Page 99 of Make Me Laugh

Nothing has changed. I’m still willing to play the long game.

I forgot all about the shirt until my parents overnighted some packages I had shipped to their house to me this weekend while we’re at one address.

There was no doubt in my mind it had to be worn tonight—especially after Joey’s whole friends-thing earlier this week.

The next hour of my life flies by as I talk to organizers and other comedians. It’s nice to mingle and obviously great for my image to be seen and photographed at an event I just donated a large chunk of money to, but I can’t focus.

I need to see Joey.

Excusing myself from the conversation I’m in, I pull my phone out to find a new notification from a group chat with me, Joey, Frankie, Enzo, and Kell.

Joey changed the name to Frankie & The Founding Fathers.

Frankie

I’m taking my job to keep Joey away from work v srsly

Idc how rich y’all are about to become

IIIII want to ride the rickety rides and walk away thankful to see another day

Beer AFTER so no one pukes!

Joey baby

We have Kell.

Me

Meet you at the Ferris wheel in 15 mins

There are so many things to celebrate tonight, and I don’t plan on doing it with a bunch of strangers.

I find Enzo looking bored as fuck, disassociating in the corner while the Oktoberfest organizers talk his ear off. From across the room I catch his eye, and he perks up when I nod towards the exit of the private event space this mixer’s being held in.

He quickly but politely says his goodbyes and is beside me in seconds. We don’t say anything until we’re outside and away from prying ears.

“Thank you. I was ready to gouge my eyes out if it meant Walter stopped talking about the fall flowers they chose for the decorations. Twenty minutes. He talked about mums and toad lilies for twenty minutes.” Enzo’s gritting his teeth by the end of his sentence.

“You good?” I ask, fighting a smile. “Any other flowers you need to get outta your system?”

He doesn’t answer, responding with his own question. “Where are we going?”

The temperature has dropped since the sun set, but at least it’s a calm night with no wind or rain. It’s hard to predict how to dress this time of year in the Northeast. Northern Michigan is the same. I’ve seen all four seasons in one day before.

I toss on a dark gray wool-lined flannel, thankful I grabbed it out of the camper before leaving the townhouse for tonight’s show.

“To have some fucking fun with two of the hottest girls we’ve ever met… and Kell.”

Enzo’s smile is slow, and his teeth don’t show. The smug, mischievous bastard. I know he’s got a thing for Frankie. I’ll get him to admit it one day.

Kell and the girls are already in line at the Ferris wheel when we get there, and he’s laughing at something one of them said. “No, I swear.”

“You swear what?” I ask.

Joey jumps at the sound of my voice, spinning around to find me standing less than a foot from her, separated by the queue’s chain dividers.

When our eyes meet, I instantly relax.