“Goddamn, really?”
I was walking the few feet to Remi as he nodded, gravely.“She’s here to stop it.”
He gave me a big smile that made me curl my toes.I had to force myself not to lean into his side, that hug outside was still fresh in my mind—how it had felt like the entire world was reduced to him and me.The security.The gentleness.
Were my emotions frayed?Or was I resisting the one thing that felt the most right?
After introducing me to baseball-cap-guy, Brian, a local construction worker, Remi stayed just like he had the two other times he’d initiated this conversation, acting as a built-in hype-man.
“So, what is this petition supposed to do?”Brian asked.
“To give the opportunity for the county to vote on rezoning the land to protected status,” I explained.
“You’d still have to win the vote, even if you get enough signatures.”He was a bit standoffish, and I couldn’t get a good read on how to appeal to him.I hoped my connection to Remi would be enough.
“I would, but it would also stall their progress and give me more time to let people know why this land is so important.”
A crease formed under his lower eyelid as he considered me.“Yeah, no thanks.”
Remi straightened.“You won’t sign the petition?”
“Nah.”
“Can I ask why?”I took a sip of my drink to keep from sighing.
“I don’t like telling people what to do.”
“But you’re not tellingpeoplewhat to do,” Remi argued pinching the frames of his glasses and pushing them back on his nose.“You’re telling the Michigan government what to do, which you do every time you vote.”
“Nah, I’m good.”
“That’s bullshit, man—”
I placed a hand on his forearm to cut him off before he created more tension between Brian and my cause.“No, it’s okay.”To Brian I added, “I hope you change your mind.I would love to talk more extensively, if you have any questions.”
After a tense few seconds, Brian walked away claiming that he needed a fresh drink.
I raised an eyebrow at Remi.“You can’t bully people into signing.”
“That mother fucker—”
Laughing, I shushed him.“Not here.”
His eyes locked with mine.“At home, then.”
My stomach flipped, and my cheeks warmed.Remembering that home was Chicago came as an afterthought.One that couldn’t hold up to the feeling that the city was just where I lived, buthomewas wherever Remi was.
“Yeah,” I agreed.
The musical selection did not have a through line.In the past three songs, we’d listened to Brand New, Jay-Z and currently the whole party was screaming out the lyrics to “Nothin’ On but the Radio” by Gary Allan.Well, not the whole party.The first chorus Sebastian obviously didn’t know the words, but he was catching on and singing it directly to Nora.Which I suspected she didn’tactuallyfind annoying.With each drink she consumed, it became more clear: She liked Seb.
Brooks also didn’t sing along; he swayed with a beer in his hand.One time I thought maybe he glanced at Olivia, but she was grinning up at her designer-styled fiancé, Anton.He reminded me of an Abercrombie & Fitch model from the aughts.When he took off his coat in the kitchen, I expected him to be shirtless.His lips were always parted.I didn’t know how eyebrows brooded, but his definitely did.He was the total antithesis to Brooks, but when Olivia looked over her shoulder it was always in Brooks’ direction.
I could not figure out the dynamic there.
I was on the drunk side of tipsy.So when someone suggested that we play Never Have I Ever, I loudly said, “I’m gonna need a full cup for this.”
The room full of practical strangers laughed, and I wondered if that was a bit too far.If playing the game at all was a bit too far.There was a line between integrating into the community and losing credibility.
