I poked around the top shelf of my closet for my black cowboy boots, pushing aside bins, when a shellac-covered shoebox fell to my feet, covered in photos and clippings from magazines.?
“Well, Lord, would ya look at that?” I said, mostly to myself, but I had my best friend in the world on the phone and she knew exactly what it was.?
“And just like the black sheep of the family himself, the memories fall from the sky.”?
“I used a lot of glitter nail polish to shellac this bad boy. You can still smell it. I really can’t even remember what’s inside.”?
“Don’t open it now, you boob. I don’t think it’s best to potentially let your mind get all occupied by your ex an hour before you meet your new boyfriend for dinner. And especially since we don’t know if this man is going to come swinging back into our lives, strumming his stupid guitar, sometime in the next twenty-four hours.”?
“You’re right. Okay, off I go. It’s date five, so you know what that means,” I said, jimmying off the top of the bourbon and taking a generous slug for liquid courage.?
“Well, have fun. It’s finally starting to feel like fall, so maybe you can crack open a window while you guys finally bone for the first time.”?
“Are you okay?” I asked, my heart banging against the walls of my chest. “Why do you insist on saying stupid shit?”?
“Because we both know if that man doesn’t get a piece of you soon, he’sgoing to dry hump your leg like a teenager just so he can get off somehow and still have you involved. Besides, it’s so fun to get you all crazy-like. It’s pretty easy, too.”?
“I just never thought for a second that he’d be into me now or that I’d be into him. It’s soawkward,” I bemoaned, running my fingers across the sticky, shiny surface of the box.?
“What’s so awkward?” Sutton asked. “The fact that you guys have been friends for over ten years or the fact that Dane just happens to be the love of your life’s older brother? For what it’s worth, Dane was always into you. He pretty much never stopped. Lee just locked it down before Dane even had the chance.”
I gave in to temptation and lifted the top of the box, barely stifling a gasp when I saw the first picture on the pile. It was a snapshot of Lee, Dane, and me, arms slung around each other’s shoulders as we grinned for the camera. The beach at Tybee Island sparkled in the background, the sun catching the waves just right.
“Let me guess, I’ve lost you to memory lane?” Sutton asked, as I held the picture up to get a closer look. We all looked so young, so tan, so happy.?
“Uncle Cole always said that Dane couldn’t handle me since I was too feral and sassy. But Lee could—he said that he matched my energy like no one else. Wonder what he’d think of me now…”?
“Cole also said that you have a bad habit of living in the past and not being able to let things go. I think that was the more accurate statement,” Sutton groaned. “Put the pictures down, Magnolia. You know what your uncle would really think? That he was happy for you becauseyouare happy. Doesn’t matter which man is on your arm.”?
I sighed, closing my eyes and as I tried to remember what it felt like when we were young and carefree. I knew Dane had feelings for me back then. I just pretended I didn’t have a clue. He was my friend and a good one. He still was.?
Sutton’s voice ripped me back into the present. “That man sat at the bar for almost two hours last night, hanging on your every word. And that’s a huge feat, believe me. You’re kind of boring.”
“Speaking of boring,” I said, putting the photo back in the box, “I must go now to be wined and dined by my prestigious litigator beau. I’ll see you at Cheese, Please! later, yeah?”?
“That’s not boring, Magnolia. That’s adulting. Letting a fine man take you out to dinner to yap your ear off about discovery, pleadings, and case law?Sounds like a blast to me,” she released a light, teasing sound.
After we hung up, I went to close the box of photos but couldn’t resist peeking at the top few. My heart skipped a beat when I found a selfie of Dane and me from my first Fall Formal. We were grinning ear to ear, laughing with our eyes squinted from the joy. The happiness practically leaped off the picture.
Maybe what people always said was true—sometimes the strongest relationships began where the deepest friendships had already taken root.
***
“It’s really good to see you, Magnolia,” Dane said, as he nursed a Magner’s cider, watching me closely as I tidied up behind the bar.
“It’s good to see you, too. It’s been a long time, and I always appreciate it when an old friend stops by.”
Uncle Cole joined me behind the bar, ruffling the top of my head. “I’m heading to my appointment, honey. I’ll have Charlie pick me up. I’ll be a bit tired afterward, so if you don’t mind opening up, I’d appreciate it.”
“I can handle it. You just get some rest,” I said, not meeting his eyes. That was his fourth round of chemo, and he was rapidly losing weight, his eyes sinking deeper with each treatment.
“You’re my sweetheart, Magnolia Louise. Dane, why don’t you take this girl to lunch? She’s been working hard and could use some downtime before another night at the bar.”
Cole kissed the top of my head, patted Dane on the back, and winked at me before heading out.
“He’s not looking too bad. My momma made it sound like he was on death’s door,” Dane said, taking another sip of his cider.
“It’s touch and go. It all happened so fast. One minute he was fine, the next we were at the hospital trying to figure out our next steps. They’re doing everything they can, but it’s spreading quickly. We’re trying to stay hopeful.”
