“I’m coming up, Mom.” He logged off the different message boards he’d been reading and saved his notes on the app he was beta-testing. “I had to finish something first.”
She’d reached the bottom of the steps, and her gaze swept the room, lighting on the corner where Zach sat with his two computer screens in front of him, various laptops open on the long table behind him. “I don’t understand what you do down here, but I guess that’s to be expected. But please, come up and have some coffee at least, and see the light of day.” She smiled at him. “If I didn’t know any better I’d swear you were a vampire.”
He shared a laugh with her, stood and stretched the kinks out of his back. “And coffee sounds great. I always need some, even when I’m meeting the guys for breakfast.”
He followed her upstairs, into their small but comfortable kitchen. Funny how his father had been dead for more than half of Zach’s life, yet his mother still set three placemats at the old wooden kitchen table, as if any minute Robert Cohen would come walking in through the front door and ask what was for dinner. As if the past eighteen years had simply been a bad dream they’d finally woken up from to find his smiling face with them once again.
He curved his hands around the warmth of the mug and sipped the cinnamon flavored coffee. “This is great, thanks.” He drank more down and smiled when she automatically refilled his cup and sat across from him. “What’re your plans for today? Are you going over to the senior center?” Since he’d returned from Atlantic City it appeared she’d made a greater effort to gather strength around her, to try to push aside the demons on her shoulders and become more independent.
Of course, he’d barely left the house, but Zach didn’t dwell on that depressing thought.
“Yes. I’m reading to them and then running the book fair this afternoon. I may stay and help with the dinner service. I’m glad you’re meeting the boys for breakfast today. You haven’t seen them for a while. I hope you have something fun planned for the rest of the day and not coop yourself up in that basement.” She kissed and patted his cheek, then stood, gazing at him with sad affection. “It’s beautiful outside. Enjoy yourself.”
Zach couldn’t help but smile. No matter how old he and his friends were, his mother always called them her boys. Last night, both Julian and Marcus had texted and called him, threatening him with bodily harm and severe personal embarrassment—that from Marcus—if he didn’t come to breakfast today.
“Yes, I am. I’ll give them your love.”
“Please do.” She rinsed out her cup at the sink. “And tell Julian thank you for the tickets to the fashion show. I can’t wait to go.”
“I will.” He kissed her cheek and hurried up the stairs to get ready. Within three quarters of an hour he was showered, shaved, and dressed. Pocketing his keys and wallet, he found his mother back at the kitchen table, planting seeds in little flowerpots.
“I thought it would be nice to grow fresh herbs.” Her hands were dirt-covered, but her smile was bright, and he breathed easier, knowing he could leave, and she’d be happy today.
“Great idea. I’ll see you later.”
Children played hopscotch and sold lemonade on the streets, and the pizza places had their takeout windows open, displaying ices for sale. It all spelled summer in the city: Zach’s favorite time of year. The days remained long and heated, and there was always a thought of something new happening when you least expected it. Perhaps it was the bright sun, the birds winging their way in the leafy trees as he walked past, or the obvious joy on people’s faces that warmth and light had settled in to stay for a few months.
Zach walked into the restaurant in Brooklyn Heights where he and his friends normally met. It was a nice walk from his house in Carroll Gardens, but he was ready for something cold to drink; the sun had already done a number on him, and he could feel a slight burn on his cheeks.
“Zach, we thought you’d forgotten about us.” Marcus patted the chair next to him. “I was all prepared to send my surprise to your house to bring you over. Come sit. I ordered you a coffee, but nothing else to drink.” He sipped his mimosa and waved over the waiter who hovered in the background with the menu in hand.
“George, bring me another, and what do you want?”
“I’m not that late, am I? Hi, Julian, Nick.
“Nah, he’s being annoying as usual.” Julian had a mimosa in one hand while the other was toying with Nick’s fingers. Zach suspected it was an unconscious act; the two men constantly touched when they were near.
“I had two of my hottest waiters ready to go to your house and carry you here if you didn’t show.” Marcus’s grin broadened. “You would’ve been grateful, trust me.”
Zach rolled his eyes. “And I’m sure you know that from personal experience. Sometimes, Marcus, I don’t know whether to worry about you or be jealous of you.”
“You know you love me. Now, where the hell have you been? Since you came back from Atlantic City we’ve barely seen you, and I believe we had a bet.”
Zach thanked the waiter for his drink and ordered Belgian waffles with a side of fruit. “I’ve been busy.”
Julian raised a brow. “Too busy to call or even text? We invited you out last weekend to Sparks, but as usual you blew us off.”
Wincing from Julian’s tempered rebuke, Zach shrugged. “You know it’s not my scene.”
“Yeah, but it was Nick’s birthday, so I thought you’d be okay with coming to hang out.”
Damn. “Sorry, Nick, and happy belated birthday.” He caught Nick’s eye and smiled. “I hope you had a good night.”
“Well, when you didn’t answer our text, we decided to postpone the festivities. It wouldn’t be right to have a celebration without all of us there.” Nick winked at him. “So now you’re gonna have to come.” He leaned back and crossed his powerful arms. “I won’t take no for an answer.”
“Nick, you’ve been promising me for forever to introduce me to some hot firemen.” Marcus quirked a brow. “I mean, what’s the point of having a friend who’s uniform if he can’t send some of the goodies your way?”
Julian snorted. “I would think you had enough to handle with all the pretty boys in your club.”
