Page 147 of Rhodes

“I've been working, dickhead.”

Deuce recoils dramatically. “That sounds awful.”

“It is. You should avoid it as long as possible. Why didn't someone convince me to do a fifth year?”

“I tried to tell you guys. No rush for me.”

Rhodes laughs, and the sound goes through me. I jostle my cup and pour another piece of ice into my mouth. By the time I realize what I’m doing, I’m crunching it hard enough to chip a tooth.

Jo's knee presses lightly against mine under the table, but I don't look at her.

Rhodes says something to Nash about somebody from school, and for another few seconds I almost think he might leave it there. Say hello to them, never acknowledge me directly, and let us both pretend that's the normal thing to do.

“Hey, Jo,” he says, looking down at us.

“Hey.” Her voice is easy. “How are you? It's good to see you.”

“Good. Ford treating you right?”

“He's being a gentleman.”

Rhodes smiles. “Tell him I said hey.”

Then his gaze comes back to me. His eyes move over my face once, quick enough that I could pretend I imagined it. “How've you been?”

“Good. School's been busy, but good.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. Last exam tomorrow, then I'm heading home. Well, it's a lab, but it's our biology exam.” Why am I fumbling over my words? This is so weird.

He nods. “Charleston?”

“That's the plan.”

“Nice.”

I wait for the ache I used to associate with him to crack open wider, but it doesn't. The tension in my shoulders shifts, lightening slightly, although it's definitely still there.

“What about you?” I ask.

His brows lift slightly, like he didn't expect the question. “Work is slow this time of year, so I thought I'd come in here. I figured I'd bump into these yahoos.”

“Working at Stone Intermodal? Looks like things are going well.” Whatever the hell that means. He's wearing suit pants and a starched shirt. That must mean things are going well with work. God, I'm such an idiot.

“Actually, I decided to take a job with the company Cain works for. It's similar, but different.”

There is a confidence in his expression when he says it. Not the shrug he used to give when somebody asked what he was doing after graduation. He sounds like he has an answer now.

“Do you like it?”

“I do, actually. I've been traveling more than I expected, but it's good. I'm learning a lot.”

“I'm happy for you.”

“Rhodes, did you know Nash owns nine shirts?” Deuce rescues us without knowing he is doing it.

Rhodes looks at him. “I didn't know you could count to nine.”