’ summer?” Dawson repeated.
“Hmm.” Joey kissed him again and this time, he kissed her back, wrapping his strong arms around her. Making love to Joey Potter wasn’t such a bad thing to do for the rest of the summer.
They never made it to the beach party.
****
Audrey could tell Joey had just been laid as soon as she saw her. How could she tell? Female intuition. Oh—and that dreamy, glazed look in her eyes. Oh—and she hadn’t returned to her sisters house that night either, according to Bessie.
Josephine Potter may now be a high-class, successful and oh-so- sophisticated editor, with sleek mahogany hair, sharp dark eyes and an icy temperament, but to Audrey and to those who knew her, she was just Joey Potter, sweet, maybe a little uncertain and holding up barricades.
“Hi.” She said breathlessly, kissing Audrey’s cheek and slipping into the iron chair next to her. “I’m a little late…only a little, right?” she laughed nervously and picked up a menu. Her presence immediately attracted a waiter, who hurried over with a notebook.
“Black coffee, no sugar or milk.” She told him lightly.
“Only a little late. And it’s only lunch with me.” Audrey reassured her, smiling deviously to let her in on the fact she knew what she had been up too. “Um…late night? You didn’t go back to your house—had a little sleepover somewhere?”
Joey looked a little flustered and she smoothed her hair down, avoiding her gaze for a second.
“You could say that.”
“Well we could spend lunch avoiding the issue, but both of us knowing we know what happened…and create an unbearable situation, or…” Audrey trailed off, laughing at Joey’s red cheeks.
“I can’t believe it.” Audrey shook her head and dipped her straw into the long glass of water placed in front of her. “You’re back with Pacey.”
Joey’s smile slipped off her face and she cleared her throat. “No, I’m not.”
Audrey’s brows rose in shock. “You…slept with someone else? Who?”
Joey smiled awkwardly, “I don’t want to tell you just yet…I might ruin it. It’s uh, new.”
Audrey watched Joey’s face, showing both the remains of excitement and worry, calm and lust. She decided she’d better not say anything else, because she was a good friend. And technically she and Pacey had broken up.
“Okay.” She could have said, “You and Dawson didn’t turn up last night.” but she didn’t. She knew enough already just by putting two and two together.
God…Joey had to have all the guys, didn’t she?
“You were safe, right?” she asked, just wanting to know that. “I re-stock your bag every few weeks with rubbers.”
Audrey sipped some water and Joey rolled her eyes, “I know, I unfortunately didn’t know the other month in Barney’s when I pulled out a condom instead of my credit card.”
Audrey just smirked.
****
TO BE CONTINUED