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“Best friends,” he agrees with a grin. It only lasts a second before he grows serious. “Then, can I shoot straight with you?”
“Sure.” Why not? I doubt that I’ll like what he has to say, but if your best friend can’t give you the cold hard facts, who can?
“I’ve been worried about you for a while.” He turns to face me. I don’t comment. “You’ve not been happy.” I open my mouth to protest, but he holds up a hand before I can. “Let me finish. I think the old Eliot was starting to make an appearance again. And not old like thirty old.” He rolls his eyes. “I mean the Eliot that laughed without apology. The one that helped me win her sister over.”
“That Eliot was younger and sprier.”
“That was less than a year ago.” He grins again.
“This Eliot is now older and grumpier.”
“This Eliot,” he says, poking me in the ribs. “Has been happier lately than I’ve seen in a long time. And I think maybe Owen has something to do with that.”
I shrug. What do I say? He’s right. Not that I need some man to come along and make life worth living, but I was happier when Owen was around.
“Look,” Reed continues. “If he’s turned into an asshole, then I’ll be the first one to tell you to write his ass off. But maybe before you do that, you give him the benefit of the doubt. From what I’ve heard around town, he’s overwhelmed.
“I guess he’s asked all over town if anyone is willing to watch a twelve-year-old all night when he has to work the night shift. You know childcare can be hard to find in this town. I was lucky Mel agreed to help with Gram when I needed her.”
I give Reed the side-eye. “When did you get to be the wise one?”
“Yes!” He fist pumps toward the sky. “I have waited so long for you to admit I’m smarter than you.”
“Umm, I’m sorry, who was valedictorian?”
“You,” he says, hanging his head. He knows I’m teasing. I can see the grin still firmly planted on his face.
“And who once peed on an electric fence on a dare?”
“Me,” he sighs. “It was transformative. I almost died.”
“You didn’t almost die; you just wished you had. I rest my case.”
“So mean,” he whispers.
I laugh. “Come on, help me check that the fires are out.” I stand and pull him to his feet. “We should be getting home.”
“Yeah. Austen sent me for milk. She’s probably wondering what happened.” As if on cue, his phone rings. “Hello?” I can hear my sister on the other end. “I was fixing to go get some. I’ll be back in a little while.”
“You’ve been in Texas too long,” I say, shaking my head. “You’re fixing to?”
“It’s your sister. She’s a bad influence.”
“No doubt.”
Reed helps me check each can to confirm the fires are completely out. We shake a little sand in them just to be safe. He carries the cooler and his chair behind me down the hill. Good thing I remembered to bring a flashlight. After helping me load my things, he waves and heads for the store.
He’s given me a lot to think about. No one wants to hear that they’re worried about. I need to step up instead of moping around. There are bound to be things Owen needs help with.
I’ve been so worried about myself that I forgot about everyone else. Including the one person who needs me. Tomorrow, I need to work on being a better me instead of simply marking something off a list.
* * *
I’ll just say it: I’m too old to eat that many marshmallows in one sitting. The fact they all tasted a little like gasoline might be part of why I don’t feel so great today.
Then there was the beer. If I have to belch even one more NASCAR firebomb, I might die. That’s on top of trying to do the audit for the school system. I’ve been meaning to get to it for a while. Now, I’m running behind.
“Hi,” a chipper voice at my door says. I look up slowly to find the girl from Owen’s apartment.
