“Something tells me your bar crawl to the studious side of town had nothing to do with sniffing for clues. I saw your brother earlier. He looked pretty down. You do, too.” He floats a fresh beer my way. “You want to open up to your friendly bartender? It’s a trait you might need to get used toyourself.”
I laugh a moment before taking a sip from the bottle. And then I unleash on him every last grisly detail that’s comprised my life in the last two years. I start with Mer and end with Low, and the two of us just stand there staring at one another a good longwhile.
“Wow.” He blinks back as if trying to get a grip on reality once again. “You really went through some heavy shit.” He bounces his shoulders as he shakes his head. “And I think the operative word isthrough. You’re on the other side, man. You just need to find that girl you’re in love with and make her listen to you. I know she’ll understand. My wife, Baya, and I went through a rough patch while we were dating. She almost died. It was tough. I couldn’t handle losing her, just like I know you can’t stand losing Low. Fight for her. Fight for what you have. It’s worth it. You and I both know it.” He holds out a hand, and I slap him a dull,unenthusedfive.
“Thanks for listening. You pulled it out of me likeapro.”
He mock shoots me with his fingers while walking away. “You’re learning from the best. Don’t be astranger,man.”
“Iwon’t.”
Only I feel like a stranger to Low—worst of all tomyself.
I’ve been in a fog this last year. Hell, I’ve been in a fog since we lost our baby boy, the one we buried with just a last name. We wanted to save my father’s name for the next one. It felt like the right thing to do. And Mer and Chip didjustthat.
I pull my phone out and stare at Low’s name for what feels like forever before I get the balls to text heragain.
Miss you, Peaches. I love you. I love you harder, deeper, far more intensely than I ever thought I could love another person. There are some things I need to tell you. Something happened to me last year, in addition to that whole nightmare with my brother. Something that affected me far deeper and turned me into the grumpy asshole you had the misfortune to meet. I want to apologize to you for that. I want to tell you everything. Please. Just give me a chance. Don’t give up on us, Low. I promise you, we’reworthit.
I hitSend, leave a bill on the counter, and head out into the cool Hollow Brooknightair.
Alone.
Something I’ve always feared Iwouldbe.
