“Without a doubt, Jack.”
“Thanks, kid. Wish me luck. I’m gonna need it.”
“Good luck. Pretty sure Cathy has a bottle of Makers to send you off with.”
He turned to leave. “God bless that wonderful woman. Remind me to give her a raise.”
I packed up and left a little while later, heading toward the gym in the dusk. The days were getting shorter, the nights longer, but the weather was so great after the blazing summer that I found myself refreshed as I made my way toward the subway station.
My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I pulled it out to see a photo of my sister in a pair of bunny ears, nibbling on a carrot.
“Hey, Meg,” I answered, smiling.
“Hey. You busy?”
“Nah, just got off work. What’s up?” I stepped off the curb and crossed the street, deciding then to walk the mile and a half home.
“Just wanted to chat.”
“I’ll be home in a little more than a week, you know.”
“I know, but still. Plus, you’ll be busy and so will I. It’s homecoming, remember?”
I chuffed. “So you’ll be busy drinking?”
“I’m in a sorority. Of course I’ll be busy drinking. How was work?”
I sighed. “Busy. Pharaoh Carson got himself arrested, and Jack and I were busy putting out fires all day. But all’s well — I’m on my way to the gym before heading home to get ready for singles night at Cam’s bar.”
“What’s the theme?”
“Comic book cosplay.”
“Ooooh. I love getting dressed up. Who are you going as?”
“Captain America.”
She busted out laughing. “That had to be Cam’s idea.”
I smirked. “Yeah, it was.”
“Genius. You look the part. Is she on a mission to match you up with somebody, or are you going to troll for chicks?”
“Neither, just going to hang out.”
She sighed. “It’s been a year since Jessica. You’ve got to get back on the horse. Can’t let a slag like her ruin you like that, Tyler.”
“She didn’t,” I said simply as I stuffed my free hand in my pocket. “This isn’t about Jess.”
“Well, then what’s it about? You haven’t dated anyone since.”
“That’s not true. I’ve been on dates.”
“Right, but you haven’t dated anyone.”
I came to stop at a corner and watched the light, struggling to find the words. “I dunno, Meg. I haven’t found anyone I’m interested in enough to go for, I guess. I’m not interested in investing any more of myself into someone until I’m sure about their intentions.”
“So it is Jessica’s fault.”
My face was flat. “Would it make you feel better if I admitted she was one of many reasons?” The light changed, and I stepped off the sidewalk and into the street.
“Yes, it would. Thank you.”
I snickered. “I’ll date when I’m ready. How about you?”
“No one serious. I’m just too busy to date between the sorority and being a senior. But Jamie and Grace both got asked to homecoming.”
“They’re too young to go to homecoming with boys.”
“They’re sixteen and eighteen, Tyler.”
“Like I said, too young. Now tell me who I have to kill.”
She laughed. “Oliver Wilson and Jesse Crawford.”
I sighed. “Well, at least I know their families, which means I know where they live.”
“I miss you,” she said. “Promise you’ll come out at least once with me.”
“No promises.”
She groaned. “Come on. You’re so boring now that you’re a grown up.”
“I know,” I said with a chuckle. “You’re next.”
“Never. Maybe I’ll come to New York and use my Lit degree to work at Cam’s bar.”
“Hey, it’s not a bad gig.”
“Anything to get out of Lincoln.”
“Except you’ll miss it,” I added. “Everybody misses it. New York is lonely sometimes.”
“Well, luckily Mom and Dad have all those extra bedrooms for me when I come visit.”
“That’s true.”
“Well, I won’t keep you too long, I just wanted to say hi. Have fun tonight, and try to avoid fighting with Iron Man. See if you can’t find a pretty honey to take home, especially if Cam pushes one at you.”
I smiled. “All right. Oh, and Meg?”
“Yeah?”
“I miss you too.”
I could hear her smiling on the other end. “Can’t wait to see you. One week!”
“One week.”
“Talk to you later.”
“Bye, Meg.”
I hung up the phone and slipped it back in my pocket, thinking about what she’d said. It was true that I hadn’t dated anyone seriously since my breakup with Jessica. And it wasn’t like that wasn’t traumatic on its own. When I showed up on Cam’s doorstep, I didn’t have much more than a suitcase to my name. To be with someone, to live with someone who you thought you loved and who loved you, only to have them leave you for faults that you believed were strengths, was disorienting to say the least.
I was too nice. Too good. Boring. I went to all the clubs and parties with her even though I didn’t want to. I played her game, but it wasn’t enough. But I couldn’t pretend to be interested in what she was interested in any more than she could. I’d always known she and I weren’t meant for forever. But getting dumped like that, for those reasons? It was a dick punch that I wasn’t prepared for.