Page 82 of Because of Dylan

“You’re bullshitting me.” Moe sneers.

“Hey, I don’t care. It’s your broken legs, not mine. What should I get the lady?”

There’s silence. “Maybe we should just watch the game.” This from the guy on the left.

“Shut up, Larry,” Moe shushes him. I guess this makes the guy in the middle Curly. I crack up. I can’t help laughing. His name really is Larry.

“What’s so funny?” Moe shoves his empty bottle at me. “Get me another beer.”

I know his type. I hate his type. Rich, entitled, thinks he’s better than everyone else. I grab him another beer. Make sure it’s not a cold one from the back. “Is that all?” I look at the other two. They nod.

I walk away to make River’s hot chocolate. Heck, I’m making two.

I heat whole milk in the cappuccino machine and go back into the kitchen for chunks of baking chocolate.

“You’re using real chocolate?” River leans over the top to watch me.

“That’s the best way.” I chop the chunks into small slivers and put them in a ceramic bowl. Pour some hot milk over it and stir until I get a creamy consistency. Add the rest of the milk and stir more. “I like to sweeten mine with agave, but we don’t have that here, so I have to use sugar.” I add the sugar, mix until dissolved, and then pour the hot chocolate into two large mugs. The scent is heavenly.

“Fries!” the cook calls from the pass-through window. Perfect timing. I grab the fries and a mug and put them on the bar top in front of River. She goes for the mug first. I wrap my hands around my mug, enjoying the way the heat warms my hands.

“Hmm, this smells so good.” She blows steam away before taking a tentative sip.

I reach for a french fry. I love the mix of salty and sweet foods together.

“What was that about?” River holds the mug with both hands and moves a finger toward the Three Stooges.

“Oh them? That’s nothing. But now you have an ex-con boyfriend known for putting guys who hit on you in hospitals.”

She choke-laughs on her drink. “Thanks, friend. Super Becca comes in for the save.”

A few people leave and I close their tab. The three college guys keep their eyes on the TV. I make my way back to River. Most of the fries are gone. I help myself to a couple.

River pushes the plate closer to me. “I have questions.”

I knew this was coming. “Ask away.” Look at me being all open instead of running for the hills.

“All those times you said you were going home for holidays, where did you go?”

I shrug. “Nowhere. I stayed on campus.”

“But you can’t stay on campus all year round. Don’t they close the dorms?”

“You can stay on campus if you take at least one class during the breaks. I make sure to always take a class.”

“I thought they had mandatory leave during certain times, like winter break.”

“Yeah, during those times I had to leave. I have a friend who lives off campus, and he lets me stay in his apartment during the breaks. I love his place, it’s like being on vacation.”

“A friend? Who?”

“You don’t know him—oh, wait. You do. You met him on Halloween. Remember that cute boy I introduced you to? Lucas?”

“The guy who was hugging you?”

“Yes, that’s him. His family is in real estate, and they own the building he lives in. So he has his own apartment. It’s small, but so cool.”

River looks down at her mug, and when she looks back up, there’s hurt in her eyes. “You know you could have stayed in my place. Heck, you could have come home with me. I invited you every time.”

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