I know that everyone I pass in the hallway is having that same realization, even if it’s not at this exact moment. And any person I pass on the street, or anyone I talk to on the phone, or any customer who comes into Nick’s could be dealing with something as bad or worse. That’s why it doesn’t bother me when people are rude or snappy or downright insulting; I tell myself, silently, that they’re having the worst day of their life, and I let myself be perhaps the only happy thing they’ll see all day.
That’s why I believe in bright colors, and cute hairdos, and elaborate baked goods, and cheerful music. Because it all counts. In a world that’s often hard and cold and cruel, the tiny bits of warmth and kindness matter, too.
So I paste a smile on my face and knock on Dad’s door. Sometimes it might feel like I’m drowning, but I’m still going to furiously tread water as long as I can.
Chapter Ten
Nick is always in the shop—except for Tuesday nights. On Tuesdays, we all expect him to walk out with a wave around six, and I’ve learned to stop asking where he’s going. At first I used to joke about it. “Oh, off to spin class, are we?”
But then I started thinking about how little I know about Nick, and how he could be going to something really serious. I mean, what if he’s in a twelve-step program, or what if he has a weekly therapist appointment? Or, what if he’s meeting a stranger for hot sex every Tuesday night at six? It’s not my problem.
This Tuesday, I’m so engrossed in my business management textbook that I don’t notice the clock tick past six. When the bell above the door jingles, I stand up and paste on my Customer Service Chloe smile as I say, “Good evening and welcome to Nick’s!”
A stocky dude wearing an OSU baseball cap walks up to the counter. “Is Velez here?”
I squint. I’m not used to having questions barked at me by bros. “Excuse me?”
The bro shrugs. “It’s six fifteen. I’ve been waiting out back for fifteen minutes. Is he skipping out on bowling this week or what?”
I shake my head. “I don’t have any idea what you’re talking about, my good man.”
The door to Nick’s office opens and Nick strides out, pulling on his jacket. “Sorry, let’s go. See you tomorrow, Chloe.”
The bro’s eyebrows raise. “Oooooh. You’re Chloe?”
I nod. “That I am.”
The bro looks from me to Nick a few times. “Okay, okay, okay. I get it.”
“Let’s go, Mooney,” Nick says, not looking at me.
The bro leans over the counter and extends a hand. “I’m Doug, but everyone in our friend group calls me D-Money.”
There’s a lot to unpack in that statement, so I start with the obvious. “Nick has a friend group?”
“Uh, doy?” Doug says. “We meet every Tuesday night for bowling.”
“No one calls you D-Money. I’m headed out the door,” Nick says.
“Nick bowls?”
“Hell yeah, Velez bowls!” Doug shakes his head in wonder and looks at Nick. “You haven’t even told her about bowling?”
“Wow,” I say, relieved that Nick doesn’t have a standing once-a-week sex date with a mysterious stranger. “I wish I could see this.”
Doug’s smile breaks open, like he just had the best idea. “Come with us!”
“Wish I could,” I say with a sigh. “But I’m working.”
Doug gestures around. “It’s frickin’ Tuesday night. This place is a ghost town. Hey, uh, T-shirt dude?”
Doug snaps his fingers at Tobin, who up until this point has been staring into space and thinking about God knows what.
“Yeah?” Tobin asks.
“You gonna care if Chloe skips out tonight? You can . . . uh . . . lock the door, or whatever you have to do?” Doug shrugs.
Tobin looks confused. “Nick doesn’t let me close. He said I can’t be trusted with the keys.”
“He can’t,” says Nick from his place in the doorway. “Chloe, stay here.”
I take off my apron. “Excuse me, I have an invitation from this gentleman to attend a bowling . . . match? Game? Uh, meet? I don’t know bowling terminology.”
Doug claps his hands. “Hell yeah. We’re out of here!”
Nick groans. “Tobin, I’ll be back before close. Just . . . don’t start any fires.”
“That only happened once,” Tobin mutters.
“Three times,” Nick and I say in unison.
I place my hands on Tobin’s shoulders. “I trust you. You can do this.”
Tobin nods. “Have fun bowling.”
Doug shakes his head as I walk out from behind the