Page 35 of Revelation

Josh shrugs and takes a bite of his food but doesn’t reply.

I look at Josh for a long beat. When I opened my door to him last night and wordlessly took him into my arms, the look on his face was so vulnerable, it took my breath away—and, just now, that exact same expression flashed across his handsome face.

“Jeez, before we know it,” Henn says. “We’ll befortyand in the middle of our mandatory midlife crisis.”

“Jesus. Who knows what fucked up shit Faraday will do then?” Reed says. “He’ll probably get himself a midlife-crisis car like a fucking Lamborghini or some shit like that. Oh, whoops. Already did that.”

“He’s got aLamborghini?” Carmen whispers to me, her eyes wide.

I nod and she mouths, “Wow.”

“Hey, might as well have the douche-car to match the douche-tattoos,” Josh says, clearly not the least bit offended by Reed’s jab. “Like I always say, ‘Go big or go home.’ Right, Kat?”

I lean into Josh and put my head on his shoulder. “I’m sorry,” I whisper. “I feel like an idiot.”

He kisses the top of my head. “We’re just teasing you, babe,” he whispers back. “It’s what we do if we like you. No worries—never worry in this crowd. We’re just playing.”

“So how about forty, big guy?” Henn asks Josh. “Can you imagine that?”

Josh shrugs but doesn’t reply. He takes a bite of his food.

“Well, I can picture all of us at forty,” Henn says. “We’re all exactly the same as we are now—strikingly handsome, fucking geniuses—only difference is we’re married and driving minivans full of screaming kids.”

Reed makes a scoffing noise. “I think your crystal ball’s got a loose wire, bro—at least relating to me.” He swigs his drink.

“No ‘married with children’ for you?” I ask Reed. But, really, I’m indirectly asking Josh—hoping maybe he’ll join in the conversation. Why has he gone suddenly mute?

Reed shakes his head emphatically. “No, thanks. I’m gonna be an eternal bachelor. Dudes like that have the right idea.”

“I think there are plenty of men whothinkthey’ll never get married, but do,” Carmen says. “When they meet the right woman.”

“I think so, too,” I agree.

“Not me,” Reed says. “I’ll be the last man standing.”

“I’m with the girls on that one,” Henn says. “When a man finds the right woman, he doesn’t wanna let her go. Okay, maybe not you, Reed. You’re admittedly a tough nut to crack. But, still, even with you, a man can never say never.”

“Oh, you can say never when it comes to me,” Reed replies with a chuckle. “I’d bet anything on that.” He winks at Henn. “Wanna make a bet with me on that, Henny? Name your price.”

Henn rolls his eyes. “Don’t even try your Jedi mind tricks on me. Unless we’re playing poker, I’m never betting against you again. I’ve learned my lesson on that.”

Josh laughs.

Reed looks at Carmen. “Why do you think that about self-proclaimed eternal bachelors? Haveyou witnessed a guy like that changing his tune?”

Carmen shakes her head. “No. But I think if someone is a generally passionate person, they can’t always predict how they’ll react when it comes to love. Passionate people are always the ones who fall the hardest, I think. Men who feel positive they’d never get married have probably never experienced true love.”

Carmen looks lovingly at Will, and he leans in and kisses his girlfriend on the cheek.

“I agree with Carmen,” Henn says. “When a man finds the right woman, it’s a game-changer.” He snorts. “So I hear.”

“Aw, it sounds like you’re a diehard romantic, Henn,” Carmen says.

“Maybe I am. All I know is I’d love to be married one day to the right girl and maybe even have a little baby. A little daughter maybe. I think that’d be really nice.”

“Really?” I say. “That’s so sweet, Henny.” I feel myself blushing. I sneak a peek at Josh—he’s sipping his drink, not saying a word—and my cheeks blaze even hotter.

“What about you two?” Henn asks, and my stomach seizes—but when I glance at Henn, ready to deflect his question, he’s looking straight at Will and Carmen, not at Josh and me.

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