Page 49 of Candy Hearts
“Richard. His name was Richard. He was kind of an ‘I’m your Daddy, you’re my boy’ type, which isn’t my jam. Anyway, Richard took me to a club. Avi saw me across the bar dancing circles around the guy and asked me if I wanted to dance with someone who could keep up.”
“You said yes, and Richard punched me,” Avi said, his voice bone dry.
Manuel laughed. “Best date ever. What’s your best, love?” he asked his husband.
Avi dug his chin into Manuel’s shoulder and said, “Same one,” which was about the sweetest fucking thing Benji had ever heard.
William turned toward Benji. “What’s your best date?”
“Umm. I don’t know.”
“Come on!” Wren said. “You’re young. Regale us old folks with some stories.”
Benji pretended to think for a few seconds.
“Well, I slept with this dude once. It wasn’t a date, exactly, but the next morning, we watched the sunrise. He held my hand, and we could see our breath in the air. It was pretty perfect.”
Benji couldn’t meet William’s eyes, but he imagined William being asked his favorite date and saying, “Same one.”
“I’ll go,” Wren said. “In high school, the homecoming king asked me to prom. He ended up making out with his second cousin at the end of the night. It was hilarious.”
Everyone gaped. William said, “I told you those Clark boys were no good, Wren.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
“That’s yourbest date?” Benji asked.
She grinned, the fire glinting in her eyes. “He turned out to be a dick. He never lived the whole cousin thing down. Pretty sure they still talk about it at home, don’t they, William?”
He shrugged. “Haven’t been back in years.”
Benji glanced at him, pieces of William’s childhood shifting into focus.
“Yeah, you’re not great at showing up,” Sasha said. “Why would visiting your parents be any different?” Her tone was so offhand it sounded like a joke, but then the air around them sucked down to nothing.
* * *
William’s heart flopped to his stomach.
“Sasha,” Benji said, clearly surprised by her words. She seemed shocked by them too.
William wasn’t shocked, really. Just ashamed. What she’d said was true.
Sasha’s eyes were wide. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to say that.”
“No, don’t apologize,” William said. “You’re right.”
The silence around the circle was earsplitting. Everyone’s focus shifted to the crackling bonfire.
“Umm, I’m guessing this is how everyone feels?” William asked, voice shaky.
“You’ve missed some important things. That’s all,” Wren said, placating like always, first to come to his aid, even when he didn’t deserve it.
Sasha sat up in her lawn chair. “I am sorry, William. I shouldn’t have said it like that. I know you’re busy with your job and stuff comes up, and it’s been rough for you while you’ve built your business.”
“But you missed Sasha’s wedding. Or, well, the wedding where she was left at the altar,” Robin chimed in. William flushed. “And the party after Avi and Manuel opened their studio. And Wren’s last runway.”
“Shit. Is this an intervention?” Benji asked. “Y’all should have prepared me! I’d have read some infographics.”
