“Hey, Thatch,” Eli says as though seeing him for the first time as Thatch secures Eli’s arm around him, keeping him hoisted on his shoulder.
“Sup,” Thatch asks, the instilled patience due to fatherhood evident.
“Did you know Whitney tooks to me camp for the first time. Was my favorite time.” He looks over at me with an unguarded smile as that weekend replays in my head. It was three weeks before we broke up. Smore’s, reading books by firelight, disastrous fishing, fighting bugs, swimming naked in the lake, playing cards, making crazy love under the stars. My favorite part? The feeling of solidarity between us on the drive home, hands clasped the entire ride. I was more confident in us than I’ve ever been as he looked over at me with adoration in his eyes. Warmth fills my chest as he looks back to Thatch, blue eyes imploring. “Did she tell you bout that?”
“No, man, I think I missed that story.”
Eli’s expression falters. “She taught me how to feesh tat weekend. The only thing I caught was my thumb.” He chuckles and wiggles the thumb on the hand wrapped around Thatch’s collar to inspect it. “I didn’t know how ta dostuff like that back then, no time.”
I frown at his confession as my heart bleeds with his next one.
“She’s mad at me cause I wasn’t a good boyfriends to her, Thatch,” He shakes his head sadly. “I never danced with her. All she wanted was one slow dance, and I lef the bar cause I had a xiety attack,” he lowers his voice as Thatch hoists him up, and my heart physically cracks at that admission. I was a total bitch that night. “I didn’t know how todance, never,” he slurs, “until Evie taught me.”
Jealousy snakes its way in, intertwining with the growing ache in my chest. “She’s my best girlfriend. I can dance now,” he confesses in a whisper I believe he thinks only Thatch can hear as I duck beneath his other shoulder and wrap his arm around me. “But she doesn’t want te dance wisme no more, Thatch.”
Thatch looks over to me, and I avert my gaze as we walk Eli into the den and manage to deposit him on his back on the mattress. Turning to go, Eli grips my hand, wordlessly urging me to stay. I can barely make out his profile in the dark room as Thatch lingers uncomfortably next to us before speaking up. “I’ll go grab him a water and a few ibuprofen.”
“Good idea,” I nod as I stare back at Eli, who gazes up at me with unguarded affection. “Wasn’t all bad…Bee…，” he whispers his pet name for me, a name I never thought I would hear again, and I shake my head in agreement. But it’s the longing in his voice that has my heart seizing. “Remember…me? I casn’t forget you.”
Unable to help myself, I push the lock of hair back from his forehead and nod. A faint smile graces his lips as Thatch comes back armed with a water bottle and two tablets. Thankfully without protest, Eli takes them before guzzling the water.
“That should help ease the sting a little. Get some sleep, man,” Thatch says. “See you in the morning.”
Eli nods slowly, his eyes drifting to me as he fights to keep them open, blinking a few times before losing the battle when they flutter closed.
For several minutes, I gaze on at him as he lays completely still and drink in his long muscular frame, the rapid rise and fall of his chest, the perfection of his chiseled face covered in stubble and shadow—the thickness of his lips.
“Of course, I remember,” I whisper. “You were pretty fucking unforgettable yourself,” I murmur, all too tempted to press a kiss to his parted lips, “how could I forget my first love?”
Leaving him comatose, I pause beneath the doorway before stepping out of the darkened room and into the kitchen to find Thatch waiting for me.
“Whitney—”
“I know,” I say, rewrapping the cheeseball, my appetite gone as Eli’s latest confessions swirl around in my head.
“I feel for him,” Thatch says as I put the ball back in the fridge and grab a sponge to wipe the counter to escape his scrutiny.
“I know, but it’s been seventeen fucking years, Thatch.”
“From where I’m standing, that doesn’t at all matter. He’s trying so hard, Whit. Isn’t that worth something?” It’s hard to gauge whether he’s talking about himself or Eli, probably both, but I have no doubt his empathy stems from his current situation.
“I know.”
“People can change, sis. Hell, look at the mess I was when I met your sister.”