Page 103 of The Clinch
LIZ
Your smoothie tastes like lawn clippings
I hit send beforeI can overthink it.
His reply comes less than a minute later.
LEO
Drink it anyway
A second message follows.
LEO
I’ll see you in a few hours
Feelings are embarrassinglyphysical when you’re out of practice. I set the phone face down on the table and stare at the ceiling.
Then it pings.
NATE
Still on Fire Island
Back in the city the day after tomorrow
If you’re around tomorrow, can you grab our farm-share veggie box from St. Stephen’s?
EDEN
Translation: Russo needs his bougie vegetables
Probably zucchini blossoms
LEO
To feed you, little ungrateful brat
I’ll get it
NATE
My man
EDEN
Leo, book your camp tune up slots through the link I sent
They are filling up fast
LEO
Will do
I stareat the screen for a second, weirdly grounded by how normal it all sounds—errands, vegetables, schedules.
That’s the dangerous part.
