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I shrugged. “I guess so.”
“Well, the place burned down, so they canceled last-minute. He has all this free food, and he’s bringing it home.”
I tried to hide my disappointment, but it must’ve showed through. Izzy made a pouting face and tousled my hair.
“It’s all right,” she said. “We’ll celebrate tomorrow. Tonight, I think Leon wants roommate night.”
It had been a while since we’d done one of those, the three of us together like back in college. Life had got so busy with all our jobs, Leon’s new girlfriend — was that still a thing?
Leon burst in as though summoned by the sound of his name, staggering down the front hall laden with trays. We both rushed to help him, but Izzy got there first. She caught a landslide of platters before they could fall, and Leon jerked his head back toward the front door.
“There’s more in my van,” he said. “Leftovers forever.”
I went out to investigate, and he wasn’t kidding. The back of his van was overflowing with food. I gathered it up and tottered inside, and Izzy and Leon ran up to help.
“You didn’t have to grab all of it.”
“Men with the groceries, what did I tell you?” Izzy smacked me lightly across my bicep. “They don’t revoke your man card for taking two trips.”
I grunted. “Yeah, they do.”
“Ugh, give me those.” Leon grabbed a few trays and we made our way to the kitchen. It took a full twenty minutes to unpack the goodies, then pack them in Tupperware and stow them in the freezer. We left enough out for ourselves to pig out on, and Leon had picked up a nice case of beer. He laid everything out on the coffee table, and we all swooped in like ducks on a bread crust.
“What are these?” said Izzy, biting into an hors d’oeuvre. Her eyes did that flutter thing they did sometimes, in bed. “Mm, these are good. I could eat a million.”
“Brie and fig crostini,” said Leon.
I tried one myself and felt myself melting, and stretched out my foot to bump Leon’s ankle. “Hey, they still casting for that show you’re on?”
He cocked a brow at me. “What, you retiring? Is that your next chapter, reality stardom?”
I kicked him again, harder this time. “Retiring, screw you. No, trust me, come on. Get me into that wedding, like a cameo. Trust me, I’ll be great. I’ll put on a show. I’ll?—”
“Eat all the treats while the guests aren’t looking?”
I grabbed another crostini. “You need a villain.”
Izzy threw a crab puff at me. Leon kicked me away.
“I bring you into that wedding, I’ll be the villain. And not in a good way, so I’m going to say no.”
I pulled a sour face at him. He and Izzy both laughed. She jostled up against him, shoulders bumping together.
“So, we’ve been dying to ask you, how’s things with Delores?”
Leon leaned back, smiling. “Amazing. The best.” He had a look on his face like when Izzy bit that hors d’oeuvre, absolute bliss. My throat went tight. I should’ve been happy for him, and I was, but I was something else, too. I was… jealous? Pissed off? I couldn’t quite place it, that ache in my chest. It felt almost like loss, something gone from my life. I glanced over at Izzy and she tipped me a wink. My heart did a twisty thing deep in my chest.
“I’m in love,” Leon said. “Like I’ve met my best friend. Like I’ve known her forever, but it’s still somehow new. I swear, every day with her, I can’t even tell you…”
Then don’t. Shut your pie hole. You’re in love. We get it.
I crammed a tart in my mouth to hide my pinched face. The crust was all flaky and it tickled my throat. I coughed crumbs down my shirt. Izzy patted my back. Leon passed me a beer and I took a long swig. By the time I’d finished, he was back on his bullshit. No, not on his bullshit. His happiness. What the hell was wrong with me, I couldn’t let him enjoy it?
“She’s so smart,” he said. “And such a kind person. But the best part for me is how right it all feels, how easy, how natural. There’s nothing I can’t tell her. Nothing I’d hide.”
Izzy was still absently stroking my back. Nothing I can’t tell her, that was true for us too. Always had been, since the first time we’d met. She had something about her, this warmth, this light, made me feel like I’d found someone I could be myself with. Had I ever held back with her? Kept any secrets?
“My dad always called my mom his best friend.” Leon smiled happily, his face all aglow. “I always thought if I could find that, that deep, lasting bond?—”
