Page 27 of Once in a Lifetime, Part 2

Mano gave a small nod.

“No way, man.” A guy walked up, shaking his head. “You actually showed up? Thought you forgot about us.”

“College, man. Been busy,” Ody said, standing.

“Yeah, sure.”

Ody glanced back at the table. “This is Mano. Friend from Athens.”

Taso’s gaze flicked to Mano. “First time in Patra?”

“Yeah,” he said, voice flat.

Taso nodded, then turned to Ody. “Freddo espresso, medium. Right?”

Ody smiled. “Good memory.”

“And you, Mano?”

“The same.”

“Got it.” He headed back inside.

Mano noticed the smile still on Ody’s face.

“They’re really good people,” Ody said. “If you get to know them, you’ll like them.”

“Where do you know Chris and Steve from?”

“Athens. First year of college.”

“And these guys?”

“Since middle school. We were a big group.” He gave a small huff. “Then uni happened. Everyone scattered. But if we’re all in Patra at the same time, we go out like old times.” He paused, already pulling out his phone. “Actually, let me text them. See who’s around.”

Mano watched him. A grin slowly spread across Ody’s face. “Some of them are here. We should all go out tomorrow.” His fingers moved quickly over the screen, already typing. Then he paused, looking up. “You’re okay with that, right?”

Mano’s gaze lingered on him a second longer before he spoke. “Why? We’re going together?”

Ody frowned. “You thought I’d ditch you?”

“You said you haven’t seen them in a long time.” Mano’s voice stayed even, but his fingers curled against the table. “I figured you’d rather be with them.”

Ody stared at him. “Are you serious? I meant all of us. You too. Why wouldn’t you come? You’re a friend.”

“I’m a friend now?” Mano asked. “Last time you said we were more than that.”

Ody stilled. For a second, he let something show.

Yeah. It was more than that. But the memory hit, the way he’d said he’d break up with Anna, the way Mano had shut it down like it didn’t mean anything. His jaw clenched. Whatever had almost surfaced disappeared just as quickly.

Taso returned with their coffees, setting the glasses down between them and breaking whatever had been building.

The interruption was enough. Ody leaned back, the flicker in his eyes gone, his expression going neutral. “Let’s not put labels on it,” he said, his gaze lifting to Mano. “You don’t like them anyway, right?”

Mano didn’t answer right away. He studied Ody’s face, searching for something. Then he gave a small nod. “Right... So I guess that makes us two guys fooling around.”

It looked like Ody might say something. Correct him. Tell him he was wrong. “I guess.”