Page 96 of Sleeper: The Palisades Edition
“Season Two.”
“‘Hocus Refocus?’”
“Yes. Jesus. It’s kind of a miracle either of us ever got laid.”
“Did you bring me a pair of magical glasses that will change the way I see the nerdy girl who has a crush on me? Because I don’t need them.”
“Okay wait, it was Season Three.”
“Ahh. ‘Prince Charmingest.’ You’re here to encourage me to fight for love. Thanks for not coming to punch me in the balls.”
“I would have if you didn’t already look like you’ve been doing it to yourself.”
“How is she?”
He shakes his head and stares at his beer bottle. “I’ve realized recently that she’s a better actor than I am. She’s been hiding how she felt about you ever since she was a kid. But I’ve never seen her so sad.”
NowI feel like I’ve been punched in the balls.
“I mean, she came around once it was time for her to leave for the airport.”
“Oh.” And now it feels like his combat boot is up my ass.
“She had a really good interview with the perfume people today, I guess. She said it went really well. She has until Friday afternoon to give them an answer.”
And a sucker punch to my heart. “They offered her the job?”
“Course they did. She’s a genius.”
“Yeah. Course she is. So she hasn’t given her an answer yet?”
“I can’t believe I’m about to say this out loud in real life, but did you tell her that you love her?”
“I told her we love her.”
“We, like you and the kids?”
“Yeah.”
“Dude.”
“Honestly, even if I’d told her I love her, I don’t think that would have been enough.”
“It would have been a good fucking start. I don’t want her to live in New York. I mean, I love it there, but I don’t want my sister to live there by herself. I don’t think she really wants to, but they made her a good offer. You need to make her a better one.”
My mind is racing. “Is she still in New York?”
“Yeah, she’s going to Grammie’s in the morning.”
As always, I have so much to do and very little time in which to do it.
Tonight, I’ve got one beer to drink, one friend to hug, one text to send, and one very important call to make.
And then four lives to change if I can just make it through tomorrow with no sleep.
REASONS
REASONS WHY SHANE IS TOTALLY WRONG FOR ME AND IT WOULD NEVER WORK OUT FOR US
