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“We will have to fix that. Gimme your phone.”

I’ve never in my life had so many people want to give me their numbers. A little dazed, I hand over my device.

She enters her number and texts herself. “There,” she says. “Now we have each other’s numbers. I offer my services as your Madison friend and tour guide.”

“This is so weird,” I mutter. “We’ve just met.”

“I like you,” she says, shrugging. “I could always use more female friends, what with spending all of my time drowning in testosterone around here. Let’s go get drinks after work today if you don’t have anything better.”

“Ugh.” I’m not sure what’s going on here. “I don’t know.”

She laughs. “I’m not hitting on you. I’m annoyingly, terminally straight. But we can go get drinks and ogle men together if that’s your thing, and talk about St. Cloud and how come you moved to Madison when you had no job waiting and no friends.”

I relax and smile. “That honestly sounds amazing.”

“All right then. Meet me at Hop Scotch at 7:00 PM today. Do you know where it is?”

“I’ll figure it out.” I smile. “See you then.”

“Good luck with the rest of the interview. I hope you get the job!” She waves and then she’s out.

I remain by the sink, more than a little dumbstruck. What the hell just happened?

****

And just like that, Roxie and I are eating cheese curds and wings and burgers and drinking beer and laughing like we’ve known each other our entire lives.

This is so strange. In St. Cloud, I’ve pretty much had my family and Jake, and not much else. Here, a whole new world seems to be opening up, with all these cool people who want to get to know me.

I keep wondering what the catch is.

But perhaps there is no catch. Perhaps there’s never been a catch. Perhaps there have always been people like Joe and Roxie, I just never really paid them any attention because I had my small world centered around family and Jake, and that was enough for me.

That was supposed to be enough for me. But it was never really enough.

“You got quiet again,” Roxie says. “What’s going on?”

“Oh, I don’t know. I’ve been having epiphanies on the regular since I moved here. It’s all blowing my mind a little.”

“Oh, yeah? What do you mean?”

“Like, I’ve jumped into this new life, expecting it to be scary. I was taught it would terrifying to be on one’s own, far from family, but I find that I’m calmer and more hopeful than I’ve ever been. It feels so weird, and I feel so guilty.” I take a sip of my beer. I like this one more than the one Joe gave me two weeks ago. I wonder what Joe’s up to? “Does any of what I’m saying make sense to you?”

“I think so. Look, I’m the patron saint of loving your parents and siblings, yet living far from them. I’m so much happier on my own. I have a job I like and it pays me well, and honestly that’s the main thing. I can take care of myself, build my life how I want it. I’m okay alone, which means I can be selective about whom I let in.”

“That’s amazing.” I look at Roxie with admiration. “Do you ever get lonely?”

She shrugs. “Sometimes. But I have friends. And I see guys casually when I need to scratch the itch. So far it’s been working out okay.”

“So you don’t want to get married?”

“Not really, no. It’s never been something I’ve dreamt about. I know girls do, and no shade on those who do, it’s just never been me. I used to play basketball, you know. Had big dreams and all, but got injured in college and that was the end of it. But I liked my classes and I’m happy I got a good degree and a really good job that I enjoy, and as much control over my life as I want, so I think I’m doing better than most, honestly.”

“How old are you?” I ask.

“I’m twenty-eight.”

“And you’ve been with Qpik the whole time.”