“He’s great. You know, doing his thing at the sports center, working on his tech, developing new stuff between college classes, and coming to games. He says hi, by the way. Made me promise to get you to agree to come for dinner next time you’re in town.”
I nod then sip my beer, hoping the mix of the bitter tang, bubbles, and alcohol will make this all feel less weird. Cosmo and I used to be the best of friends. We spent all our college years rooming together, so why is it so hard to just talk now?
A waitress walks by, and I flag her attention and ask for another round. Cosmo eyes my still very full glass and shakes his head.
“Tough day?”
I tilt my head and frown.
“You know exactly how shit my day was.”
“We’ve lost games before, and it hasn’t gotten you down like this. Come on, we’ve hardly talked in months, and I know it’s my fault.”
“How do you figure?”
“I should have called and told you I was going to propose to Eli, or at least after he said yes.”
“You can get engaged without my approval.”
“Yeah, but you shouldn’t have found out about it by scrolling online. I saw your comment on our post, and fuck, my stomach dropped. I messed up. But nothing has to change. You’re still my best friend. And that’s why I’ve been trying to get you to agree to meet up with me so badly, I wanted to do this part at least in person.”
“What?” I ask as he leans down and lifts a box from under the table. It’s about the size of a shoe box, matte black, and with a silver bow tied perfectly on top.
“What’s this?”
“Just open it,” he replies, sliding it over. I down a few gulps of beer and then pull the ribbon.
I can already feel a few people’s eyes on me, and someone at the bar is holding up their camera, so whatever this is, it’s about to be all over social media.
I slowly lift the lid, not sure what could jump out at me. Cosmo was always full of surprises in college. He once hid a heap of paper butterflies in the frat president’s lacrosse stick so that when he picked it up they’d all fall out. It was pretty funny, actually. The plastic spiders under my blankets, not so much. The second he knew how much I hate those fuckers, he made it his mission to freak me out at least once a semester. Thankfully, he never used real ones, but I’d still be just as fucking scared whenever I’d find them.
“Nothing’s going to jump out, right?” I ask as I begin to lower the lip of the lid again.
“Dude, this isn’t one of those times. Trust me, just open it.”
I sigh. “Okay, but if there is like a bunch of spiders in here, I’m going to flip them right over onto you.”
He laughs, and it’s like the weirdness between us eases a little. It’s almost like old times. I’ve been so worried about meeting up with him, terrified that the feelings I had through college would make it too hard to even look at him, but it’s . . . different. Like, I know I still love him, but that nervous swirl in my gut that used to come when he laughed isn’t there anymore. He smiles at me, and I don’t go all tingly or imagine reaching out and kissing him.
I can still remember the way it felt to want him, but I just . . . don’t anymore. Was I worrying about nothing? Fuck, I went all through training camp and these past months avoiding him because I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to hide how I feel, and I don’t even feel it anymore.
“I’ve missed you,” I say, and his smile widens.
“And why wouldn’t you? I’m awesome. Now hurry up and open your gift already.”
“Okay, here goes.”
I fling the lid open, but before I can get a good look at what’s inside, black and silver confetti circles explode up from the box a good two feet in the air, drawing everyone’s attention.
“What the hell?” I ask, but then my eyes settle on the card stuck to the inside flap of the box that reads,“Will you be my best man?”
“Are you kidding?” I ask.
“Fuck no. I can’t get married without you right there beside me.”
“But you have brothers, what about Brent?”
“They’ll be groomsmen. And you’re my brother too.”
