Tapping on the screen, I opened the app.
5:32pm
He-Man: Do not panic. I’ve been called to D.C.. I’m sitting at the gate at PDX. Call me as soon as you get this and I’ll explain.
5:49pm
He-Man: Getting ready to board. This is the interview we talked about. Had to go. I’ll explain why later. Please call when you get this.
6:08pm
He-Man: Guess you’re still working. Got to turn it off. Pulling away from the gate. I’ll call when I get there. I’ll be back.
I stareddown at my phone as my heart started pounding in my chest. I must have been quiet too long because Cole kicked my foot under the table.
“What’s wrong? I’ve been talking to you, and you’ve been staring at the phone.”
Clearing my throat, I tried to swallow. Thankfully, Ben showed up with our beers.
“Thanks, man,” Cole said to him.
“No problem. Nachos will be out soon.”
Cole thanked him as I picked up my beer and drank half of it. Cole frowned at me, then reached his long ass arms across the table to take it away from me.
I scowled at him, hard. “Give it back, asshole.”
“Not until you tell me what you just read.” He sat our bottles down next to him on the seat of the booth, then looked at me expectantly.
“What’s up? I’m assuming it has to do with Michael by the look on your face.”
Sometimes I forgot the fucker knew me so well.
I sighed and tried to push the panic down. “He’s can’t come tonight. He’s on the way to D.C..”
Cole furrowed his brow. “At seven o’clock? Why D.C.?”
Again, I tried to swallow, but my throat was suddenly dry. “Job interview with Homeland Security.”
Cole sat back in his seat, then reached for the beers, handing me mine. I took another healthy swallow, then sat the bottle down just as a waitress I didn’t recognize delivered the nachos to the table.
I was glad to have a minute to think.
“Why would he interview in Washington? I thought he loved this job.”
I nodded. “He does. But he’s always wanted to work for them. Until now. He told me in Oceanside he wasn’t interested in that job anymore. So I have no idea.”
Cole stared at me as I stared at the nachos. My appetite had vanished, as all my self-doubt clawed its way out of my brain.
My best friend reached over and tapped me on the forehead to get my attention. The asshole had been doing that since we were kids. It was familiar, and oddly comforting right now.
“He’s not gonna leave you, Adam. He loves you. It only takes one look at him when he’s looking at you to see it. You don’t leave people you love. You stick it out.”
I looked at my friend and nodded. I wondered if he heard what he’d just said to me. Picking up a chip, I crammed it into my mouth. I replayed all the times Michael said he’d be by my side, and the promises we’d made to each other. That was going to be difficult to do from Washington, D.C..
I cleared my throat and tried to will my stupid heart from pounding out of my chest. “Yeah, I’ll talk to him when he lands. I’m sure he’ll have a reason.”
Cole nodded in agreement. “He does. Don’t jump to conclusions. I know that’s easier said than done, but you have to have some faith in him.”
