Page 85

THURSDAY NIGHT ORGIES

“You’re making excuses.”

She let out a lengthy sigh in my ear. It did little to muffle the sound of children chasing one another through the green.

Six or seven, the girl caught up to the boy, screaming “tag” before tackling him and rolling along the grass.

Once upon a time, that would have been Evie and me.

Now, the tortuous savage avoided me like the plague.

“Jonny, it’s not an excuse. The hotel needs me,” she said, the frustration creeping into her voice. “It’s held together with duct tape, and I’m the only one getting anything done.”

“You hate your job.” I didn’t sugarcoat my response. “Why haven’t you quit yet?”

I leaned back on the bench, letting the sunlight beat against my face. Summers in Maine were notoriously muggy, and mosquitoes forced the residents inside. The soft breeze made both bearable.

“Some of us can’t afford to wander through life.”

Ouch. “Wow. You had that bullet locked and loaded.”

She let out another sigh. I couldn’t help but grin as the boy wrestled his way on top of the girl, hands thrown up in a victory cheer. Good for him. I never managed a victory with Evie. As a kid, she was downright brutish.

“It’s not your fault.” I noticed the lack of apology. “I’m stressed with work. These people… if it weren’t for me, their hotel would go under. But try to convince them to pay me for the headache… nope. Never.”

“I know you don’t want to deal with Mimi. I don’t blame you. It’s weird.”

“Weird, how?”

This was the longest conversation between us in forever. I loved Evie, but over the years, our name was the only thing binding us together. While she let the emotions wash over her, I compartmentalized. Now, with her being my last living family member, I craved a connection.

“Did you know she kept my notebooks?”

“I’m not surprised.”

“I found your science fair report. She put it in plastic.”

Her tone changed as she laughed. “Mr. Dellaire made me work for that B+.” I still remember when she pulled it out of her backpack to show Mimi. When Evie couldn’t decide on cake or ice cream as her reward, Mimi returned from the store with both.

“Evie, it’s cathartic.” It had been days of organizing her attic, and I barely made a dent. It was as if she created a museum to our youth, and I found myself stuck between the past and present. “Sounds like you could use it, too.”

Long pause.

“I’ll think about it.” Voices broke out in the background.

“I need to deal with the clients from hell.” She paused before hanging up.

“Take care of yourself, Jonny.” Her words hit harder than they should have.

It had been a long time since she’d sounded as if she cared, and for a second, I sat there, letting it sink in.

“You, too.”

Click. I didn’t want to say the rift between us had closed or that we’d return to the inseparable brother and sister, but it was a start.

My stay in Firefly could either be filled with sadness or hope.

I chose the latter. Mimi would have considered it a worthy departure if she thought it’d bring Evie back into my life.

Sitting in the center of Firefly, it was hard to miss the smallness of the town.

A group of women tended to a rose garden in their big floppy hats and gloves.

Further down the park, a dad taught his son how to catch a baseball.

At any moment, I expected people to break out into song…

except for the man waving at me as he approached.

I held my hand up to my eyes, trying to block out the sun and make out his face. He had a brown grocery bag in one arm as he picked up the pace. The wide shoulders and muscular build could make it any?—

“Hey there.”

“Oh, hi, Mr. SuperFamousHollywoodActor.”

“That’s my dad,” he said, plopping down on the bench. “I’m just AverageJoeMcFireFly.”

I laughed. Firefly had an unnaturally high rate of bears living amongst the residents, to the point they should put it as their town slogan.

“Burly Bears For All.” Of them, Chris was the one I knew the least. I first met him at Jason’s convention and then when he needed help with a school play.

These days, he was Bobby’s sexy other half.

“It’s still a bit of a shock to be sitting in a town that isn’t even on the map and over struts a Hollywood headliner.”

“I’d call it more of a saunter.” I saw why Bobby liked him.

He carried himself with confidence and had this perpetual goofy grin on his face.

The Wrights were an amazing family, and I’m glad they were there to say goodbye to Mimi.

If Chris could handle Abraham’s humor, he and Bobby were well on their way to a marriage proposal.

“I had a crush on Bobby when I was a kid.” It was amusing to admit a childhood crush so openly, especially to his boyfriend.

“I can see why.” His lack of territorial behavior made me like him even more.

“He’s handsome, talented, and damn, does that boy know how to kiss.

” When he made an audible rawr, I snorted.

“For what it’s worth, sorry to hear about your gram.

We had only talked a few times, but Abraham speaks highly of her. ”

“I think they were doing the nasty.” The image of wrinkled butts came to mind. Tried and failed. “Keep an eye on him.”

“Will do. What about you?”

In the city, that question would have required a shrug or a short-ended “fine.” Firefly residents didn’t ask questions without offering to put on a pot of coffee. I appreciated their willingness to be candid, and it came from a genuine place of concern.

“I’m okay. Maybe? It’s been a lot, and I’m still processing everything.

” The matriarch of our family had died, handing the reins to my sister, and we hardly spoke.

“I have a complicated family life.” Even as I said it aloud, I scoffed.

Of course, Chris knew all about it. Secrets didn’t exist in Firefly.

I’m sure somebody had drawn him a family tree and explained every gruesome detail.

“I know this sounds weird considering we’ve met all of six times, but if you need somebody to talk with…

” I expected the response. Firefly had a way of breaking down walls and shoving its nose into your business.

Chris might not have been born here, which explained his less aggressive approach, but he had caught onto their ways.

“Same goes for Bobby. We have a standing date night on Tuesdays with Simon and Jason if you want to come.”

“A fifth wheel? Unless you’re organizing an orgy, I’ll have to pass.”

“Oh no, the orgies are on Thursday night.”

I snapped my fingers. “Drats. I have a puzzle planned that night.” I was only half-joking. Mimi had far too many puzzles. “I appreciate the offer.”

He leaned over, bumping his shoulder against mine. “Make sure you’re not isolating yourself.” I didn’t have to ask. He had received the newsletter announcing my reunion with Tyler. No matter how subtle, he fell somewhere in the gossip-filled group text.

“Who told you?”

He laughed. “Abraham saw you two together,” Chris said with a grin that could only mean trouble.

I groaned, dragging my hands down my face.

“Of course he did.” Did he send out a town-wide alert, too?

If you want to know who’s talking about you, there were some key names in Firefly.

Gladys. Doris. Gloria. “Yeah, he mentioned you and Tyler. I’m waiting for the town meeting. ”

He meant it as a joke, but when I glared at him, he held up a hand in defense. “I swear, I haven’t heard of an actual town meeting about it… yet.”

“Thanks,” I said. “I know everybody cares. But?—”

“It’s hard to process while they’re meddling?” He nodded. “Yeah, I get that. But… maybe they have a point?” He got up, hoisting his bag of groceries under the crook of his arm.

Chris’s eyes softened. I couldn’t deny the truth behind his words.

Mimi’s death. Repairing a relationship with Evie.

Reconnecting with Tyler. My life had become a jumble of emotions, and if I were being honest, I barely had time to process each situation.

Behind all that, I had this lingering feeling that the turbulence had less to do with them and more to do with myself.

“Can I offer some unsolicited advice?”

“The fact you’re asking tells me you weren’t born here.”

Chris had a grin capable of disarming any cynic. I leaned back, folding my arms across my chest. There was no harm in listening to him. With the sun beaming, he’d need to be quick before I walked away with a sunburn.

“A wise man once told me Firefly has a way of giving us what we need.” I wanted to scoff at the sentiment, but something about it lingered. Was Firefly giving me what I needed? Or was it just forcing me to sit still long enough to notice?

I raised an eyebrow. “Abraham?”

“Edward.” I don’t think I knew him. Give it a day; I’m sure he’d drop off a pie.

“I don’t think it’s magical. Firefly is…

” He turned about, taking in the downtown.

“Boring.” He said it as if it were a well-kept secret.

“That’s not a bad thing. It’s a chance to stop, breathe, and regroup.

If anybody could use a deep breathing right now… ”

“Thanks.” I forced a smile. “I mean it.” If we were going to use the breathing analogy, I had been gasping for breath. I was so busy trying to inhale that I hadn’t bothered filling my lungs. Maybe it was time I paused the universe and focused on myself.

Chris didn’t seem convinced. “I appreciate it, and thanks for not being pushy. Firefly hasn’t converted you yet.”

“Good to hear. We’ll see you on Tuesday.”

“Huh?”

Chris walked away, then casually turned back. “Don’t forget a date. We can’t have you being an awkward fifth wheel.”

Dammit. The town had gotten him.