Page 66 of Let It Be Me

“So why now?”

I slump, exhausted by the question. “I don’t know, man, I guess it’s like this: When you’re a kid, you think you’ll never runout of time. I thought eventually, way down the road, the timing would just be right and Ruby and I would get together. But look at us: Graduation’s a year away. Anything could happen after that.”

“So it’s got nothing to do with Brad stealing her out from under you?”

My jaw tightens thinking about him. “Maybe. Until he came along, it’d been years since she was really into someone. And Ruby’s wild. She’d be that girl who marries someone in Vegas she met three hours earlier. Anyway, I realized, what am I waiting for? I want her. And how many chances am I going to get?” When Cash doesn’t respond, I lean forward, annoyed by his silence. “So? Am I an idiot?”

“I mean, yeah. Jumping into a relationship with your best friend without thinking about it is idiotic.” He shrugs. “But I could see you two working out. And idiotic decisions can pay off. Isn’t that how we ended up housemates sophomore year?”

“I guess.” My brain wants to run away with all the possible ways this could go wrong.

“Look, man, enjoy it. You both wanted it; now you have it. Stop overthinking it.”

“Yeah, that works great with girls you don’t plan to be friends with for life.”

“You guys could come back from this. So the romance fizzles? Big deal. You can’t be friends just because you’ve seen her naked a few times?”

“Isn’t that basically your entire approach to life?” Cash has never had a relationship last longer than a month.

“You’re not me, much as you might hate to hear that.” He smirks. “If you want to be with her, be with her. Make it work, brother.”

Cash isn’t half as convincing as he thinks he is. Going back to just being friends a few months from now is an impossibility.Making nice with Ruby’s next boyfriend? Attending her wedding? Fuck all the way off.

But there’s a nugget of wisdom in his bro-philosophy ramblings. We both wanted it and now we have it. Why should I be anything less than happy? Besides, Ruby and I have weathered our share of shitstorms together. We might be able to get through anything.

“So what are you doing tonight?” I ask.

“Taking you out to a bar. Unless you’ve got plans with your girl?”

“She’s on her own tonight, so I’m in.”

“Really? No kicking and screaming? No lectures about how alcohol consumption can lead to reckless behavior, which in turn could threaten the lives of you and everyone you know?”

“Nah. Sounds like I’ve made my views clear.”

TWENTY-FIVE

ruby

As soon asI see Lorenzo’s text on Saturday evening—Meet me on our dock—a thrill ripples through me.

Our dock.

I pull up to a cedar-shingled bungalow a few lots down from my parents’ place, the house and its evergreen-studded grounds entirely dark except for one dim, flickery light bulb illuminating a small side porch. Like always. I roll down the windows, hungry for the earthy, wet scent that means I’m home.

No one has lived in the house since we were young kids, the owners long since having moved to assisted living. But the story in the neighborhood went that they didn’t want it sold as long as they were alive. It might have been the perfect house to party in or at least try out some vandalism skills, but none of us touched it, probably because we all remembered the owners as sweet old folks who gave out full-size candy bars on Halloween and had the most impressive Christmas lights in the neighborhood.

Instead, Lorenzo and I claimed the dock as ours. It was our spot when we wanted to get away from our parents but didn’t want to run into any other friends. And despite the proximity to both our houses, the thick line of trees that separated eachproperty and the fortunate curve of the shoreline meant we were completely out of our parents’ sight.

As I slip through overgrown weeds in the yard, I spot Lorenzo on the dock in one of the old weather-beaten chairs we hauled out here years ago, the lantern at his feet providing the only light. Beyond him, the lake is dark emptiness.

“What’s up, Hayes?” He smiles at me over his shoulder.

I sidestep a splintered wooden plank and lean over the back of his chair to plant a kiss on his cheek, savoring the gritty feel of his stubble on my lips. It could be a friend greeting, but it’s not.“I have good news.”

“Hold on. Is this going to need a cheers? Because this beer’s kicked.” He holds up an empty bottle.

“No.” I glance at the small assortment of unopened beer cans and bottles under his chair. “Okay, yeah, let’s do it. It’s pretty damn good news.” I grab a can for each of us and take the empty chair next to his. “I just got the call before I got in the car: I got my aquarium job back.”

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