“It’s almost embarrassing to admit. I just . . . we were best friends every summer, right? Spent all our time in the woods. And then in the fall I’d get busy with hockey and stuff.”
“And she’s mad at you about that?”
I scrub a hand over my face. “I forget you didn’t grow up here. She wasn’t exactly a popular kid. And I . . . could havedone a better job of being her friend in public. One of my friends called her something really mean and I just let it slide.”
“Oh, Brodie, no.”
I pinch my lips together. “I know, okay? I know it was bad. But it was high school! Everyone’s just trying to survive.”
“You were a mean girl, Brodie!” she rants.
“I know,” I chant over and over, burying my face in my hands. “But I’m not like that anymore! I’m an adult! And she won’t give me the time of day.”
“Brodie.”
“She left me too! She stopped showing up that summer.”
“Yeah, she did. You treated her like shit.” Sue leans in and flicks my forehead.
“Ow!” I whine.
“And it doesn’t matter if you’re not like that anymore if you don’t own up to what you did.”
I wince, the memories so sour it almost leaves an actual bad taste in my mouth. “It’s embarrassing. How do I get her to like me again?”
“Do I really have to answer that?” Sue says. “You apologize.”
I sulk.
“I’m sorry. Do you want a different answer? Do you want me to tell you to stride into the date auction and place some ridiculously high bid on her?”
“Actually,” I say, snapping my fingers and sitting up. “That’s not a bad idea. Then I’m showing everyone how much I like her. I’m claiming her, you know? I’m not ashamed of her.”
Sue temples her fingertips at her forehead before getting back to whittling the stick in her other hand. “I mean, it’s not the worst thing I’ve ever heard . . .”
“No, that won’t do,” I say. “I have to work. I’ll be in uniform and on call. I can’t dress nice and I might have to leave.”
“Eh, unlikely. Half the town will be at the auction.” Sue waggles her eyebrows. “And plus, a man in uniform? Even better.”
With one final cut off her stick, she holds it out to me. There’s no mistaking the shape she whittled.
“A penis, Sue? Really?”
She flashes a false grin. “Yeah. Cuz you’re a dick.”
NINE
ARIA
I feel pretty.Even Granny said I was pretty when Richard and I picked her up. They regaled me with tales of all the couples in town and who’s going to be up for auction. Granny was especially eager to divulge that Mayor Iris hasthreeboyfriends and if they weren’t such nice boys, she’d call the state on them. Richard and I both balked at that.
I reminded her that polyamory is both not illegal and not a big deal. Richard reminded her that there’s nothing wrong with more love in the world.
My heart tripled in size at that. Where would I be if Richard hadn’t found me in the woods that one day?
I’ve got on a little velvet wrap dress that perfectly hugs my curves and brings out my eyes. Now that I think about it though, velvet might not have been the smartest choice given how much I’m sweating.
I pray I don’t have to shake hands with anyone, because these hands are borderline dripping.
