Page 87 of Betting on the Best Friend
How do I feel about having my heart laid out for strangers to feast on its meat?
Haven’t I done it a thousand times myself when I took other songs as my story because that’s what good songs are? So specific they’re universal?
Glad to be of service, Sami. I don’t know if I should demand song-writing royalties or thank her for putting that refrain in Ruby’s head.Long. Time. Coming.
The band is already moving into another hit, “I’m Not Your Prom Queen,” a song Joey would—and has—called a banger. I melt out of the crowd when Sami hits the chorus, the crowd screaming the lyrics along with her, and head for my car.
I’m okay with the new song, but I feel bad for anyone who sees themselves in my part. I also want zero conversations about this with Ruby.
I’m going home before she tries to have one.
Chapter Thirty
Charlie
Ruby texts me lessthan twenty minutes later.
You left?
It was time
Sami shouldn’t have done that
Done what
The song
Her songs are great
I mean Long Time Coming
Can’t hear you
Got it
It’s that simple.
Or maybe it isn’t. Maybe this is super toxic and unhealthy for me, but I feel better with Ruby than without Ruby, so if this is how we make it work, I’m down.
Sunday morning she texts me to come over for brunch and promises Sami has to eat by herself in a corner, but I tell her I’m going climbing so Sami should be allowed to eat with them.
I meet some friends at the greenbelt along with a new guy named Kurt, and we spend the morning working up a technical route. Kurt and I climb as partners, and he tells me he’s a geotechnical engineer and his current project has him playing in the dirt all day as he designs a foundation for a new apartment building in San Antonio.
It gets me thinking. Playing with rocks full time. Hmm.
Monday morning, I get an email from Sandy with a reminder about the library conference coming up, plus a request for a favor that has me texting Ruby.
Good morning, Ruby Tuesday
It’s better when I hear it
When do you come back here?
O’Connor?
Yes
Two weeks
