Page 109 of Fish Out of Water

“Maybe he’s not coming,” Jake said, and in that statement was a hopeful, unspokenthank Mier.

“Ah, there he is.” Isabel pointed to the outcropping of rocks on the periphery of where the party was set up. Robbie was sitting on one of the rocks with Safiya, who seemed to be carrying the bulk of whatever conversation they were having. “You should go and talk to them.”

“Nah,” Jake said. “I’m good sticking with you.”

“Well, dear, I’m going to go dance and get some food.”

“Oh. Then I’ll just grab some food too. I could eat.”

“Go talk to him.”

Isabel left Jake’s side, and he was suddenly surrounded by people he barely knew. He recognized some, of course: there were Robbie and Safiya off in the distance, and Isabel’s friends were standing in the sand talking, their faces lighting up when Isabel approached. Connor Everheart was by the bar set up closer to the park treeline along with Nick, who was tending the makeshift bar. Connor waved to Jake, smiling, and Jake waved back. He considered joining them, but then he locked eyes with Nick, who scowled.

“Talk about holding a grudge,” he muttered.

He saw Isabel’s neighbors from across the street, the mail carrier, Sarah from the town hall, and plenty of people who frequented the beach when Robbie and Jake were volunteering.He made his way through the crowd, slinking past people who were having much more fun than he was.

Robbie looked up as Jake approached. He didn’t smile or wave, like Safiya, but instead stared, unspeaking. He was wearing a dark suit, possibly midnight blue, though it was hard to tell in the waning light. It was tailored perfectly to his body, and no doubt reserved for such occasions as this.

“Hi,” Safiya called brightly, jumping up from her rock seat. “Come join us, Jake. Did you get a drink yet?”

“Uh, no,” Jake said.

“No problem. I was gonna get a refill, so I’ll grab you something too.”

“Thanks. A beer is fine.”

“Awesome. Robbie?”

“No more for me, thank you.” Robbie smiled and set his empty plastic cup down on the rock next to him. He wouldn’t leave it there; he wasn’t nearly as much of a hypocrite as Jake liked to believe.

“Okay, I’ll be right back. Don’t have too much fun without me.” Safiya was off, her long, flowing skirt swaying in the wintry breeze that had kicked up.

“Do you think she did that on purpose?” Robbie asked, turning his gaze back to the water.

“What, left us alone?”

Robbie nodded.

Jake shrugged. “Probably. She knows about us.”

“Of course she does.”

“Mind if I sit down? Because I can go if it’s a problem.”

Robbie answered Jake’s question with one of his own: “What day are you leaving?”

“Monday. Tomorrow. I doubt we’ll see each other again after this.”

“Sit then,” Robbie said.

Jake glanced back at the tables that were filling up with loaded plates as people sat to eat. “Maybe I shouldn’t.”

“Hot and cold, the Eaton-Wynn specialty.”

If Jake didn’t know Robbie better, he would have thought he was mocking him. But Robbie had said it all too sincerely, and he’d included himself. So Jake sat down, regret be damned, and hugged his knees close to his chest.

Robbie turned to look at him again, his eyes softening until they twinkled in the moonlight, and he smiled. “I’m going to miss you.”