“Jeeves, buddy. I’m just fine. Can we talk?”
I grunt honestly. My mother would beappalled.
“If you’re up for it, I think you’d better.” Haymitch takes a seat in no hurry. “Kit’s messin’ ya up, huh? Been there, man.”
Oh good, we can talk about him. “Tell me. The girl back home?”
The faint grimace on his face tells me there’s a sad story there. “Another time, my friend. You have enough to think about at the moment.”
I’m curious to get to the bottom of that and surprised I haven’t heard more about it, but he’s probably right. I lean on the pew, stretching my back.
“Wanna talk in my room?”
“No, thanks.”
He knows I don’t want an audience. “So, why you all bent outta shape?”
My mouth opens, but I close it back.
“We’ve been friends a long time now, Jeeves, and I’m better for it. You’re a next-level kinda dude. Smart as all get out and fun to be around. But more than that, I always know I can count on you, that you’ll have my back.”
That’s generous of him. Where is this going?
“It’s time for me to do that for you. It’s time to say it like it is, my friend.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
“I’ma go outon a limb and say this is a ‘Kit’s into you, but’ situation,” Haymitch says.
“Well, yes. What does it matter if she’s into me if she won’t—” I stop.
“Won’t what? Kiss you?”
I run a hand through my hair. Do I have the guts?
If this is your idea, help me be honest.
“She won’t do that either, not even close, but no, she won’t give me a chance.”
“What would a chance look like?”
“Honesty, for one. She has secrets she won’t share—important secrets. I’m pretty sure they’re the reason we can’t progress.”
“You seem to be progressin’ just fine in the googly eyes and get-to-know-you departments.” He eyes me. “You’re ‘bout as guarded as they come, Jeeves. Sure ya ain’t callin’ the kettle black?”
I edge forward. “That’s the thing. I tell her anything she wants to know. That’s not … something I do. Like you said. But she won’t do the same for me.” I try to challenge lightly. “You hang out with her. There’s a lot there.”
“Fair enough.”
“She won’t go on a real date, won’t so much as shake my hand, but she’ll roam around campus with me all night with this look in her eyes. It’s confusing, man. And then yesterday she told me that a future with me is impossible. Without a word of explanation.” I shake my head. “No one has ever put me through any of this nonsense.” I want to pull all of these words out of the air and hide them away again. I don’t tell Austin half this much.
“Yeah, that ain’t normal, Jeeves. Most e’rybody else has been rejected over and over by now. Rejection with lots of words, not enough words. Pretty sure it all kinda sucks equally, dude. You gotta be the only guy in the nearest three counties who’s never been humiliated by a girl.”
It cut deep that Genevieve was only with me for my family’s influence and connections, but it wasn’t humiliating. People were impressed that she was all over me, and then they said I was crazy for dumping her when her true colors showed. As if I’d stay with a trophy-wife type after growing up in my family.
Haymitch pulls me out of my reverie. “You think you met your match?”
I hesitate.
