Mom slumps in her seat. She’d obviously worked out an elaborate plan in her mind about Dani and me getting together.
“Remember when I told you that I met a girl?” I say slowly, deciding that I better get this out there now before she starts trying to pair me off with every single girl in Patterson.
“Oh?” Her voice is guarded. “I thought it wasn’t a thing?”
“It is now. Look, you’d like her. She’s got perfect grades, works two jobs, and just got accepted into Harvard Law.”
“Harvard? Isn’t that in Boston?”
The worry is heavy in her voice. I get it. She’s concerned that if I fall for a girl in Boston, I won’t move back home, which is why she sprang the Dani Solis thing on me before we even finished the drive home.
“Yeah. Cambridge.” I can’t even give her assurances, because at this point, I don’t know what I’m doing about Boston, Patterson, or any of it. The only thing I’m sure of is that I want to be with Sabrina.
“How long is law school?”
“Three years.” AKA too long to be separated.
“Your plan is still to come home and buy a business, right? I was talking with Stewart Randolph the other day. You remember him? He owns the real estate business over on Pleasant. He’s thinking of retiring, and that kid of his doesn’t want to move from Austin. It sounds like Randy would be interested in entertaining offers.”
I grip the steering wheel a little tighter. Sabrina asked if anything got to me. Well, making my mom unhappy is on the top of that list. But the idea of buying Stewart Randolph’s real estate business might be a close second. In fact, the actual idea of sitting in Randolph’s office, wearing a tie every day, makes my skin itch. I’ve got some ideas about what I’m going to do when I graduate and being a realtor isn’t one of them, particularly in Patterson, population 10,000.
“I’ll talk to him,” I hear myself saying.
“Good.” At least someone’s satisfied. “Oh, by the way, the Solises are coming to dinner tonight.”
“Jesus Christ, Mom.”
“Don’t curse, John.”
I drag in a deep breath and pray for patience, wondering when I’ll be able to text Sabrina.
*
“My mom has officially dubbed you a ‘good catch.’” Dani takes a seat next to me on the back steps of the small two-story house where I’ve lived all my life.
I tap my glass of sangria against hers. “That’s solid. I’m going to put that on my Tinder profile.”
“She also says that you have a secret cache of money that you’ll shower on me when I provide you the requisite firstborn.” Dani’s grin stretches from ear to ear. She’s clearly loving this.
“My mother told me you were gorgeous and smart.” I stifle a sigh, thinking of the other gorgeous and smart girl who I haven’t gotten to text since I sent her the I landed hours ago.
Her response of Yay! Glad to hear it isn’t providing me with my necessary Sabrina daily intake. I guess absence does make the heart grow fonder, because I miss the shit out of her.
“And you said?”
I jerk my attention back to my friend. “That I thought you were a lesbian and Mom replied that maybe you were bi.”
This sets Dani off. She folds in half, laughing so hard that the sangria spills all over the rim.
I lift the glass out of her hand so I don’t get showered with the drink, and set it on my other side. It takes a while for Dani to get her shit together, so I finish my drink and then down the rest of hers.
“Tuck, I’m sorry,” she gasps, wiping a wine-drenched hand across her face. “The idea of Mama Tucker hoping that I’m bisexual so we can pair up is just too funny.”
“Good thing I’m confident about my appeal,” I say dryly. “Or all this cackling might’ve made my balls shrivel.”
Dani sobers up immediately. “Oh hell, did I offend you? Do you…have feelings for me?”
“Nope, and I’m not saying you aren’t a babe, because you are, but I’ve known you swing a certain way since we were in junior high.”
“Yeah, I’ve always known.” She bites her lip. “Was your mom upset?”
“She didn’t think less of you, if that’s what you’re asking. She’s just disappointed.”
Dani gives me a pensive nod. “Patterson is so small-minded, you know? I’m okay for a visit, but I could never live here.” She punctuates her declaration with a shiver of distaste. “I’m surprised you’re coming back.”