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Garrett swallowed the rest of his drink and slid out of the booth. “Looks like a great party. Beth really kicked it out of the park.”
“Is that a sports metaphor?”
“Mixed, now that I think it through. It’s a mixed metaphor.”
“Go now before you confuse any more words. And make your peace.”
Garrett pulled me toward him and kissed me gently. It was a fitting end to my work-boyfriend obsession. We didn’t let it go too far. And even though I wanted to pull him into a dark corner and slip my hands under his shirt to feel his stomach, slide them farther down, I also wanted to hold him close and let him know that I was sorry for how sad he was and that I was there for him, whatever he might need.
“This might sound clichéd, but if you need anything, call anytime. I mean it. We’re not back at work for another few days, and if you go home, well, know that if you need to talk, I’m here.”
Garrett tightened his arms around me while people milled around, growing drunker, growing bolder, already breaking their resolutions. We stayed there together, quietly ignoring the world.
* * *
After Garrett had left and the party was inching toward the bells of the New Year, I pulled up a stool at the far end of one of the bars and sat looking out at the crowd. Beth was dancing in the middle of the floor, laughing, her hair flying. With only fifteen minutes to go before the big countdown, I was glad to see her burn off a little of her stress on the dance floor. I was staring off into space when I felt someone standing a bit too close beside me.
“Now, this is a nice party,” Evan said.
I was startled to see him there: crisp white shirt, great oxfords, impeccably tailored pants. He knew how to dress, I had to give him that.
“Oh, hey,” I said. “I didn’t think you’d show up.”
“I told you I didn’t have anything better to do,” he said, and winked.
“Dude, you really need to cool it on the winking. It absolutely ruins all you’ve got going on.”
He laughed. “Ruins it?”
“Completely.”
“Point taken.” He paused. “Do you need a drink?”
“Not really, but I’ll take one. I am impressively sober right now, in truth.”
“Rough night?”
“Not particularly—not for me anyway. But I was working, and I had to stay on top of things.”
“Are you still working?”
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of Beth, hands on her knees, shuffling her butt back and forth to some old-school Tribe Called Quest song I’m sure she requested.
“No,” I replied. “I’m just about done. Countdown to a whole new me.”
“A whole new you?”
“Long story,” I said. “I’m not keen on shouting it out at a crowded bar.”
“Let’s go somewhere quieter.”
I laughed. “Oh my god! The winks, the lines, how do you take yourself seriously? Do the women in your life fall for that crap?”
Evan laughed and held his hands to his heart. “I’m beginning to feel a little wounded.”
“Evan, Evan, there’s no way we’re going to be friends if you get wounded by any measure of teasing.”
He rested his hand on my shoulder and leaned in. “You’re saying we’re friends?”
