Page 103 of Old Acquaintances

Probably so he can find a Tinder date for the night so he doesn’t have to make awkward conversation with a girl who can’t stop staring at his toothbrush like a crazed, obsessed teenager.

We all eat dinner on the patio watching the sunset, listening to the gentle sound of small waves hitting rocks. Twinkle lights sparkle around the pool and down the path to the dock. The fountain has a light in it, changing the color of the trickling water. A squirrel scratches at a seed and Tucker’s voice scratches my brain.

Spinning his fork, Wyatt offers to the group, “You know what? I’ve been thinking about my New Year’s resolution, and I’ve decided to do more fun shit this year. What about you guys?” He frowns at the cackle of laughter. “I mean it! I need to get out of my cubicle and see the world or take up a hobby or something.”

Ritchie laughs, “Dude, you skateboard to work. You go out almost every night. You traveled to two different countries this year. You took a mixology class, and you dabble in street art.”

“So?”

“So, there’s no one more fun than you! How much more fun can one person have?”

“I want to get into woodworking,” Wyatt answers. “Maybe learn to knit.”

Callie rests her bare feet on the arms of his chair, reclined, hands on her full stomach, and says, “My New Year’s resolution is to get a dog.”

“We are not getting a dog,” Serena groans. “My resolution is to get her to stop volunteering at the animal shelter.”

“Good luck with that.” Callie looks at Jen and Johnny. “Our soon-to-be-married couple,” she purrs. “What does your year look like?”

Johnny reaches over and squeezes Jen’s hand. “A giant wedding in Lake Tahoe. I’ve been talking to a wedding planner already. I’m so stoked. It’ll be a three-day affair,at least, with my best friends at my side.”

Tucker and I exchange a glance.

He continues, “We’ve got a bachelor party to plan, we’re still looking for a house -”

Callie interrupts, “But John, what does yourlifelook like?”

“I just told you.”

“That’s your wedding. That’s one day. What’s the rest of it going to be about?”

His eyes fall on Jen. I notice the confusion and maybe fear. He mutters, “I mean, we’ll just figure it out, I guess.”

Jen smiles. “Quality time. Words of affirmation.”

“There you go!” Serena cheers. “She figured it out.”

Johnny exhales, relieved to have been saved.

I take it he hasn’t thought much about what he plans to do after the wedding. Once they’re married, real life starts. And it won’t end. How could he have not thought about that? If I was proposing to someone, all I’d see is the block of time between then and death and how I’d want to spend it. That’s the whole point. You can love someone forever, near or far, and not marry them. If you marry them, it’s because you want actions to accompany that love. You’re specifically saying,we do this together.You’re promising that the law will have to separate you, it’s not ambiguous.

Did Johnny propose to Jen because he wants her by his side every morning when he wakes up or when he’s seventy and needs someone to help find his shoes? Or did he just do it because he missed his friends and family, and he wanted something that felt comforting?”

Callie turns to Tucker. “All right, Tuck, you’re up next. How many houses are you flipping this year?”

He does this perfectly Tucker thing where he sinks into himself as if he’s shy, but you can’t take your eyes off of him, because he oozes confidence. He focuses on his empty plate. “Um, besides the never-ending bed and breakfast, I’ve got two houses my team is working on that’ll be finished in the spring.”

“And how many women are you going to let slip through your fingers?”

He looks up under his brows. “Well, I’ve still got some hearts to break before they turn me into the nextDisney villain, so I’ll be working toward that goal.”

She smirks. “And what about finally telling the truth?”

His eyes flash angrily.

“Ella?” Callie twists her head to me. “That one was for you, too.”

I cross my legs on my chair. My ears pick up on sipping wine and dropping forks, quieting sounds around the table. I dart my eyes around at the expectant faces. “The truth about what?”

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