not to work too hard.”
He snorted. “She won’t listen but will do. Happy Turkey Day.”
“Stuff yourself and be fat and happy,” Jeremy returned with a grin.
Once we were in the car, I let out a shuddering sigh, all the tension I’d been carrying finally releasing its hold.
“Want to talk about it?” Jeremy asked.
I shook my head, in no place to relive that confrontation. I just wanted to get back, take a minute to myself, and process what I was feeling.
Jeremy, being the good friend that he was, started the car without another word and drove us home.
20
Benji
“I still can’t believe Benji’s in looooove,” Steph teased as she bounced around the kitchen, making a pest of herself. While I chopped veggies for a salad, she ate half a jar of olives. “And with Ace!” She wrinkled her nose. “That’s like being in love with a brother.”
I scoffed. “Don’t even play. I wasn’t the only one with a crush.”
She turned red. “I don’t know what you mean.”
I’d been fifteen when Ace left for college, but Steph had been thirteen. Old enough to crush on the hot friend who came around and was always super nice.
“You’re just jealous he’s mine,” I said, even as I wondered where the heck he was and if he even cared that he’d taken off without a word to me.
I heard the front door open and abandoned the veggies I’d been wrangled into chopping.
“Where have you been?” I demanded as Ace and Jeremy walked inside. “I’ve been here working while you guys just take off and leave me?”
“Sorry,” Ace muttered, brushing past me. “Bathroom.”
I watched him stalk toward the back hall, my mouth hanging open. “Did he seriously just blow me off?” I turned to Jeremy. “I thought I was more than his friend’s little brother.”
“Then maybe you should act like it.”
“Excuse me? You guys are the ones who took off and left me like old times. So great that you worked out all the friendship angst though. Who cares about the guy stuck molesting a turkey!”
Jeremy grabbed my arm, dragging me toward the hallway. He spoke in a low, tight voice as we crossed the living room.
“Benji, this isn’t about you. Ace just went to see his parents.”
“Oh.” My heart sank, remembering that all the time he’d spent around our house when he was younger was partially an escape. His mom had always been volatile. Jeremy had witnessed her blow up more than once.
“Obviously, it didn’t go super well,” Jeremy added.
“Okay, I didn’t realize… Do you know what happened?”
“I waited outside, and he didn’t want to talk on the ride home. Just … go in there and do your boyfriend shit.”
“My boyfriend shit?”
“You know … be supportive.”
“You said he didn’t want to talk.”
Jeremy rolled his eyes, muttering under his breath. Then he fixed a stern gaze on me. “He didn’t want to speak to me. You? I don’t know. Just go in there and show him that you care.”
“Right.” I nodded. “Thanks, Jer.” I hesitated. “And, uh, sorry I didn’t tell you we were dating right away. I was afraid you’d ask him to choose.”
He looked baffled. “Choose? I don’t want to date him.”
I shoved him, barking a laugh. “You know what I mean, dummy.”
He smirked, reaching out to ruffle my hair. “Kid, I’d never steal your boyfriend, even if he was my best friend first. Now go be considerate. I know it’s a stretch, but—”
I flipped him off as I turned toward the bathroom. I could be considerate. After all the times Ace let me cry on his shoulder? I owed him. But even if I didn’t, I wanted to be there for him, to be the person who could give him comfort and love.
Ace had been strong for me so many times. Now, it was my turn.
Ace
A knock on the door interrupted the disastrous replay in my head. That visit to my parents hadn’t resolved our differences; it’d made them worse.
It’s also a free pass to live your life.
The thought made guilt resurface. What kind of person was I, to be relieved right now? I felt so confused. I loved my mom, I really did, and I also didn’t like her at all.
I flushed the toilet to explain my lingering presence in the bathroom. “I’ll be right out!”
“Ace?” Benji called through the door. “You okay?”
I opened the door, trying for a smile. “Hey, sorry I disappeared on you.”
“It’s okay.” He nudged me back into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. “Jeremy said you went