that said she needed a change in subject, and fast. So, I said, “Nicky needs help redoing the bathroom.”
“Oh.” Pops's speculative glare volleyed between us before saying, “Why isn't he asking Greyson for help?”
I barked an obnoxious “ha!” into Jen’s face, before heading into the kitchen, where Moe, our employee and friend, sat with a bottle of soda and a slice of pepperoni pizza. He scarfed it down with an air of gratitude, the way he always did, and nodded happily toward me by way of greeting.
“Hey, man. You know you don't have to eat pizza every day, right? We won't be insulted if you wanna grab a sandwich or something,” I said as I opened the fridge to grab some more dough.
Moe shook his head. “I'll never get tired of eating this.”
“Whatever you say, man.”
“When you remember going days without eating anything at all, you learn to not take what you get for granted,” he pointed out, before licking the remaining sauce and grease from his fingers.
Shame wrapped its icy hands around my throat. It was easy to forget that, before we’d hired him years ago, Moe had once been homeless. I could still remember his dirty, tattered clothes, but now, after seeing him every day, clean and put together, the memories from before had faded like an old, vaguely familiar photograph.
“Sorry, I—”
“Vin,” he said, smiling as he stood. “Relax. It's all good. Now, what was I hearin’ about babies?”
I chuckled, shrugging. “Zach and Greyson are apparently thinking about having a kid.”
“Oh, nice. I can see Zach as a dad.”
“Yeah,” I practically grunted, nodding. “Same here.”
Moe narrowed one eye as he took the bowl of dough from my hands. “What, you're not happy for them?”
Scoffing, I replied, “I didn't say that.”
“Brother, you didn't have to,” he laughed, an easy sound that was usually contagious. “You wear the truth in your eyes, my friend. So, what's up?”
“Eh, I dunno. It's stupid. I just ...” I shrugged, feeling like an idiot for even letting it bother me at all. “I guess it gets to me a little that he didn't tell me. He told Jenna but he hasn’t said shit to me about this.”
Moe hummed thoughtfully. “Yeah, I can see where that might sting a little. But you know, there's not a mean bone in that guy's body. I'm sure it just slipped his mind. He's got a lot goin’ on.”
I knew there was truth in that. Zach had just opened up his own pizzeria in Hog Hill, Famiglia Bella II, and his old farmhouse seemed to be in a constant state of construction. He was a busy guy, with a full life, and forgetting to tell me something wasn't out of the realm of possibility. But, I reminded myself, he had told Jenna. And sure, she could be the one acting as a surrogate for the guys, but I couldn't help feeling that he had purposely kept me out of the loop.
“There you go again,” Moe jabbed, wagging a long finger. “I might be going out on a limb here, but maybe he didn't wanna say anything because he thought you might get jealous.”
“Jealous?” I spat the word from my mouth and forced a laugh that instantly felt bitter. “Why would I be jealous? I'm happy for him. I'm not jealous.”
His deep brown eyes narrowed with taunting acknowledgement. “You can be happy for him while still being jealous. Do you know how many times I was happy for my friends on the streets, who had lucked themselves into better situations, while still being jealous as fuck that it wasn’t me? And brother, I know that there are people out there who are thrilled that I got myself outta that hole, but if their envy could kill, I’d be lyin’ in a gutter right now.”
“Well, I mean, that’s different,” I reasoned weakly.
“Okay, then you tell me what you got goin’ on in your life.”
“What?” I couldn’t help but laugh.
Moe hoisted himself up to sit on the clean, metal countertop. His legs swung casually, new white Nike’s on his feet. I distinctly remembered a time when he always had holes in his shoes and I wondered how many of his old friends resented him for such a simple luxury.
“You got a woman?”
“The fuck?” I laughed, shaking my head. “You know I’m not seeing anybody, man.”
“Okay, well, love isn’t everything. You got your own place?” I didn’t bother replying. I simply stared at him exhaustedly, waiting for him to get to his point.