Page 72 of We Are Just Us

They both turned.

Vera was walking toward them, wine glass in hand, her face bright with recognition.

“I thought that was you,” she said, pulling Rory into a quick hug. “God, it’s been ages.”

Rory smiled, but his posture stiffened. “Yeah. A while.”

“Too long.” She stepped back, looking genuinely delighted, then glanced between them. “Wait, how do you two know each other?”

“He’s my neighbor,” Kieran said.

Vera’s eyebrows shot up. “This is your neighbor?” She looked at Kieran with mock seriousness. “Well, you happen to live next door to Rory Kline. Local legend.”

Kieran smiled. “So I’ve gathered.”

“No, I mean it.” Vera gestured at Rory like she was presenting a trophy. “When this one was seventeen, eighteen, everyone in town thought he was going to be the next Kelly Slater. I’m not exaggerating.”

Rory shook his head, embarrassed. “That’s generous.”

“It’s not generous, it’s true. You were incredible!” Vera looked at Kieran. “He had sponsors interested. The whole thing. Could’ve gone pro.”

“I didn’t know that,” Kieran said, glancing at Rory.

Rory shrugged. “It was a long time ago. Life went in a different direction.”

“The preservation work,” Vera said, nodding. “I heard about the cottage on Neptune. You’re still fighting that one?”

“Developer’s appealing,” Rory said. “It never ends.”

“Vultures, all of them.” Vera shook her head. “But I’m glad you’re still here. Still doing the work.” She paused, her expression warming even further. “You know, I was thinking about you the other day. I still have some of Britt’s ceramics at the shop. The blue glazed ones? I can’t bring myself to sell them. They’re too beautiful.”

The name landed strangely. Kieran didn’t recognize it.

Rory went rigid.

“That’s kind of you,” he said quietly. “To keep them.”

“Of course.” Vera touched his arm gently. “I think about her all the time. She was so talented.”

Kieran looked between them.

“Who’s Britt?” he asked.

Vera glanced at him, then back at Rory, and her face changed. She had just realized she’d said too much.

“My wife,” Rory said after a moment. “She died. Seven years ago.”

Kieran’s brain stuttered.

“I’m so sorry,” Vera said quickly, looking stricken. “I didn’t realize you hadn’t—I thought…”

“It’s okay.” Rory’s voice was gentle but distant. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”

The light kept shifting on the walls. The ambient hum kept playing. People kept drifting through the space, unaware that everything had changed.

But he didn’t leave.

He wanted to. Some reflex in him, the old one, the one that said if it hurts, move, fired hard enough that his weight shifted toward the door. But he caught it. Held it. Stayed where he was.