Page 84 of The Last Dance

22

Go Big Or Go Home

Henry

‘It was one of the hardest conversations with her that I’ve ever had. There were parts where it felt like things were exactly how they should be. Then spots where I wasn’t sure she was completely with me,’ I say to Ben as he throws a dart across the room towards the board, landing it just outside the bullseye.

When we were holding hands, I could have kissed her right then. It was a struggle to hold back. To see her upset that I’ve ever had a suicidal thought pretty much guaranteed that I couldn’t ever leave her. I can’t ever hurt her again like I did.

‘Could have been worse. She could have told you to go fuck yourself. If I was in her place I might have.’

‘Luckily for both of us, you are not in her place.’ I sip my beer. ‘She said she’s not sure how she feels about Noah anymore.’ I glance over at him.

‘She was feeling that before you got back. You know, she had a hard time even dating him to begin with. We convinced her to give him a shot, that maybe dating someone was what she needed to finally move on.’

‘Move on from me.’ I drop my head with a sigh. ‘God, I’m a fucking idiot.’

‘We all think so.’ He laughs.

‘I think we might be turning into a couple of gossips.’ I laugh, taking my turn, throwing my first dart and hitting the wall about a foot above the board.

‘Nah… Gossips tell everyone. Plus, this is manly shit. Mostly.’ He laughs at my second shot that hits the wall, falling to the floor. ‘Man, that girl fucks you up for concentration. I’ll have to thank her for all the extra cash.’

‘I’m about to go broke, ya know?’ I kid. We’re now playing for ten bucks a game. The pool crushing was a little too rich for me to do every time I hang out with him. Today, I’m already down thirty bucks.

‘I doubt you’re going broke.’ Ben sips his beer. ‘What’s the next step in your plan?’

‘I’m having the signed album framed for her birthday. I think giving it to her now might mean more.’

‘Speaking of her birthday…’ Ben takes his place in front of the board now that my three shots have successfully landed nowhere near where they should have. ‘We’re going to eighties night. You’re invited but Noah will be there for a while, so you’ll have to play it cool.’

‘I can’t miss her birthday because he’s gonna be there. And what do you mean by a while? He’s not staying for the whole thing?’

‘He’s on nights starting tomorrow. He picked up some extra shifts since Ambri lost her job. He wanted to help her out.’

‘Damn it.’

‘What?’

‘Why can’t she be dating some douche bag?’

Ben laughs. ‘Because she’s a smart girl. And I’m pretty sure you taught her tostopdating douche bags. Remember?’

I roll my eyes. ‘Then I guess it’s just past me fucking over future me.’

‘He’ll only be there 'til nine-thirty. We’re leaving at eight. You could be fashionably late and miss him altogether. It won’t be that weird.And… we’re dressing up.’

‘Dressing up?’ Ugh. I hate eighties night exactly for this reason. I hate dressing up. The last time we went I refused to dress like a fool; Ben made up party-pooper songs about me all night.

‘Henry? Ambri mentioned you were back in town!’

Ben raises a single eyebrow when we exchange glances. I’d know his voice anywhere. Wynne Jennings. Ambri and Rory’s father. I turn towards him with a nervous smile. I haven’t talked to him since I left. I didn’t only leave Ambri when I left, I left her whole family and, after everything they’ve done for me, I half expected them to hate me when I finally returned.

‘Ben!’ He extends a hand to Ben first, then reaches for mine. ‘How you doing, Henry?’

‘Good. Actually, I’m doing a lot better than I was.’ I look around for Jana, his wife, but don’t see her. They are the only couple I know besides Ben and Claire that represent everything a marriage should be. Hopefully, nothing has happened to her since I’ve seen them last. ‘How’s Jana?’

‘She’s doing great. She’s still my rock.’ He waves a fist in the air with a grin. ‘This place has the best nachos and she hinted that she could go for some, so I thought I’d come by and pick some up for her as a surprise.’ He laughs. ‘Drove clear across town for her. The things we do for women, eh?’

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