Page 109 of Forever

“Yeah, he doesn’t have service,” Brooklyn said. “I’ve called him a dozen times and left voicemails and texts.”

“Why the change of heart?”

“I found all these old letters he wrote my mom. She never saw them, they were all returned unopened to him. But he loved her so much. And he wanted me. I…” her voice trailed off. “I never knew.”

“I can get a hold of him for you,” Tanner said.

“You can?”

“Of course.”

“How?” I asked.

“It’s a boat thing, you wouldn’t understand.”

“I know stuff about boats.”

“Not as much as us,” Nigel said. “Port and starboard. Stern. Dinghy. Windward and leeward. It’s a billionaire thing.”

Why was Nigel being so savage right now? He wasn’t a billionaire either.Wait. Is he?

“Can you really help?” Brooklyn asked.

Tanner nodded. “He’ll be at the wedding. I promise. As the best man in theory but not in title, I’ve got it covered. And I’ll be hosting the rehearsal dinner. I’m definitelythe best man. Definitely at least better than Young Robert.”

I mean, if he could really get Mr. Pruitt to the wedding, that would be better than anything Young Robert was doing. I laughed.Young Robert.All Rob wanted to do was plan the bachelor party. And I didn’t even want one. “We’d really appreciate it,” I said.

“Anything for my best friends,” Tanner said with a smile. But his smile looked a little sad. He cleared his throat and stood up. “I guess I should be going if that’s all. I don’t want to impose. And I have some things to do and such.” He pulled his mustache out of his pocket. “So I guess I’ll be going then.”

Tanner and I used to hang out most nights. Hell, I’d been living with him not that long ago. And I realized that maybe since Brooklyn got back, I’d kind of neglected him. He was an important part of my life. And I wanted him to know that.

“Unless you want to stay for a movie or something?” I said. As soon as everyone left, Brooklyn and I were just going to snuggle up on the couch. We’d gotten in the routine when she decided not to leave the house. I loved our nights just us. But I’d love this too.

“I mean…if you’re sure it wouldn’t be a bother,” Tanner said with a shrug, like he didn’t care. But I could tell he wanted to stay.

“That sounds great to me,” Brooklyn said.

Tanner smiled and put his mustache back in his pocket. “Yeah? I do love a good motion picture.”

Brooklyn grabbed his forearm to pull him back down on the couch.

Well, I didn’t love that he’d be sitting between us. But yeah, I was happy he was here.

“Movie night!” Justin yelled and sat down too.

“The whole gang together,” Nigel said and plopped down, taking up the last seat on the couch.

I needed a bigger couch.

I sat down on the carpet in front of Brooklyn. She lifted her legs and put them over my shoulders like I was her stool.

“Ah much more comfortable,” she said.

I nipped at the inside of her knee and she laughed.

She leaned forward and ran her fingers through my hair.

I tilted my head back and looked up at her from upside down.

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