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“Lumberjack? So I’ve been demoted from god?”

I throw my head back with laughter. “That’s what you object to? Not the serial killer thing?”

“Well, this state is known for its serial killers, and I am unusually charismatic. You are right to be concerned.”

I smack him on the shoulder. “Not helping!”

He chuckles and grabs my hand. “Let’s get you back to your car. Follow me to the gas station, then back to my place.”

****

We’re on Joe’s couch and the game was technically on until it finished, but we were both completely ignoring it and right now it’s some sitcom rerun with the volume way down. We loaded up on junk food at the gas station—several kinds of chips, beef sticks (obviously), soda, and beer. Joe’s got a nice, comfortable one-bedroom place with some expensive, good-quality furniture, but also several pieces, like this sofa, that look like they came from a garage sale ... twenty years ago. The sofa is covered in well-worn leather and seems to have been patched in a few places, and I’ve never sat on anything more comfortable.

Joe’s had a couple of beers and I’ve switched to soda. I’m not a big drinker anyway and it makes me feel better to have my wits about. I am a little jittery. Maybe it’s the caffeine, but maybe it’s Joe.

“Do you miss them?” he asks. “Your family? From everything you’ve told me, it sounds like you’re really tight-knit.”

“We are. My brothers and I are close in age, and my parents have always put us first. It feels so selfish to want something just for myself, away from them, when they’ve given me so much.”

“I don’t think it’s selfish,” he says. “It’s normal to want to have your own life. I’m sure they understand it.”

“You don’t know my parents,” I say. “Family is everything to them. They are both from the same small town, and their families go back generations, all in the same place. My brothers have never had any dreams beyond Dad’s auto shop. Everyone is so comfortable there. I was comfortable there. It’s like a cocoon, honestly. There’s something intoxicating about being so close to everyone, if that makes sense. Like everything will work out as long as we’re all together.”

“Are your brothers married?”

“Nope. My oldest brother has an on-again off-again girlfriend, she’s been around a long time, but he doesn’t seem to be in a rush to get married. My other brother is a year older than me, and seems to always be single.”

“Maybe he’s gay,” Joe says.

My eyebrows shoot up in shock. “He’s not gay!”

Joe shrugs. “I mean, he could be. Or he could be ace.”

I wave him off. “He’s not. He’s just shy.”

“True, he could be shy. How old is he?”

“Twenty-eight.”

“Hmm.” Joe looks to the side and takes a sip of his drink.

“Hmm what? He’s not gay! I mean, not that there’s anything wrong with that. It’s just that, if he were gay, I’d know. I’d know.”

Joe puts his hands up. “Okay, okay. Obviously you’re his sister and I’ve never met him. I’m just saying that maybe there’s more to his life than you know, you know?” I harrumph, and Joe chuckles. “Just like how there’s more to your life than they seem to be aware of.” He reaches out and pushes a strand of hair off my face. “Do your brothers know that you want a different life than what they live?”

I cross my arms and sink into the sofa, sulking. “No.”

“Well, there you go.”

“Ugh. I hate it when you use logic to defeat me,” I say, and he laughs. “Look, I know. I loved growing up with brothers. We’re close, but, like, not that close, I guess. We’ve never talked about plans. We’ve always stuck to doing things side by side. We’ve all understood what was expected of us.”

“How was it when you went to college?”

“I didn’t have the typical experience. I stayed in St. Cloud and commuted. First got my two-year associates degree at a community college, which helped me to get an entry-level accounting job. Then I worked toward my bachelor’s degree part time while I worked.”

“That sounds pretty tough, Liz. And impressive.”

I shrug. “I like to be busy. And the classes were interesting for the most part. Also, I met Jake when I transferred to St. Cloud State.”