“We’re not that kind of fraternity.” I say evenly. “And hazing is illegal.”
Something flashes in his eyes and I force myself to hold his gaze, hoping he can see the apology behind them.
“Oh yeah?” He crosses his arms and leans against the doorframe. Something flips in my stomach. His pecs in that vest, his biceps. The definition of muscular shoulders. Hedidn’t look like that when we were kids. “So what kind of fraternity are you?”
I know he’s clowning me, but I go along with it anyway.
“The kind who does volunteer work at nursing homes and has long, boring meetings.”
The smirk falls from his face. He looks me up and down.
“So what are you doin’ here, Nate?”
“I told you, I want to-”
“Not the bullshit reason, give me the real one.”
I sigh, stuffing my hands in the pockets of my chinos. “Your mom asked me to keep in touch.”
“Pshht, I fucking knew it.”
He tries to slam the door in my face, but I put my hand on it, wedging my foot between the door and the jamb. I note the surprise on his face at how much stronger I am now.
“Wait. I wanted to come over here, too.”
His face is scrunched up into something I don’t recognize in him. “Nate, get the fuck out of my way.”
“Or what?”
His nostrils flare, and for a second, I actually think he might hit me. The Evan I knew would never, but I’m quickly realizing that this guy standing in front of me isn’t my Evan—not the parts I can see, at least.
“Wouldn’t it just be easier to let me in?”
The look on his face tells me he’s still not convinced.
“Just to set your mom’s mind at rest?”
“Pshht,” he says again. “Knew it.”
“Knew what?” I try a smile, my stomach doing somersaults.
“You’d be saying ‘Mom’now. When we were kids, you called her ‘Ma.’”
“Pshht,” I try, but it sounds weird comingout of my mouth. If I spoke to mymomlike that now, she’d have a fit. She’d also have a fit if I called her ‘Ma,’ though I did for years.
“Yeah well, she’s all fancy now. She doesn’t like being called Ma.”
“She’sfancy?” He looks me up and down. My Ralph Lauren polo and Abercrombie chinos. Heat floods my entire body as I feel his eyes on me.
“Are you gonna let me in or what? The neighbors will start to talk.”
“Nah, they’ll just think the Mormons are doing their rounds again.”
“What’s wrong with Mormons?” I ask, hoping this verbal sparring will distract him from slamming the door in my face.
“You’re right. They don’t hassle people half as much as you.”
I shrug. “I’m not leaving, not until you let me in.”
