“Oh, girl, please. You love living with us.” He waves a hand through the air. “Now spill your guts or I’m flicking you again.”
“You better not.” I point at him, checking the bar for any new patrons.
Dammit. Everyone seems perfectly fine.
Willing the rush of people back, I inch toward my roommate and finally settle beside him.
“Oh, Dani Girl, your Jed, your Jed is calling.” He starts singing some old-time tune from like World War II or something.
I think it’s supposed to be “Danny Boy” and something about pipes, but he’s adapted the lyrics for me. He thinks it’s hilarious, and dammit, he’s just gonna keep on singing.
“Okay, fine!” I raise my hands in defeat. “His name’s Tyrell, and I knew him in high school.” My shoulders sag. “He was Atlas’s best friend.”
Jed soaks that in for a second, then lets out a gentle “Oh.”
“Right?” I raise my eyebrows while he nods… and then proves he doesn’t get it.
“He’s hot.”
Rolling my eyes again, I lurch forward the second someone approaches the bar. I try to take my time filling her order, but Jed helps me out, and we’re soon back to being able to chat again.
“I say you go for it.”
“What?” I balk. “Are you crazy? I’m not dating my dead boyfriend’s best friend. That’s just weird.”
“Why? You think Atlas would have a problem with it?”
“If he was alive, he sure would!”
Jed’s expression softens, his smile kind when he rests his huge hand on my petite shoulder. “But he’s not… and you’re trying to move on. Why not do that with a man Atlas obviously loved? You said they were besties, right?”
I cringe, already shaking my head. “They grew up together. They were like brothers. It… there’s no way… I…” Shaking my head some more, I give him an emphatic look. “It’s never gonna happen. I don’t even know if I want to see him again.”
“Why not? You two looked like you were having a great catch-up.” Jed lifts his chin toward the bar where I’d smiled up at Tyrell, nostalgia swamping me.
“Yeah, I mean…” I rub my forehead. “It was nice to see him again, but it just brings it all back, you know?”
Jed pauses for a second, then rests his elbow on the bar so he can bend down and look me in the eye. “I get it. Probably hurts, right?”
I nod, my throat swelling.
“But there must have been good times too. Maybe it’s worth remembering those, you know?”
“Excuse me?” A woman with a black bob cut raises her hand. “Can I get a drink, please?”
“Sure thing.” Jed pulls the towel off his shoulder, looking like an old-timey bartender as he wipes down the counter and memorizes the woman’s order.
I stay where I am, watching him fulfill it and trying to dodge a million different memories. All those laughs we had in high school. All those good times we shared. It was awesome… until it wasn’t.
Until Tyrell moved away and Atlas just got worse and worse.
I don’t blame Tyrell. He had to follow his path.
I just wish I could have been strong enough to keep Atlas on track by myself.
But I wasn’t.
And then I got all shitty and stormed away from him.
