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“I am. His mom is great. So is his stepdad, Jeff. You’ve met them, right?”
“Yeah.”
“I know the early stuff messed him up, and it’s not like he doesn’t have a right to be bitter about it, but sometimes I also just want to sayLook what’s right in front of you!Supportive parents who care and want to be there for him. He just won’t let them—does everything by himself. It’s like that with you now, too. He won’t let himself have it.”
I stash that away for future analysis. “Did you know his dad?”
“Andrew? No. I met Reid when we started school. Andrew was long gone by then, back playing in the States.”
“What about your parents? Where are they?”
“My dad owns a building materials company his father founded. He likes to travel all over, overseeing sites, telling other people how to do their jobs. Bet a lot of them would love to tell him to piss off, but he’s the big boss. My mom likes spending the money, pretty much anywhere that’s not here. She sent a postcard from Paris a couple of weeks ago. Haven’t heard from her since.”
“I’m sorry, Josh.”
“It is what it is.” He repeats my words from earlier.
We both drink in silence for a minute.
“You’re easy to talk to,” he says suddenly.
I laugh. “Thanks.”
“I couldn’t figure it out, you know—Reid’s thing with you.”
“Oh?” I hope he’ll keep talking, and he does.
“I’ve seen him with a lot of girls. He usually flirts, sometimes takes it further, but he nevershowedinterest. I saw it as soon as he came inside that coffee shop, so I mentioned asking for your number when we were fixing those posters, just to see if he’d react. He said you seemed too studious for me.” Josh chuckles. “Before that, he couldn’t be bothered to listen when I talked about girls with him, let alone express an opinion. I was barely surprised when he showed up with you that night.”
“He’s…compelling,” I agree.
“He doesn’t know how you feel about him, Auden.”
“Yeah, that’s the point.”
“You should tell him.”
“Why? So he can feel guilty about it? He told me, the very first day we met:I’m selfish, I’m making it to the pros, I’m a fuckboy who just hooks up—blah blah blah.”
Josh chuckles. “Pleasetell me he called himself a fuckboy.”
“I’m paraphrasing.”
“I still think you should tell him.”
“Why? It won’t change anything.”
“You don’t know that. You haven’t doneanything, right? Use this fake dating mess to your advantage. Push the boundaries a little. See how he reacts.” It’s actually not terrible advice, and my face must say that. He smirks. “Bet you thought I was just a pretty face, eh?”
“No. I thought you were a rich kid with both mommyanddaddy issues.”
Josh grins. “See? I knew you have some fire in you.”
We settle back into silence, both looking out at the water.
“So, is this what you do all summer? Just hang out at this lake?”
“Pretty much. What do you do, when you’re not tossing vodka cranberries on people?”
