Page 52 of The Problem with Perfect

“Marty told you that?”

Stan nods. “Fred died fifteen years ago, and she hasn’t remarried. Maybe you could ask her to dinner.”

Gil gives him a sour look. “I’m not asking Peggy to dinner. We’re almost 80. What am I gonna do, take her on a date?”

“Yeah. That’s exactly what you could do.”

He shakes his head. “A date to the cafeteria of this dump? You’re a fool if you think that’s what I’m gonna do.” He glares at the cards in his hands, his expression making it clear he doesn’t want to talk about it any longer.

But Art speaks again. “Well, there’s still a few weeks before the TBA, so you should at least think about it.”

Every summer, Cedar Point hosts the There and Back Again Swimming Competition to promote literacy. It used to benefit the local library, but after a horrible storm a while back, the building had to be torn down and the city sold the land to a developer who ended up creating a bunch of new storefronts on Main Street.

The city council has continued the TBA Swim every summer with the intention of having the money raised go toward the creation of a new library on a plot of land near the primary school just outside of downtown. They’re expecting to break ground next year, and this year’s swim event is larger than it ever has been in the hopes that they’ll reach their target before they begin construction.

“Am I still taking you guys to the marina?” I ask, keeping with the topic but helping to shift things away from Art and Stan harping on Gil. “I bought seats on the finish line.”

Stan nods. “I’m in.”

“I’ll definitely be going.”

I’m unsurprised by Art’s response. He used to be a librarian and was part of the original committee that created the TBA Swim back in the 90s. He told me the only thing he wants before he dies is to see a library reopened for the town.

“I might be busy this year.”

“Oh yeah? Busy doing what?” Stan says to Gil. “Because how I see it, the only thing we’re busy doing right now is counting our meds in the morning and getting to the cafeteria early enough to make sure Don doesn’t eat all the banana cream pie.”

I chew on the inside of my cheek, trying not to laugh, but that’s when Gil surprises me and throws his cards down.

“I’ve had enough out of you for today,” he says to Stan, glowering. Then he pushes back from the table and slowly stands. “Rusty, thank you for the Coke. I’ll see you next week.” He pulls the box of soda from the pile next to me and walks gingerly away from us.

Stan sighs.

“This Peggy thing sounds like a sore subject,” I offer, trying not to make any judgments.

“Oh, he’s just mad because he didn’t have the cojones to ask Peggy out in high school and Fred did,” Stan says, waving a hand dismissively in the direction that Gil just went. “You have to go after the things you want in life, even if it’s scary, and Gil was just never willing to take risks.”

“And it would have been a risk to ask Peggy out?”

Art chuckles. “You should have seen her brother. You think I’m a big guy? Marty Orsen was thebiggestguy.”

“Nobody would ask her out because we were all afraid of Marty, which is why the fact that she ended up with Fred was such a shock.” Stan reaches out and begins collecting the cards Gil threw down. “He was a nerd, you know? Small guy. But he was smitten with Peggy, and he didn’t let Marty intimidate him.”

“Treated her like a queen, too. Andthat’swhat impressed Marty the most.”

They continue to tell stories about Fred and Peggy for a few minutes before we begin playing a quiet game of rummy, our typical backup when there are fewer than four of us.

My mind flits over what Stan said about Gil, him not going after Peggy when he had the chance. Part of me thinks I should be taking mental notes for myself, but it’s hard to compare my situation with Bellamy to what happened with Gil and Peggy, or even Fred and Peggy. It sounds like Gil was too afraid to give her more than a look, and Fred was an upstanding guy Marty approved of.

Boyd wouldn’t ever approve of me dating his sister. We’ve been through too much. He’s seen me at my worst lows and knows most of my most embarrassing moments, so even though I don’t doubt that he loves me, there’s no way I’d ever be seen as worthy in his eyes.

Not a chance in hell.

chapterfifteen

Bellamy

I’m lazily perusing a handful of recently posted jobs for unlicensed accountants online when my phone rings, Stace’s name flashing on the screen. I debate whether or not to answer.

---