I walked him toward the sectioned off area between Would Smell as Sweet and Green Goddess. Together, we unloaded his wagon and set up the eight-hole course, laying out the putting greens, obstacles, and open-mouthed jack-o-lanterns.
“That’s the last of them,” I told him. “Thanks, Ryan.”
He tucked his hands into his cashmere coat but otherwise made no move to go back the way we’d come.
My eyes darted around. “Was there something else?”
“We haven’t seen Jared around lately. Is he doing okay?”
“Fine,” I answered. “Just busy. You know, baseball playoffs and all that.”
“I’ve got game three tickets. Really looking forward to it.”
I nodded. There was only so much small talk I could handle with the man who had tripped me in the hallway, “accidentally” spilled cottage cheese down my blouse (more than once), and called meNessa the Mess-afor four grueling years. Kaylani loved him, though, and I loved Kaylani, so I would have to learn to put up with him, but that didn’t make us friends.
“Well, I should probably head back. I’ve still got some—”
“I wanted to apologize,” he blurted out.
Huh. I hadn’t seen that one coming.
“Okay.”
“First for all the messed-up shit I did to you in high school, and second for not apologizing sooner.” He dragged a hand through his perfectly coiffed hair. “I was going through a lot of bad stuff at home back then, and rather than deal with it in a healthy, productive way, I took it out on other people. Friends, girlfriends, you. I’m not excusing any of it, and I don’t expect you to forgive me. I just wanted you to know that I’ve gotten a lot of help since then, and I will neverevertreat Kaylani that way.”
My mouth opened, but nothing came out. I scrambled to find the appropriate words, torn between years of trauma and the reality of the situation facing me now.
This wasn’t my high school bully; this was the man in love with one of my best friends. If Kaylani could rewrite her story with Ryan, there was no reason I couldn’t do the same with Jared.
“Thank you, Ryan. I . . . really appreciate you saying that.”
He nodded. “I’m just sorry it took so long.”
I thought back to June’s words still echoing through my head. “It was worth the wait.”
Ryan’s eyes caught on something—or someone—behind me. “Okay, well, I think somebody else needs you now,” he said, stepping back to excuse himself.
I pivoted around to face them, smiling when I found one of the bucket hat besties from earlier peering up at me from beneath the brim.
“Excuse me.”
“Yes, how can I help you?” Before I could stop myself, the word vomit rushed out of me. “Oh, and before you say something, please allow me to apologize for earlier. We shouldn’t have been discussing something so . . . private in a public space.”
“Oh, honey, no.”
An instant calm washed over me when she took my hand in hers, cradling it against her chest the same way that Granny Gibbs used to. Moisture pricked my eyes at the memory. No matter the circumstances, GG had always known what to say and, more importantly, how to say it. I needed her now more than ever.
“My sister and I were talking, and we wanted to offer you some advice on your . . .man problems.”
I choked back a laugh, readying myself for whatever came next.
“I’d love to hear it,” I told her.
A wicked glint sparkled in her eyes. She inched forward, lowered her voice, and said, “A good dicking is hard to come by. Hang onto that young man.”
Pink
Division Series: Roasters 2–0
