Beyond Eighteen(101)

“You had a pretty rough couple of days?”

“Yeah,” I said.

“You want to talk about it?” I asked. I wanted her to know I was willing to listen.

“Maybe later. Right now I just want to lay here with you, in your arms,” she answered against my chest.

“I like that idea,” I said as I refreshed my hold on her. “I like that a lot.”





Chapter Thirty-six


~ Wilson ~





It was fantastic to have Max with me. Everything that seemed so heavy and so painful cleared up in his touch. It was if everything I could taste, smell, and feel became brilliant and magnified—the heat from the fireplace as it rolled across my skin, the aroma of Aspen saturating Max’s clothes, even the flavor of Joanie’s minestrone soup was magnificent.

We entered the kitchen hand in hand. The honey-colored knotty pine cabinets still held the same warm memories of my grandma’s cooking. Joanie was leaning against the farm style sink, absorbed in a conversation—obviously with Nick. It didn’t take more than the first few words I overheard to know who she was talking to. She was glowing like a little kid who’d just gotten everything she wanted for Christmas. Her eyes held an eager glimmer while her pale lips pulled tight across her brilliant, white teeth. I think I actually heard her breath hitch as she spoke. She looked up and saw us, then nodded her head and gave us a thumbs-up, indicating that she had a lot to tell us.

“Nick, I just can’t believe it!” she said, louder and more exaggerated than necessary.

I tried to enter into a silent, ‘tell your best friend what the hell is going on’ conversation while she talked to Nick. I swung my arms and pointed to the floor a couple of times as I pressed my hands to my heart and mouthed whatever thoughts came to my head. Finally she cleared her throat and told him that she’d call him back. They said their ‘talk to you laters’ and ‘can’t wait to see yous’ as I felt a rush of relief that I was finally going to be let in on her plans.

J dropped her iPhone onto the rose-colored tile counter. Sighing, she ran her hands through her hair, pulling it back off her face. She only did that when she had choices to make regarding events that tend to let me down. Her face told me everything…I didn’t even have to ask. But I did.

“He talked you into going back to Aspen, didn’t he?” I said. My arms became heavier than they would have with any attempt to talk best friend sign language with her again.

“Well, not really. He’s down at the Sea Rock Inn on the other side of town and he wants me to meet him.”

“So he wasn’t kidding when he told you he was coming out?” I asked. I could feel the shift in her intention as she answered me.

“I never thought in a million years he would fly out here knowing there’s a huge possibility I wasn’t going to see him,” Joanie said as she picked up her phone and pushed it into her pocket.

I felt Max’s hands slide across my stomach before he tightened his grip around my waist and pushed up against my backside. He let out a slight laugh, only loud enough for me, as he rested his chin on my shoulder. I half expected Max to lecture J about Nick, but he didn’t. Instead, he kissed my neck and left us alone to talk. I heard the TV click on in the other room. It was his way of giving J and me the moment we needed to talk.

“I won’t go if you need me here,” Joanie said. Her body posture slumped slightly. I knew that stance, that silent language that told me she was willing to sacrifice for me.

“No, absolutely not,” I said sternly.

“I know you’ve been through a lot and well, now that Max is here—”

“J, I want you to go. I’m tired of being the needy best friend. You deserve to be happy, and I can see you light up every time you talk to him,” I said before pulling her into a hug. “I want you to be happy,” I whispered against her ear.

“Thanks, Wil. I love you.”

“I love you too. Now go, have fun…just call me. And be careful,” I said.

I wouldn’t be human if I didn’t feel a little jealous that Nick was going to spend New Year’s with my best friend. But it wouldn’t be fair to her if I had Max and she didn’t have Nick. I knew we couldn’t spend this New Year’s together…but with time, maybe wounds would be healed and lives would change.

“Are you sure?” Joanie asked.

“Yes, now get your stuff and get the heck out of here. Hurry, before I regret it,” I teased.

Joanie squealed, like a kid who’d just gotten the okay to stay out late. She squeezed me tight around the neck before she bounded upstairs. I turned and watched as she pulled out her phone.