Page 119 of Things We Hide from the Light

“There’s a subtle difference,” she insisted, slurring a little on the wordsubtle. “But I forget what it is.”

Sloane leaned in on my other side. Well, more like fell into the bar. “What my esteemed colleague is trying to say is that just because you want the freedom to make your own choices doesn’t mean you have to be alone.”

Naomi snapped her fingers in Sloane’s face. “Yes! That! That’s what I forgot. What you do or have and how youfeelare two separate constructs. For instance, people will say ‘I want a million dollars,’ but what they really want is to feel financially secure.”

“Okaaaaaaay.” I drew out the word.

“You want to feel like you have the power to make your own decisions. That doesn’t mean that you have to stay an independent bounty hunter lady forever. Or that you have to not find a great guy to have hot sex and takeout dinners in bed with. It just means that you have to find a relationship where you can be yourself and make sure your needs are met.”

“I’m glad you remembered, because that’s a very smart point and you’re very pretty,” Sloane said to Naomi.

“Thank you. I think you make smart pretty too!”

“Aww! Group hug!”

“You guys are abusing your hug privileges,” I complained as they both fell on me again.

“We can’t help it. We’re really proud of you,” Naomi said.

“Want me to spray them down?” Joel offered, holding up the soda hose.

I sighed. “Let them have their moment.”

TWENTY-FOUR

PECAN PIE PUNCH AND POINTY ELBOWS

Lina

“Idon’t wanna go home,” Sloane whined as I steered her toward my car in the parking lot.

“I’m hungry,” Naomi sang.

“Where do you think you’re going?” I asked Stef as he began to peel off from us.

He looked guilty and nervous. “I, uh, called Jeremiah and asked him if he wanted to grab dinner. And he said yes. So…I’m going to dinner with a hot barber.”

Naomi pounced on him. “I’m. So. Proud. Of. You,” she said, slapping him in the chest on each word.

He rubbed his pectorals. “Ow.”

“Text us every thirty seconds. Better yet, livestream your date!” Sloane said, bouncing on her toes.

“Oooh! Yes! We’ll comment and let you know if we think it’s going well,” Naomi chimed in.

“You sure you can handle the tipsy twins?” Stef asked me.

“No. But—”

“I’m pretending you said yes,” he said, backing away with a wicked grin.

“Have fun and try not to scare him off,” I called after him.

Maybe Stef was ready to get crushed like a spotted lantern fly, but I still wasn’t convinced that vulnerability was the ultimate strength. It sounded to me more like the ultimate way to get your heart trampled.

Sloane grabbed Naomi’s arm and they both almost went down. “Oh my God. We forgot to tell her the other thing.”

“Tell who what? Am I her?” I asked, steadying them on their feet.