Recommended Reading

17. Eternal Sunshine of the Not Spotless House

17

Eternal Sunshine of the Not Spotless House

After the success of Corner Books’ first book club, Gladys stations herself at the register, ringing up the last customers, while Uncle Andy, Luke, and I tidy up chairs. Finally, Gladys accompanies the final attendee, the tattooed woman, to the door and surprises Uncle Andy and me when she wishes the woman a good night and tells her to return soon.

The bell above the door jingles. Without looking up, I say, “Sorry, we’re closed.”

Cass is standing there, leaning into Uncle Andy. Wanda is behind her.

“We came to congratulate you,” Cass says. “The store is fantastic. Bobby’s got my eye for design. I love how you retained the character of the space.”

Gladys clears her throat. She’s positioned herself again by the register with two large plastic tote bags. “If you don’t need me any longer, I’ll see you in the morning, Andrew. Make sure to lock up properly.”

“Andrew?” Cass asks. “I haven’t heard anyone call you that since your mother caught us hitchhiking to New York when we were fifteen.”

“You hitchhiked to New York?” I ask. “At fifteen? Do you know how dangerous that is?”

“Calm down. We never made it. Andy’s mom was the only car to pass us and even she didn’t stop.”

Luke leans in and whispers, “I think you got more than her eye. Your mom is cool.”

“I picked up PizZaZa Gabor’s. It’s keeping warm back at the house,” Cass says and holds up her car keys. “Who’s riding with me?”

Uncle Andy plucks the keys out of Cass’s hand. “Why don’t you ride with me and let the kids take your car? No one is a more cautious driver than Bobby.”

Uncle Andy tosses me Cass’s keyring. I fumble but Luke closes his hands over mine, so I don’t miss the throw.

“I’ve got them,” I say.

Luke lets go.

As we leave the store and Uncle Andy and Cass hang back to lock the store up properly, Wanda darts for Cass’s car and calls, “Not shotgun.”

I start up the car and check my blind spot before pulling out. Wanda begins talking about some new anime show on Netflix with Luke. I’m glad she’s carrying the conversation because while I know I’m a good driver, I’m not very experienced and tend to play it safe. As a result, we pull into the driveway long after Uncle Andy and Cass have arrived.

I leave Wanda to show Luke into the house, hurrying ahead of them to make sure our home is presentable. For all I know, Cass could have left our underwear drying on the backs of the kitchen chairs or something equally awful.

“Where’s the emergency?” Cass asks as I barrel from room to room.

I do a sweep of the main floor, closing bedroom doors, checking the bathroom, making sure the toilet is flushed, and end up in the living room. It’s a disaster. Glass is strewn across the floor, along with Cass’s sketches, a measuring tape, and various tools.

I go to close the door but find Luke standing there. He steps inside before I can do anything and walks around the perimeter of the room, taking in everything. He stares up at the stacks of books running up the walls, the majority with their covers ripped off, then at our worn furniture shoved up tight into the area by the windows, the disarray of Cass’s art strewn over the floor, the boxes of yarn. It isn’t just letting Luke into our home and knowing it’s a mess but his getting a good look into our life that leaves me feeling so exposed.

“This is where you live?” Luke asks.

I nod and wait for whatever Luke is going to say next.

He looks up the wall nearest him at the books. “You read all these?”

I swallow. “A lot of them.”

Luke turns and keeps peering around. “My mom has always kept whatever house we lived in like Martha Stewart was going to show up any second for a photo shoot. Your house looks like you actually live in it. The coffee table is awesome.”

“My mom designed it,” I say. I let out the breath I didn’t know I was holding. “It’s normally our living room but it’s doubling as Cass’s studio for now.”

Luke crouches, elbows on his knees, to give a closer look at Cass’s mess. “I’ve never been in an artist’s studio. Your family and your home are so cool.”

“We’re eating,” Cass calls from the kitchen.

Luke straightens up and we join the others. Wanda hands us pieces of paper towel with slices of pizza on them.

I sit between Wanda and Luke.

“To Bobby and Andy,” Cass says, lifting her glass. “And to Corner Books.”

We all raise our glasses and cheer before starting to eat. Cass offers Andy a swig of her beer, but he declines.

Luke puts down his pizza. “Are you Bobby’s father’s brother?” he asks.

“We’re not related,” Cass answers before Uncle Andy has a chance.

“My dad is French,” I add. “Parisian to be specific.”

“Don’t start with all that again,” Cass warns.

I grin, knowing that’s my cue to tell the story. “Cass had this big show in Paris. She was the toast of the town. Across the gallery, a man sees her and knows he’d give anything to be with the brilliant woman who created such beauty.”

“You’re laying it on a bit thick,” Cass interjects. “It was nothing like that.”

“One night of passion and they parted ways, never to see each other again. She returns to Little Elm and nine months later, a son is born.”

“You can spare the embellishments next time you tell it,” Cass says, taking another slice out of the box for herself and one for Uncle Andy.

“Then you aren’t a couple?” Luke asks.

Uncle Andy shakes his head. “We had one bad date in high school.”

I look at Cass. “I didn’t know this.”

“I did,” Wanda says around a mouthful of pizza. “Cass told my mom Andy stood her up.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Wanda shrugs. “Because I know how not to spread gossip.”

Uncle Andy turns in his seat to face Cass. “I didn’t stand you up. My car wouldn’t start. By the time I got there, you were out with some other guy.”

“I don’t want to rehash this,” Cass says. “Water under the bridge.” She gives Uncle Andy the smile she reserves for him only.

His eyes flash. “That wasn’t how it was, Cass Ashton, and you know it.”

It’s only a second and if you didn’t know Uncle Andy, you’d think it was anger. I’ve seen Uncle Andy argue on the phone with distributors and this look isn’t anger. But there is heat behind his eyes. Something fiery. That’s passion, the same kind you see in the eyes of a roguish man on the cover of a romance novel.

My mom gives the smallest, slyest smile and bats her eyes at Andy. I notice her arm move and know she’s patting his leg below the table, but his eyes remained locked on hers.

Oblivious to what we were just privy, Luke takes another slice. We all stop to watch him as he turns it around and starts eating the crust first.

“What’s wrong?” he asks around the pizza crust in his mouth as we all stare.

“Do you always eat pizza like that?” I ask.

Luke shrugs. “Usually. I like the pointy end most, so I eat it last.”

“The tip is the best part,” I agree.

“That’s what they all say when all they’ve had is the tip,” Cass says and begins to laugh maniacally.

“Mom!”

I glance at Luke, whose cheeks have gone red, but notice a tiny smile.

“Lighten up, Bobby. Just because you’re gay doesn’t mean you’re the only one allowed to throw around innuendo. You don’t have a monopoly on quick wit and some double entendre.”

Uncle Andy offers to drop Luke off when it gets late.

I slip on my shoes and step outside. Cass chats with Luke while watching Wanda climb upstairs.

My mind wandered after dinner to Mr. Shah and Mr. Martinez and how they lived so close to each other. They were right there all that time and if I hadn’t followed my instincts and pushed them together, they’d have missed out on a lifetime together. They waited too long as it is. Then I think of all those other couples I’ve helped. And tonight’s success with Jerome and Mya.

Meanwhile, right in front of me are Cass and Uncle Andy. I can’t stand picturing either of them on the seniors’ bus going to aquafit alone. I can’t wimp out anymore when it comes to the two people I care about most.

I make a mental note to add to my Summer of Bobby list: Mom and Uncle Andy. I don’t know how I’m going to do it, but by the end of the summer I’ll find out if that spark in Uncle Andy’s eyes will ignite a flame or burn itself out. Too much time has been wasted already when they could have been happy together. But now that I know they felt it once too and the opportunity was lost, I’ll help them reclaim it. Wherever the road leads, it’s time we all know.

I watch, standing on the porch beside my mom, as Luke and Uncle Andy pull away.

“I like that boy,” Cass says. “We should have him back.”

THE SUMMER OF BOBBY

(AKA Bobby Ashton’s Plan for the Perfect Summer Before College)

? Summer job: Corner Books

???? Play nice with Gladys

???? Become a star employee

?? Spruce up Corner Books’ image

? Hope Evie tanks Big Summer Reading Festival

???? Land the Perfect Boyfriend: TRUMAN

? No boys like Dean Perez warned

? Matchmake Jerome and Mya; and

? Restore my matchmaking mojo

? Make Corner Books’ book club a big hit

???? Cass and Uncle Andy