Page 101 of Everything After

“You haven’t even had a drink yet,” Mandy argued. ”I wanted to pick you guys’ brains if you came.”

“I’m on medication so I’m not drinking right now. Plus, we were already running late, so…” I muttered, lying through my teeth, but better a white lie that a bigger confrontation.

After a quick, silent exchange between us, Alfie nodded and pulled out his cell phone. “It’s my bodyguard,” he mumbled, gesturing to his phone and when he began to text, I guessed he was alerting Oscar to come and pick us up.

“I was hoping to catch up with you guys,” Mandy whined and glared at Will.

“I’ll find your contact details and call you,” I said, knowing as I said those words that I likely never would. As Alfie led me away, we nodded and smiled at several people as we left the gym.

“They think they’re too good for us now,” I heard Will say, in his effort to goad Alfie.

“Don’t react. He’s trying to get a rise out of you,” I warned my husband as I held on to his arm a bit tighter.

“That guy’s a fucking tool,” Alfie muttered, then took his business card holder out of his pocket as we approached Neil again.

“You know out of all those students, I’d thought that Neil and Mandy were the most down to earth. I hate he disrupted what they had. But most of all, I hate that you spent all that time with him in college.”

“Jesus, Alfie, that was a lifetime ago,” I reminded him, although I regretted it now too.

“Feels like yesterday,” he admitted as we caught up to Neil again.

“Leaving already?”

“Yeah, the air was stale in there. Take this, it’s got my number on it. I meant what I said. I’m going to be around for the next year at least, call me if you want to hang out.” Alfie handed him one of his contact cards. “Maybe you’ve heard already but we live across the bay on Star Island.”

“Seriously? You want to hang with me? I thought you were just blowing smoke up my ass for something to say. But I’ll take it,” he replied, grinning.

“Dude, I wouldn’t have given you the time of day unless I meant it. See you soon.”

“Well, that was a bust. I didn’t even get to speak to Derek,” Alfie grumbled while he sat back in the car seat, buckled up and slung an arm around my shoulders. He laid his head back and closedhis eyes until his cell phone rang. “Unknown number,” he said, checking the screen.

“Don’t answer it then,” I advised, frowning.

Alfie smirked at my order, ignored me and answered it anyway. “Hey,” he said. I’d have known Alfie anytime from how he said that word, but I doubted if anyone else would. He switched the call to loudspeaker.

“Alfie, is that you?”

“Depends on who you are,” Alfie replied.

“Fuck, me, it is you,” we both heard the excited voice say. “It’s Neil. I was expecting an assistant or something.”

Alfie laughed. “Now you know I’m serious. Hey, man, listen, what are you doing next weekend?”

“Bummer, I have my daughter that weekend,” Neil muttered. “Not that she’s not my world, but I have childcare.”

“Alright, bring her with you. How old did you say she was?”

“Almost eight.”

“Cool, I have a friend with a daughter just a little older, I’ll invite her over too. Kara could use a friend in Florida, she’s just recently moved back here. Wait! Do you have a partner?” Alfie asked.

“Nothing serious, not since Mandy,” he replied, sounding sad.

“Even better. Not often I get to play matchmaker, but since you’re a nice guy and she’s important to me, I guess the least you could be is friends.”

“Sounds good to me. So… you have my number. Shoot me the details. I pick up Allie at 9:00 a.m. Friday, we’ll be free any time after that,” Neil said.

“Sounds good. I’ll speak with Lily and Kara, then I’ll get back to you.”