Page 100 of The Infiniteness of Yesterday
I shake my head. This isn’t hers to worry about. “I’ll figure it out.”
I can tell from the downturn in her lips that my answer doesn’t fully appease her, but she thankfully lets it go.
“Are we still going to the pier this weekend?” she asks, and I’m thankful for her change in subject.
I swallow a bite of the dry turkey sandwich. “Yeah, of course, baby.”
She smiles, but concern still darkens her gaze. It feels like everyone these days is worried about me, and Harlow is the last one I want doing that. I need her to treat me like I’m normal, like I’m not still grieving.
“Good.” She tucks a piece of blond hair behind her ear, but it’s pointless because the breeze outside immediately blows it free. “I can’t wait.”
“Me either,” I say, and I mean it.
“Come on, this way.” I let Harlow tug me into a photobooth after we get off the Pacific Wheel. It’s the end of October, and there’s enough chill in the air that the pier is nearly empty thanks to tourist season dying down.
We do some silly poses and kiss for the camera.
“I’m keeping this forever,” she declares, clutching the strip of photos to her chest.
“Forever?” I ask, pulling her over to another one of the games. I hand the guy cash, and he passes me the rings for the ring toss game. “That’s a very long time.”
“Don’t you think our kids will want to see us young and in love one day,” she teases, turning the photos my direction.
“If they haven’t decided to disown us for being grossly in love, then maybe.”
She laughs and moves aside to give me more room to toss the rings.
I don’t win the grand prize, but I do get a tiny green monkey with a t-shirt on that says Santa Monica.
“For you, milady.” I pass it to Harlow.
“He needs a name,” she declares.
I cock my head, taking in the green monkey in her hand. “Lucky?” I suggest.
“Lucky,” she repeats, staring at the stuffed animal. “I like that. Lucky it is.”
“Are you hungry?” I ask. “We could get hot dogs or something.”
“Yeah.” She tucks the photo strip and monkey into her purse.
Ten minutes later, with hot dogs, fries, and sodas in hand, we sit down at one of the tables. She shivers from the breeze comingoff the ocean and I quickly remove my hoodie and pass it to her. She has a sweater on, but if my girl is cold then she’s getting mine too.
“Thanks.” She tugs it on over her head.
We’ve only eaten a few bites when she says, “There’s something I wanted to talk to you about.”
My eyes widen with worry.She’s not breaking up with me, is she?I rack my brain for any memory of feeling like she acted strange today and come up empty.
“And what’s that?”
Her cheeks pinken. “Well, we’ve been seeing each other a while now and I…” Her gaze drops to her lap, and she pushes her food away. “We … I…” She covers her face. “I don’t know how to say this.”
“Say what?” I’m panicking now. I can’t lose my best friend and my girlfriend in less than a year’s time. That would be too cruel.
She reluctantly brings her eyes to mine, her whole face the color of a tomato. “We’ve never talked about sex, but I was thinking maybe … we could.”
“Talk about it?” I ask, my voice octaves higher than normal.
