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She shrugged. “Huh. It’s weird that Rhodes isn’t coming. Adon, I could understand. That man is selfish as fuck.”
My nostrils flared with a sharp snort. She hated Adon, and I couldn’t figure out why she wouldn’t let their little squabbles go. Whenever I’d ask, she’d only insult him more.
“I accidentally let it slip about the party to Eddie, my creepy neighbor. I don’t think he’s coming, but he said something about buying me a present. He made it sound dirty.”
Snarling a lip, she said, “Ugh. That guy is gross. He hasn’t been bothering you, though, has he?”
“Not since I saw Eli talking with him that day… And no more break-ins, either.” Though I did worry about what would happen at night now that Eli was spending fewer and fewer in my bed. I’d taken to sleeping with the lamp on or falling asleep while watching old Agatha Christie movies online.
Even though I insisted she refrain from buying me anything, Piper brought over some plants she housed in pretty pots for my kitchen and den. She was explaining what each was and how to care for them when Johnny Davis showed up at the side door.
“Johnny! Come on in!” Throwing open the door for him, he waltzed in with his usual air of congeniality.
Despite his attractiveness, he always looked like he was hiding a secret. His gold-colored hair was perfectly styled into a pompadour, with long sideburns running down his squared face. Behind his constant smile, his hazel eyes held a distant expression of sadness. Shirking off his puffy black coat revealed a navy-blue Henley shirt over some darker distressed blue jeans.
“Hey, Essie! Long time, no see.” His taut arms gathered me into a warm hug. Smiling at his nickname for me, it felt comforting to know I had another friend in my life aside from Piper now. “Hell yeah. Cake!”
“Hey, I’m Piper.” Piper and he started discussing the dessert and when the appropriate time would be to cut into it. Watching them leaning close to each other while staring at the decorations, I briefly wondered if they would hit it off.
“I had to leave Dix to work the bar today, Essie. Sorry, he won’t be able to make it. But you got the better of us. Shit, I almost forgot. Be right back.” Johnny ran to his car for a moment, returning with a wrapped present. “Here, hope you like it.”
Pulling off the plastic blue bow, I opened his gift. It was a Watcher’s Guide, a book aboutBuffy the Vampire Slayer. “Oh my god! I love this! Thank you, Johnny!” Throwing an arm over his shoulder, I gave him a quick hug right as Eli walked in.
“Did I miss the party already?” Eli’s voice seemed gruff as he stared at the two of us with some fire in his eyes.
“Oh, hey!” Running over to Eli, I flung my arms around his neck. When he bent down to receive the embrace, his waist bent away from me as if we were strangers. Swallowing a lump in my throat, I held back from asking him if something was wrong. Not in front of our friends.
The bigger issue was… I didn’t want to get dumped on my birthday, and if I said anything, that’s what I feared would happen.
“Uh, let’s eat. Then we can get to the cake!” Piper interrupted our awkward interaction. She had brought over food from my favorite restaurant, the Italian place Eli and I had our first date.
“Nice place you got here,” Johnny said to me, but he was looking at Eli when he said it. “You’re pretty young to buy such a house. How much did it cost ya?” He crooked an eyebrow, still holding Eli’s eyes in a staring match.
“Oh, um, my father left it to me in his will. I didn’t know him.” I was used to saying the last part before people started to express condolences.
“Oh? That’s very interesting. This was yourfather’shouse.” Something unspoken was exchanged between Johnny and Eli, who tensed up as he sat next to me at the table. “And you two met at the bookstore? Here in town?”
Confused at the question, I scrunched my brow. It never occurred to me to explain how we met, and my words got caught in my throat. Eli’s hand made its way to my thigh and squeezed, and I understood this was the story he must tell others. “Yep.”
Digging into the pasta, I thanked my best friend for making the party perfect. Eli seemed on edge, his shoulders up to his ears.
“And you work at the library?” Johnny asked Piper in between a bite of garlic bread.
“Work is a very strong word to use… I’d say ‘read and hang out,’ then occasionally scan some books or put them away is more like what I do.” Johnny chuckled at her reply, while Eli continued to stare at his plate, chewing slowly.
“Hey, Griff. Remember that time you and Kara got caught stealing those books with the nude drawings from the school library?” Johnny’s green eyes peered at Eli with some type of mocking within them.
Eli clicked his jaw. “Mmm-hmm.”
“Then, what was it? Dix bailed you guys out? Told the principal he’d done it, I think.” Johnny snorted, but his smile vanished. “And didn’t tell me anything about it until later. Where’d you guys go that day, huh?”
Eli’s face lifted to his friend with the perfect imitation of a bull enraged. Johnny put his fork down and the two held each other’s gazes in silence.
“I think it’s time for cake!” Piper spoke up, eyes darting back and forth between Johnny and Eli. She took her time putting in nineteen pink candles in the center of each flower, then lighting them. The distraction worked as the men watched her. “Make a wish!”
While I blew out my candles, I secretly asked that my Eli would come back to me. That he would be back to his old self.
“Yes! Finally. This cake looks so good. Where’d you get it?” Johnny divvied out pieces onto the plates for us all.
