Page 3 of Third Time Lucky

‘Twelve years,’ she repeats my words under her breath, staring at the floor. ‘It’s gone by so fast.’ When she looks up at me, it’s with sadness and I know exactly what’s going through her head.

I’m glad our last memory together wasn’t Kris’ funeral, but instead her prom. Though with her eyes glazing over the way they are and the excessive blinking to prevent tears from spilling over, maybe she’s not as over him as I expected. It’s a hard thing to forget, that much I know. Perhaps I’m not the only one he haunts over a decade later. Does she talk to him like I do, as if he’s guiding her through life? I doubt it.

‘Very fast. But, no,’ she says suddenly. ‘I promised myself I wouldn’t think about him this weekend, so I’m changing the subject; how’ve you been? Why are you here?’

She promised herself she wouldn’t think of him? Jeesh. Now my heart hurts. I rub my chest uncomfortably. Thus far, the tragedy that brought Lucy and I closer together has been the worst day of my life. I honestly hope it always is – and that’s selfish as fuck on my part. Grief and me, we aren’t besties.

‘I’m not here to?—’

‘Lose your virginity?’ She finishes my sentence with a chuckle. ‘I wasn’t buying it for a second.’

I laugh. ‘Good. No, he signed me up for a blackjack game.’

‘You’re a professional gambler?’ she asks with surprise, now sipping a drink one of her friends has handed her.

I shake my head. ‘Professional chef. First-time blackjack competitor. Aaron thought, win or lose, playing in a tournament would be a thirtieth birthday I’d never forget.’

She sips her drink through a tiny straw, nodding her head. ‘Huh. When’s the tournament?’

‘Tomorrow night.’

‘Ooh. So, are you free right now? Because I have a sure-fire way you’ll have a birthday eve you’ll never forget.’

‘Indeed, we are free right now,’ Aaron says, popping in out of nowhere like a fucking genie in a bottle.

Does the man have super hearing? Jesus. I wish he listened like this when we were at work.

He slings an arm over my shoulders to remind me that anywhere we go this weekend will be as a duo. Whether I like it or not – because he paid for our plane tickets this time around.

Lucy opens a white glittery wallet-type purse. ‘How do you feel about partying Vegas style tonight at Brandon’s bachelor party? It’s the talk of the town. Mitzi paid for everything, as usual, and she spent lavishly.’ She holds out a gold key card. ‘Penthouse suite: this will get you there; just scan it in the elevator.Andyou should come to the wedding tomorrow! It’s been so long; I’d love to have you there!’

‘Um—’

How do I feel about watching this woman get married – on my birthday – after sitting graveside next to her after losing our best friend and being so severely heartbroken? What if Kris was meant to be standing at the end of that aisle and our stupidity fucked up her whole life? I can’t watch that.

‘We’ll be there,’ Aaron says, happily taking the key card from her.

My God, why didn’t I see that coming?

‘Well then, there you have it. I guess we’ll be there,’ I say, slightly unsure.

She hugs me again. ‘It’s seriously so good to see you. I’ll find you tomorrow after the wedding, and we’ll catch up!’

‘Alright,’ I say, a little stunned for words. ‘I look forward to it.’

What are the odds I’d see someone from Portland in Vegas and have a history with her? About as high as me winning this blackjack tournament tomorrow.

‘Come on,’ Aaron says,grabbing me by the bicep and practically dragging me from the bar. ‘I can’t believe you knew someone who could get us into a penthouse party. Damn, bro! You got connections.’ He slaps me on the back as we enter the elevator, then kisses the key card like it’s real gold before swiping it across the reader. The doors close, and our destination flashes in lights on the screen above the door frame: Nobu Penthouse.

But my emotions are sword fighting within. ‘Listen, I don’t know if this is a great idea,’ I say as we ride upward. ‘I knew Lucy in high school and haven’t seen her in over a decade.’

‘So?’

‘So, it feels weird to hang out with her new fiancé, whom I’ve never met. I can’t picture her with anyone but the boyfriend I once knew.’

‘Time marches on, my friend.’

‘Real empathetic, Aaron.’

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