EW. I’d rather deep throat a cactus, thank you. Also hi, yeah, I’m taken, remember?
GRIFFIN
Riiiight. How could we possibly forget about Dan, the human participation award…
FIN
NATE
Dude, this is better than my Hulu subscription. I’ll be there! Dawson, you coming?
NATE
D-man, you there??
NATE
Don’t make me spam your phone, bro!
I snickered at the ridiculous text thread. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d gone out to Lake Travis. I had free range to use Dad’s boat if I wanted to, but the last time I’d taken it out had been…well, my last summer with Theo. I couldn’t bear to look at it after that. An idea sparked and I texted back before I could overthink it.
ME
Kenji—is it cool if I bring someone?
KENJI
No prob
I wasn’t sure if I should invite Theo or not, but I wanted him there. It was the perfect activity for friends to do. And that’s what we were. Friends.
What a stupid fucking word.
My thoughts were interrupted by an incoming call and I swiped to answer.
“What’s up?”
“Duuuude, you excited for the lake?” Nate squawked, his infectious energy pouring through the line.
“Sure. It’ll be great.”
Nate made an obnoxious buzzer sound that crackled loudly in my ear. “I’m sorry, but that level of excitement isn’t going to cut it, mi amigo. I need you pumped! This is the last summer before we graduate college and become boring-ass adults. These are the days you’ll tell your kids about. How you used to be funand hot and did crazy shit just because you could! Well…not you, you don’t do crazy anything, but you know what I mean.”
I blew out an amused breath as he rambled on about his hopes for a water slide and hot girls on the boat tomorrow, exclusively in that order.
“So…” Nate started, dragging out the word like it had fifteen letters. “You asked Kenji if you could bring someone. Anyone I know?”
My annoyance piqued at his smug tone. “Shut up. You know I meant Theo.”
“Hah! Knew it, love it, here for it. I call best man at your wedding! Is that a thing? Can you call shot gun on a best man spot?”
“Oh my god, I’m inviting him to the lake. Not proposing,” I muttered, but Nate barreled on.
“You know, I actually thought you might be ace—that’s the right term, right?—because you weren’t into hooking up or anything. And I would know because your wall is next to mine and you arenotquiet when you’re ‘strumming your guitar’, if you know what I mean...”
I pinched my brows, trying to ward off the headache that threatened. I was not prepared for this conversation, but what else was new?
“I mean when you jerk off?—”
