Page 27 of The Other Room

“So funny!” She continued cackling at my expense, but her genuine smile eased my pain.

“Says you... the one who didn’t get a face wash in front of the whole eighth grade class.”

“Ahhh, the good old days. That was fun. I don’t think I’ve been jet skiing since that day.”

“Probably a good thing, considering you almost killed me.”

Jo flicked a wrist at me. “Ah. You’re tough. You lived.”

“My body, yes. Not so much my pride. Everyone teased me for weeks.”

With a shrug, she smiled “You should have held on tighter.”

The other memory I had from that day remained hidden, but now that the gates had opened on memory lane, it hit me like a brick. It was the reason why I hadn’t been holding on tight. Andrea’s parents had provided jet skis for the party, and when Jo had asked if I wanted to go, I’d said yes in a heartbeat. After she’d insisted on driving, I’d realized I would have to ride behind her. When she’d hopped on wearing nothing but a life jacket and her bikini, I’d had to wrap my arms around her waist. The minute I’d slid my hands across her bare skin, all those feelings I’d been harboring for her had exploded like a bomb inside me.

We’re just friends, we’re just friends, I had chanted in my mind while she drove off with me skipping across the waves. Unable to withstand the torture of having her so close, of holding her in my arms like I’d done only in my dreams, I’d pushed myself to the back of the jet ski and let go of her... the girl that had sent my fourteen-year-old hormones into overdrive. It hadn’t taken long for Jo to get ballsy with her steering skills, and soon me and my hormones had been cooling off in the bay after she’d sent me flying.

“I’m never riding behind you on a jet ski again.”

“Whatevs,” she teased. “I had mad skills.”

“Remind me not to let you teach the tourists how to jet ski this summer when I’m at work. It’s my job to make sure they have fun and get back safe. With you at the helm they’ll all end up in the ER.”

Jo laughed, shrugging her shoulders. “Fair enough.”

We both let our laughter trickle off, and silence settled around us again. But this time it didn’t feel awkward. The silence wasn’t the product of her anger, her actively ignoring the best friend she could no longer stand. This time the silence was comfortable, a silence shared between friends while they reminisced about a lifetime of memories together. Good memories.

“You working tomorrow?” she asked, and I shook my head.

“Nope. Day off. You?”

“Monday Funday for me as well.”

“Sweet. You got any plans?”

She shook her head. “Nope.”

“Me neither. I might get started on your place, if that’s okay.”

“Fine by me. I’m planning on finding a spot in the sun and soaking up the summer rays.”

“You certainly earned it after how hard you busted it at JJ’s this weekend.”

She nodded and lifted her empty beer. “So, since neither of us need to get up tomorrow, we staying for another?”

She wanted to stay out with me. In my eyes, that was another mark of the success I was making in repairing the rift between us.

“Absolutely. You up for a round of bar dice?”

Jo grinned wide. “You really want to get your ass kicked again?”

“Let’s not forget, you do lose sometimes. If you didn’t, I’d be sleeping in my truck.” Waggling my brows, I taunted her with a smile.

“You’re on.”

We flagged down the bartender and argued over who shook first.

Just like old times.