32. Liam
Did you land safely? Don’t worry. I am not asking as someone who thinks he’s your boyfriend. I ask this of all my clients.
She is in Dallas, to be followed by Nashville and Atlanta. It’s strange, how empty this town seems without her. I’ve lived here my entire life, and sure, it isn’t what it once was—my friends are settling down, I haven’t been able to surf since last fall—but Elliott Springs has never seemed so dull, so lifeless before. I’d still like to preserve our history, but I can see where maybe we do need to change. Sometimes it takes an influx of new blood to bring things back to life.
The Princess
Safe as in “Did you arrive in one piece?” Or safe as in “Did you arrive without incident?” Because there were incidents. They only had the vegetarian meal option and we hit turbulence, so they never refilled my wine.
It’s probably for the best that they couldn’t refill your wine. I’ve seen you when you’re drinking. You’d probably ask the pilot to go into the bathroom with you.
Only if my mom liked him too.
Or Bradley Grimm.
Well, yes, obviously.
Are you ever going to tell me what happened between you guys?
Those three dots circling, disappear, circle again. It takes her a moment to reply.
The Princess
I’d rather not.
I sigh. I’d mostly expected this answer. It only frustrates me because I don’t know any other way to get past those walls of hers.
One day, you’ll trust me enough to tell me everything.
The Princess
That sounds boyfriend-ish. And I leave in a couple weeks, remember? There is no “one day.”
She’s wrong. I’m stupidly certain of it, certain she will stay or somehow the world will shift on its axis to bring us both to the same place. But how much longer do I even have to make it happen?
* * *
Mac’s weddingis on Saturday. He and Cassie have been together since they were twelve, but JP’s wife still thinks they’re rushing into things.
“Twenty-two is so young,” says Brenda as we watch Mac and Cassie take their first dance. “They’ve never even dated anyone else. Seems risky.”
I disagree. I think they’re lucky in a way few other people are: they found the person they want to spend their lives with without a thousand false starts first. I want what they have, but I’d settle for a lot less. Right now, I’d settle for Emmy admitting she’s even with me.
After the reception, I go out for a drink with Caleb and—shockingly—Beck, who’s in town only for the night.
Giving up the bar and marrying Kate has stripped years from his face. He looks like a guy who has the whole world at his fingertips again and sort of can’t believe his luck. It’s somewhat awkward that he’s achieved this happy ending with Caleb’s ex-wife, and there was a time when I faulted him for making it so clear how he felt about her, but now I get it.
There are women you can’t look away from, or stay away from, no matter how evident it is that you should.
“So Harrison still hasn’t introduced you to her?” Beck asks of the LA girlfriend. “You think there’s something…wrong with her?”
I laugh. “Like what? Like she’s unattractive? Harrison’s wound up with the hottest women since he was twelve.”
“I don’t know,” Beck says, shaking his head. “I just don’t think things in London went quite the way he claimed they did. You don’t give up your whole fucking life to move to another country for your wife, only to come back two months later wrapped up in someone else.”
“Speaking of being all wrapped up,” Caleb says, turning to me, “what’s going on with you and the girl from the other week?”
“What girl?” Beck asks, grinning indulgently as he sets his beer on the bar.
“He’s in love,” Caleb says with a laugh. “You should have seen him…this girl’s flirting with Troy Alexander, and all of a sudden, Liam’s on his feet, following her to the bathroom.”
Beck chuckles under his breath. “How long was he gone?”
I flip him off. “I had to man the bar after you threw Kate over your shoulder and carried her back to the office last summer. Let’s talk about how long you were gone.”
“Difference is you’re discussing my wife, and I’m discussing a girl you haven’t even admitted to liking.”
“There’s nothing going on,” I say stonily. I’m not spilling my guts about Emerson when she refuses to even admit we’re dating.
“What’s up, boys?” asks Paul Bellamy, throwing one arm around me and one arm around Beck.
I push his arm off me. “Nothing.”
“I was just trying to find out who Liam has a crush on,” Beck says, helpfully.
Paul smirks. “I’ll tell you who. Emerson Hughes. Emmy the Semi. She—”
I’ve got Paul by the back of the neck before he can finish what he was about to say. “You’d better shut your fucking mouth right now,” I hiss.
Paul throws up his hands. “Hey, man, I’m not faulting you for it. She’s hot now, even if she was a big tub of goo back in high school.”
I slam Paul’s face into the bar so fast that there isn’t even time for Beck and Caleb to intervene.
Girls scream, drinks go flying, and I don’t give a shit. We’ll see how much he wants to run his mouth once he’s spent a night in the hospital because of it.
“Jesus Christ, dude,” he cries. “I think you broke my fucking nose.”
“You think this is bad, motherfucker?” I demand, still holding his neck. “Say one more word about her, here or anywhere else, and you’ll see how bad it can get.”
Beck and Caleb grab me before it can go any further. Paul scurries off into the crowd, his nose pouring blood. I feel bad about it, for Jeannie’s sake, but she wasn’t going to pull him into line, and he had it coming. It’s because of people like Paul that Emmy doesn’t eat lunch, doesn’t date, is so incessantly guarded. It’s because of people like him that she’ll never decide to stay.
“Bro,” says Caleb, “what the fuck?”
“I’m sick of him talking shit about her,” I growl.
Beck laughs quietly. “Yeah, it definitely sounds like there’s nothing going on.”