“She’s going to be so disappointed. How did thishappen?”
Will shrugged, feigning ignorance. “Maybe people got the date wrong?”
“It’s everymonth, Will,” she said, and now he was starting to feel guilty. He didn’t want Nora to feel this stressed. He’d kept it small tonight, family only, but he supposed he could’ve invited some of their newer friends—
“And this one’s thebigone,” she added.
“The big one” referred to the larger-than-average annual summer poetry night tradition that had only started because of his unexpected inheritance in this building.
“Well, maybe a few more people will show,” he said nonchalantly.
She sighed and shook her head. “Marian wants me to go up and get my appetizer now,” she said. “Even though there’s only, like,tenof us here!”
“Sure,” he said, relieved. He sent a grateful look to Marian, who was right on time with her request.
Once Nora had disappeared through the back door, his neighbors descended on him in such a suspicious way that he could only hope Nora didn’t happen to look out the window.
“She doesn’t know athing,” Mrs. Salas said.
“Corrine, lower your voice,” Mr. Salas cautioned, and Mrs. Salas cupped a hand over her mouth before dropping it again. “I’m just soexcited!”
“This is the biggest production I’ve ever seen, Beanpole,” Jonah said. “But I suppose that’s only because I missed your big backyard speech way back when.”
He huffed in annoyance, still carrying a grudge over being the only neighbor to have missed it. Beside him, Kay—his girlfriend from St. Louis, in for another visit—slapped his arm playfully.
“Benny,” Will said, “text Deepa and tell her to come out.”
“Done,” he said, pulling out his phone. Currently, Nora’s best friend was hidden away in Marian and Emily’s place, part of the surprise for tonight. For the next week, she’d be staying up in his old third-floor apartment, the place he and Nora now ran as a short-term rental, and he had a feeling his next few days were going to be filled with a fair number of makeup tutorials and face masks.
“Will,” said Emily quietly, setting a hand on his arm. “Don’t forget to breathe, now.”
He nodded, face flushing, but it was difficult to get too embarrassed around this crowd these days. Over the past two years he’d made his own way with them, separate from his relationship with Nora. First of all, he’d put a towel rod in every unit of this place, and he’d taken up his own share of chores—changing the filters on the HVAC units, clearing out the dryer hoses when they clogged, helping Marian when she finally convinced Nora to get that wallpaper down. He watched ball games with Jonah; he made beer with Benny; he even spent one afternoon a few weeks ago flying a drone with Mr. Salas and a group of people who had a whole club devoted to amateur robotics.
“Thanks, everyone,” he said. “I couldn’t have pulled this much off without you.”
“Oh, now stop that!” Mrs. Salas said. “We’re honored to help. You know we love you.”
He smiled, straightening his glasses. He supposed he’d gotten used to this, too. He supposed he couldn’t remember it any other way.
Behind him, gravel popped, and he breathed a sigh of relief that the final guests for the evening had arrived. He went to the back fence, greeting Gerald and Sally. Sally patted his cheek but practically flew by him to get to his neighbors, whom she maintained were “the greatest group of people you’d ever want to meet.” He watched as she clutched Emily in a hug, moving right on to Marian after.
He and Gerald hung back, and Will was grateful.
“Nervous?” Gerald said.
Will wiped his palms on his jeans. “Hell yes.”
“You think she’ll say no?”
“Jesus, Gerry. No?”
Gerald rocked back on his heels. He was wearing a short-sleeved collared shirt with a bunch of brightly colored pelicans printed all over it, and his gold wedding band gleamed on his finger. Will looked at his face and saw he was doing his version of a smile.
“Funny,” Will said.
“I don’t believe you have anything to be nervous about,” which was a nice vote of confidence.
Will cleared his throat. “I don’t want to be some asshole doing a big public proposal.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Was this a mistake?”
