Page 31 of Home in Nevada

“Yeah, no kidding,” she says, leaning forward with the kind of energy that means she’s already bracing for the worst. “What’s up, Jeff?”

I take a deep breath, running a hand through my hair. “After I dropped you off... I went to Tiffany’s dorm. To give her the watch, and talk to her about Jamie.”

Her face twists into full-on horror. “No. You didn’t.Pleasetell me you didn’t try the exact kind of stupid I warned you about.”

I stare at her blankly, saying nothing.

“Why the hell would you do that?” she snaps. “Didn’t I tell you not to say a word to her about Jamie?!”

I barely get a chance to answer before the server arrives, sliding plates onto the table with a clatter. Lucy waits until they’re gone, her eyes practically burning holes through me. “So, what happened?”

“I... wanted to surprise her. Talk things out,” I mutter.

Lucy groans, throwing her hands up. “Unbelievable. Judging by the mess that is your face, I’m guessing it didn’t go well. What did she say?”

“Not much,” I say, my voice hollow. “She didn’t have to. There was a guy in her bed. Naked.”

Lucy freezes, her sandwich halfway to her mouth. “No fucking way,” she breathes. “She cheated on you?”

“She did. But honestly...” I pause, gripping the edge of the table. “So did I. With Jamie. I mean, we didn’t do anything serious, but we did enough. Enough to make it wrong. Enough to feel like shit about all of it.”

Lucy slowly sets her sandwich down, her eyes locked on mine. “Oh.”

“It’s over,” I continue, my voice low. “All of it. Done. I lost it, Lucy. I let it all out on the guy in her bed... whoever the poor bastard was. I don’t even think he realized what was going on. But she did. And so did I.”

The weight of the moment settles over us, heavy and unrelenting, as I lean back in my chair, staring at the table like it might have answers. “It’s like some kind of fucked-up karma coming back to undo me.”

Lucy studies me, her sharp edges softening into something quieter, something gentler. “Jeff, are you okay?”

Am I okay? The laugh that slips out is sharp and bitter, barely human. “I don’t even know, dude. I’m just some idiot who keeps hurting everyone I care about.”

Lucy sighs, leaning back in her chair. “You’re a mess, Jeff. You’ve gotta get your shit together.”

“I’m trying,” I say, the words tight, my throat burning with the weight of everything unsaid.

“Try harder.” Her hand slides over mine, grounding and steady. “Hey... it’s going to get better, alright? I promise.”

I want to believe her. God, I want to believe her. But hope feels like a luxury I can’t afford right now. “Yeah,” I manage, though it sounds hollow even to me.

Lucy doesn’t let me off the hook. “And you’re going to talk to Jamie, right?” she asks, her tone firm, cutting through the haze of guilt and doubt like a lifeline.

Her question hangs in the air, and for the first time in forever, it feels like I’m standing on the edge of something vast, something terrifying and real. My lips twitch into an involuntary smile, and Lucy catches it instantly, pouncing on the flicker of light like a cat with a laser pointer.

“Oh my God.” She beams, her entire face lighting up with smug delight. “You are. You’re so gonna talk to him. You like him, don’t you?”

I groan, pressing my palms into my face, as if I can somehow hide from her or myself. “Lucy...”

“Nope, you’re not dodging this one,” she says, absolutely delighted now, practically vibrating in her chair. “Do. You. Like. Jamie?”

“Yes, okay? Yes, I like Jamie!” The words erupt from me, louder than I mean, startling a few people at nearby tables. Great. Just great.

Lucy leans back, crossing her arms and grinning so wide it should be illegal. “You like Jamie,” she says, her voice dripping with smug satisfaction. “I’m so proud of you.”

“Shut up, Lucy.”

But the words lack bite, because for the first time, saying it out loud doesn’t feel like the end of the world. It feels like... relief. Like I’ve been holding my breath for years, and now, finally, I can exhale.

Lucy softens, her teasing giving way to something quiet and sincere. “You deserve to be happy, Jeff,” she says, her voice warm and steady.

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