Rescue Breathing by Zoe Norman Read Free Book Online Page A

loves you too, man. And she's really
happy for you. I, personally, don't get it. Why buy the hen when
you can get the eggs for free?”
    Marc nods his head and gives me a fist
bump in agreement. “See?
This is why Owen needs to move to Seattle. He's the voice of reason
in a crazy, love-filled world,” he says, supporting my
stance.
    “ Pfft, ” Travis scoffs. “You'll both figure it out eventually when
someone knocks off the red rust around your corroded hearts.”
Travis takes a long swig of his beer. “I'm fuckin' gettin ' married, man!” he shouts, lifting both arms
straight up into the air like he just scored the biggest touchdown
of his life.
    “ You've still got a few months to back out,
you know,” I remind him teasingly.
    “ Nope, not gonna happen. I love Lucy. She
is it for me, ” Travis spits out
emphatically.
    I don 't get it, but whatever.
    “ We're thirty-six, guys. I'm ready to
settle down, start a family…all that good shit,” Travis explains,
his demeanor turning reflective.
    Marc starts to choke on his scotch. “A
family? You're not even fucking married yet and you're talking
about having kids? Jesus.” The expression on Marc's face looks like
Travis just kicked a puppy. “My life will be over sooner than I
thought…” he murmurs.
    “ Marc. I'm getting married. I'm not dying,”
Travis says, trying to talk his friend off the ledge.
    Marc and Travis both went to the
University of Washington. Travis majored in finance, Marc in
broadcast journalism. Following graduation, Travis stayed in
Seattle and landed a kick-ass job with a well-known financial firm.
Marc, on the other hand, was recruited by a few major market news
networks and ended up taking a position as a reporter for a TV
station in Austin. When the opportunity came to be an on-air anchor
for a local Seattle station a few years later, Marc jumped at the
opportunity to get back to the Pacific Northwest and closer to
Travis and his other college friends. I understand how Marc's
feeling. Sure, with Travis getting married, he may not be
physically dying, but to us, it feels like a part of our friendship
is.
    Marc rolls his eyes and, still holding his
glass of scotch, points between Travis and me. “You heard him,
Maxi. When I start to complain that Travis isn't any fun anymore,
you remember this conversation,” Marc smirks, looking at
me.
    “ You are already saying that Travis isn't
any fun,” I laugh. “Something about revoking his man card was
discussed.”
    “ I did say
that. Yes I did,” Marc replies with a chuckle.
    “ All right, all right. Let's change the
subject from how 'lame' I am,” Travis chuckles, using air
quotes.
    “ How boring was your flight, Owen?” Marc
asks as he swirls his two fingers' worth of scotch around in his
lowball glass.
    “ Actually, it was pretty amazing,” I reply,
debating on whether to share my flight experience with
them.
    “ Oh?” Marc says curiously. “I've never
heard anyone describe their flight as ' amazing' before. What happened?” he asks flatly.
    “ I had a sexy seatmate to pass the time
with.”
    “ Why does this not surprise me?” Travis
exclaims a bit too loudly. “You always have the best dumb
luck.”
    I smirk and proceed to tell them about my
ogling Olivia at the airport bar and then the irony of our being
seated next to each other on our flight to Seattle. I told them
about my incessant flirting and how I followed her into the
lavatory for a quick and dirty make-out session. Marc and Travis
listen intently and occasionally exchange knowing glances while I
share my story.
    “ You fucked her, didn't you? You joined the
motherfucking mile high club! You bastard!” Travis
shouts.
    “ No. I did not. There's always the flight
home though...” I answer, lifting my eyebrow.
    Travis gives me a fist bump, but Marc rolls
his eyes.
    “ You like her,” Marc states.
    “ I don 't know her well enough to say I like her, but I do know
that I would like to see her again,” I