“Who?” I tried to think about what I’d done that evening.
After going outside at my aunt’s house and nearly throwing out my back, we’d all hung around the table and talked—mostly talked shit. In a good way, not the way our mean aunt tried to get away with saying things.
One of my cousins had brought his friend over, but the guy had sat across the table and I hadn’t done more than greet him. I’d been too busy talking to Zac, Boogie, my sister, and the kids to do more. And we’d talked so much crap during that time, even the kids adding in their own quips, it had been a ton of fun.
So… I literally had no clue what the hell she was talking about.
And it was apparent she didn’t believe me.
But then I realized she had to have been doing drugs in the bathroom when she said, “Zac.”
“Zac?” I looked at her. “You on something?”
“Not in fifteen years.”
I snorted and poked at her face.
She grabbed my hand and tucked it under her chin. “I’m not joking. What’s going on with you two?”
“Nothing.”
Had I… done something? Looked at him weird? I liked Zac. I liked him a lot.
But that was it.
But she wasn’t going to drop it now. “You two have been hanging out a ton.”
I kept my face even. “Because we’re friends and we live in the same city. We’ve always been friends.”
“That was ten years ago.”
“What’s the difference now and then?”
“Exactly. That was ten years and a few hundred girls ago.”
Well, that felt shitty, and I could have gone without the mental picture. “Yeah, but he hasn’t known any of those girls since they were three like me.”
She scrunched up her nose. “Yeah, that’s not what I mean, and you know it.”
“Yeah, but you know we’ve always gotten along.”
“And it was cute when you were younger, but now….”
“Now what?”
“Now it just seems a little fishy.”
I didn’t like where this was going and knew I needed to shut it down as soon as possible. “You seem a little fishy,” I muttered.
Connie rolled her eyes. “Just tell me the truth.”
“Nothing is going on,” I whispered, lifting up a little to glance over her shoulder and make sure my nephew was asleep.
He was.
“He’s just my friend.” I swallowed. “And I know he doesn’t see me like that, Con. I think he’s just lonely or something. He probably still feels like he owes me since I ‘saved his life’ a million years ago. And he rarely talks to me about football stuff. I don’t really ask about it much either. He probably just likes getting away from it sometimes.”
That had my sister’s face softening.
“We’re just friends. I’m not following him around like a puppy. He calls me. He invites me to his house. I leave him alone. He comes over sometimes,” I told her in another whisper just as the water in the shower cut off. “And we just get along really well. Like we always have.”
“B, I wasn’t putting it all on you. Him too. I know you would’ve told me if you invited him, but I know that you wouldn’t have.”
“Well, yeah. He invites himself. I like it; I miss him. You know I have some friends, I know a lot of people, but it’s different with Zac. It was just like putting on old shoes that fit really great.”
“You’re sure?”
It was my turn to roll my eyes. “Yeah, I’m sure. I’m not his type, Con. I was just reminding him about when I used to fart around him not too long ago. I love him, but I only dream about things I can make happen on my own now.”
“Or with me.”
I smiled. “Or with you.”
“I don’t ask because I worry about your feelings, B. You know that, right? I just want to know if there’s something going on you didn’t want to tell me about.”
“Nope.”
Her face got thoughtful again.
“Nope,” I repeated.
She sighed. “You get along so well though…. I don’t know, B. I guess it’d be cute if things were different.” I wasn’t sure what she meant by different. What? If Boogie wasn’t his best friend? If I was older or prettier? Or he was different and wanted something serious?
“Well, we’re just meant to be friends, and there’s nothing there like that. I doubt he would ever do anything to ruin the longest relationship he’s ever had.”
“Well, whatever. It’d be nice to get some tickets in the box if you know what I’m