Page 46 of Dear Ripley

Joel let out a tiny gasp that was only audible because he was sitting beside me.

“Are you okay?” I whispered, turning to look at him.

He looked like a bottle of soda someone had shaken up—under pressure and ready to burst. He nodded, not taking his eyes off the doorway.

With a quick glance at our parents to ensure they were still occupied with the menu, I leaned in closer to Joel, getting a better angle on whatever he was staring at.

Looking at the noticeboard by the door was a tall man, about Joel’s age. He turned when one of the staff appeared at the desk there, a radiant smile lighting up his face.

Joel’s hand clenched into a fist where it lay on the table.

My eyes whipped from the young man to Joel, and back again, putting the pieces together. It wasn’t hard. I’d been like that too, in this very town, once upon a time.

The man ordered, chatting animatedly with the server, and I could practically hear Joel struggling to breathe.

I’d been away too long. I hadn’t realized there was anyone he was interested in. As far as I was aware, he hadn’t named his sexuality. Our family was great for never assuming, so I’d just been operating under the belief that nobody had caught Joel’s attention yet, and he’d let us know when he knew.

Given his age, that had probably been naive of me. Though, better that than forcing him into a difficult situation of having to correct us all about his sexuality.

“What’s his name?” I whispered, only for Joel.

He fumbled, knocking the table, and choking on his own breath.

Our parents looked up.

“Sorry,” I said quickly, drawing attention away from Joel. “Banged my knee on the table.”

“Are you okay?” Dad asked quickly, looking concerned.

I waved him off, monitoring Joel in my peripheral vision. Luckily, he’d managed to right his breathing quickly. “Yeah, I’m good.”

He nodded, returning to his conversation with our mom.

I looked back at Joel, a smile pressing at my lips.

He was looking down shyly, far too obviously fighting the urge to look up at the guy ordering by the door.

“Secret boyfriend?” I asked, so quietly even he would only just hear. If he really didn’t want to have the conversation, he could pretend he hadn’t heard me.

“What? Who?” he asked, failing spectacularly at seeming nonchalant and confused by the question.

I raised my eyebrows at him. “The cutie by the door.”

That got a smile out of him. “You sound like a granny when you say it like that.”

I laughed. “Hey, whatever gets the info, you know?”

He blushed, glancing back towards the door like he couldn’t help himself.

My heart ached. I remembered that feeling so well. Of course this was happening while I was back in Jackson Point. Apparently, there was no pining in the world like there was in Jackson Point.

“Ekundayo,” Joel whispered, his voice wrapping around the name like a caress.

I remembered that too. My heart rate spiked and the bottom of my stomach fell out. It didn’t matter that this restaurant hadn’t been here when I left, the memories in this whole town were overwhelming. I still wasn’t sure how Ripley had managed to stay.

“Gorgeous name,” I told Joel, looking over at Ekundayo. He was so alive and alight, it wasn’t hard to figure out why Joel was so enamored with him. Some people just pulled you in.

Some never let you go.

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