“Let me see his picture.” Julia tried to grab the phone, but Courtney held it away.
“No, keep your hands to yourself. It’s not on the website.”
“Google Image him.”
“No, I refuse. Chill. You’re embarrassing yourself.”
“Is he married?”
“I don’t know. I finally stopped stalking him online. He neverposted anything personal anyway.” Courtney smiled. “Not gonna lie, I loved the guy. It wasn’t just a fling.”
“Not ‘summer lovin’, had me a blast’?”
“Don’t make me sing.” Courtney grinned. “You know I want to.”
“So do I.” Julia grinned back. “Were you hopelessly devoted?”
“Hopelessly.” Courtney sighed theatrically. “We parted friends when he left for college. We wrote each other for a while, then let it go.” She perked up, startled. “Uh-oh. If Alex runs the clean-ups, he must’ve known Grandma Kay.”
“Did she ever mention him?”
“No, but she didn’t know about us. We snuck around.” Courtney pursed her lips. “His uncle had a hunting cabin in the woods, and that’s where Alex lived. He was doing volunteer work, collecting samples of the watershed.”
Julia gave her a playful shove. “So the Nittany Lion got your Strawberry Shortcake?”
“Grow up.” Courtney shoved her back.
“Does Paul know Alex was your first?”
“No, I told him I didn’t have sex till I was eighteen.” Courtney smiled. “It’s sex math.”
Julia chuckled. “What’s sex math?”
“You add to the age you lost your virginity. You subtract from the number of lovers.”
Julia laughed. “Not me.”
“No, because you were a nun. Now leave me alone, I’m calling Alex.” Courtney stood up and stepped away from the bench, raising the phone to her ear.
Julia waited on the bench, watching Courtney talking on thephone. They’d been through everything together, and she couldn’t even remember them fighting, except for this one time in college. She flashed on it now, thinking of the time they’d been studying at a table in Hesburgh Library, which was watched over by Touchdown Jesus. Julia noticed a guy at another table looking over at them. He was handsome, with reddish-brown hair, dark eyes, and nice smile, and he had a preppy look in a brown sweater and jeans.
Julia glanced back at him, shyly. She didn’t have a boyfriend, unlike Courtney and every other girl she knew, and her gaze kept straying to the guy.
Courtney nudged her, then whispered,That guy keeps looking at you.
Julia reddened.I think he’s looking at you.
No, it’s you.
It could be you. Crazier things have happened.
No, they haven’t. I’m a virgin for life.
They both laughed, but Julia wished she were kidding. She and Courtney were both pretty, but Courtney was the extrovert, a typical Leo. They’d met in drama club in high school, and there was a reason Courtney was the stage manager while Julia painted sets, literally behind the scenes.
Jules, he’s definitely looking at you.Courtney chuckled.Dude, take a picture, it’ll last longer.
He’s so cute.
