That earned me a real smile. I put two fingers under Bridget’s chin and lifted so she looked into my eyes. “I’m sorry about how I acted. I didn’t mean to be a jerk. Let’s start this day over. I really did miss you. Can I take you to dinner later?”
“I promised Brendan I’d take him and a friend to Dave & Buster’s after the bike shop. My mom sent him a gift card for his birthday.”
“Can I tag along? I have a gift for him anyway.”
Bridget contemplated it for a minute. “Sure. He’d love that. Why don’t you meet us there at seven.”
Calliope wasn’t home when I arrived at her house, but she was in the kitchen when I walked out of the bathroom after my shower wearing only a towel wrapped around my waist. She shook her head when she saw me.
“What? I didn’t even say anything yet?”
“Your abs. I teach twenty yoga classes a week and you, what, bend over to tie your shoes as your workout? Such bullshit.”
“I exercise.”
“Not like me, you don’t. Men have it so easy.”
I shrugged. “A woman without a little body fat and curves looks like a boy anyway.”
She smiled. “What are you doing home? Did I mix the days up, or were you supposed to come back on Monday?”
“I came home early.”
“Everything okay?”
I nodded. “Got a few minutes to talk?”
“Sure. But go put some clothes on first. I don’t want your balls slipping out and accidentally touching my kitchen chairs.”
“Okay. But now you’ve just invited me to sit on your chair naked when you’re not home. I like to air out my balls after a long day of being cooped up in trousers anyway.”
My friend pointed to my room and barked. “Go!”
Calliope made tea while I dressed. After, I sat at the table with my balls safely tucked into my pants and sipped as I looked at my friend over the brim. “I got the job in Leeds.”
“That’s great. Congratulations.”
“Thank you. I’m not taking it.”
“What? Why?”
I set down my tea and looked directly into her eyes. “I can’t leave her.”
Calliope smiled from ear to ear. “It’s about damn time. I thought I was going to have to stand on a chair and smack you in the head with a two-by-four to knock some sense into that thick skull.”
“That’s a little harsh.”
“You’re pretty damn thick headed. You would’ve barely felt it.”
“Thanks.”
“Did you tell Bridget yet?”
“No. Not yet.”
Her smiling face grew cautious. “Are you sure about this, Simon? It would kill Bridget if you told her you were staying and then changed your mind six months down the road.”
“I’m…” I’d never said the words out loud. I took a deep breath and let ‘em rip. “I’m in love with her.”
Calliope jumped from her chair and practically knocked over mine as she swamped me in a hug. “I’m so damn happy for you two.”
After she calmed down, I told her about my trip. “I went to the lake.”
“You did? Jesus, Simon. You’re full of surprises today.”
“It was a long time coming. I needed to do it.”
“Yeah. I think you did.” Calliope reached over and took my hand on top of the table. “You’ve dedicated so much of your life to his memory. But it’s time. You can’t write a new story for your life when you won’t let new characters in.”
We sat in silence for a minute, and I knew we were both thinking of Blake.
“I better get going. I’m supposed to meet Bridget in a half-hour.”
“Are you going to tell her tonight?”
“I plan to. And then I’m going to spackle her bedroom wall.”
Calliope scrunched up her nose. “I don’t even want to know what that means.”
“It means I’m a jealous prick, but what’s mine is mine. And no more handyman referrals from you.”
“This is wicked awesome.” My son’s eyes lit up when he pulled Simon’s gift from the box. The matte black helmet with flames exactly matched the bicycle we’d just picked up. “They didn’t have anything like this at the bike shop.”
“I got it from a website. They custom make anything you want. I emailed them the picture of the bike, and they made it to match. It has your name inside.”
Brendan turned the helmet over and pointed. Little B was inscribed. While my son thought that was the coolest thing ever, it made me sad to think every time I saw it would be a reminder of Simon—especially after he was gone for his new job.