When Dylan finally understood, he shrugged his shoulders. ‘Maybe… maybe she wants to think she has, but I don’t know. Part of me suspects she’ll walk out again if I let her back in.’
Robert finished his beer after Dylan did the same. ‘Come on, we’re too old for this. Let’s get food.’
‘Thank God, the music is way too loud for my ears.’
‘Old man!’ Robert jested as they left the bar and made their way to the nearest pizza joint, walking quickly after they’d left the warmth of the bar for the bite in the air outside reminding them Christmas would be upon them before they knew it. ‘God, two beers and it’s like I’ve smoked a few joints and got the munchies.’
Dylan laughed but told his friend to keep his voice down. Smoking joints seemed a lifetime ago, and as much as he liked to keep the lines of communication open with his kids, that was one bit of information he wouldn’t be sharing with them no matter how grown-up they got.
They ate in silence as the cheesy, meaty, spicy pizza soaked up the alcohol, and when Dylan had finished the enormous slice, he asked, ‘How long have you known Cleo?’
‘Cleo?’
‘Oh come on, you must have heard by now.’
‘Okay, yes, I’ve heard,’ Robert admitted. ‘Violet sucks at keeping secrets. Cleo told her about the two of you.’
‘I don’t want to sound like I’m back in seventh grade, but what did she say about me?’
Robert wiped his fingers on a napkin. ‘From what I can gather, the woman likes you. But the question is, do you like her?’
‘I do.’
‘Enough to give up on the idea of getting back with your ex-wife?’
‘That’s the million dollar question.’
‘I wouldn’t want to see Cleo hurt.’ Robert looked as though he could say more but had decided not to. ‘She’s a good friend who’s had a bit of a rocky time over the years. It’s not my place to say anything more, but if you do get involved, just treat her right.’
They talked more about Dylan’s history with Prue, how they’d ended up together, how she’d lost interest in the suburban family life almost as soon as she’d got it. ‘It was all excitement, everything we did was on fast forward and there was no time to think about whether we were doing the right thing.’
‘And you’re worried she’ll crave excitement again?’
‘I am. I’m not sure she could’ve changed that much. And if I give her a chance, then that’s it for me and Cleo. Cleo told me I should go back to Prue, be a family.’
Robert hesitated. ‘You know that’s not what she wants. Violet didn’t say that, she didn’t have to, but from what she did say, I don’t think Cleo wanted to tell you to go away, she did it for you. Bit like Bonnie the cheerleader.’
‘How is this anything like that?’
‘Bonnie probably wanted to make you the laughing stock of college when she saw you walking towards her, fly undone. I know I’d have been tempted to let someone suffer for my amusement back then. But she didn’t. She told you so you could sort it out and she sacrificed the ability to make a joke, probably bond with other new students.’
Dylan laughed. ‘I guess you’re right. We certainly bonded over Mr Finlayson’s misfortune.’
‘I’d almost forgotten about that! My memory must be going in my old age.’
When Dylan started laughing at the memory, he couldn’t stop. Mr Finlayson had come into the classroom and there was no doubt he’d been to the restrooms right beforehand because out of his pants at the back hung a long length of toilet paper. Mr Finlayson wasn’t the smallest man in the world, almost as wide as he was tall, and Dylan and Robert, once they’d stopped crying with laughter, had reasoned that he must have stood up, pulled up his pants and at the same time caught the toilet paper. Mr Finlayson had got so angry with them, pushed his glasses up on his nose, his cheeks fuming, and it was a good job he hadn’t turned to face the blackboard or the whole class would’ve seen what they were laughing at before a kinder member of the class sitting right down front had whispered in his ear and he’d left the room, returned shortly afterwards, toilet paper-less.
They finished their pizza and outside shrugged on their jackets. ‘It was great to catch up tonight, buddy.’ Dylan pushed his wallet into his pocket. ‘I can’t believe we lost touch for so long.’
Robert patted him on the shoulder. ‘Well we’re in touch now, so any time, call round, we’d love to see you. The kids could play, we could drink beer. Who knows, maybe we’ll manage more than two next time.’
They talked on the train all the way back to Stamford before going their separate ways, and when Dylan reached his house he wondered whether it was the beer, the knowledge that the kids weren’t here tonight and it would be lonely, or even the talk with Robert that had made him want Cleo more than ever.
He wasn’t sure he ever wanted to let her slip through his fingers. And it took all his willpower not to call her or send a text. Not until he knew what he was going to do about Prue.
14
INGLENOOK FALLS CHRISTMAS MARKET, CONNECTICUT
