Page 28 of The Wrong One

We started on our way back to the lab.

“How’s Ramsey been doing?” she asked.

“Good.” I nodded.

“I suppose he’s in seventh heaven with all these hot little co-eds running about.”

I only smiled. “He’s definitely enjoying campus life, but he’s not getting any action if that’s what you’re asking.”

“He’s tried?”

I gave her a dry look. “You have to ask?”

She burst into laughter. “Oh no.”

“No worries, they all shoot him down. Sadly, we’re of an age where we could actually be the fathers of some of these kids.”

“Oh goodness,” she groaned. “We’re that old.”

“We are, you’re not,” I reminded her.

We kept walking, but she came to a dead stop in the path. “Iz?”

She was staring straight ahead. I followed her gaze, half-expecting to see someone murdering a student. Instead, I saw a couple kissing. They were holding hands and looked like they were madly in love. They were giggling, heads together and hands all over one another.

“I have to go,” she murmured and rushed away.

I watched her fleeing for a few seconds. As I walked to follow her out, I was immediately reminded of another time.

I lost Ramsey. We shared a few shots before he disappeared into the crowd of people at his housewarming party. I finished my drink and drifted around the house. His house was too big. I was glad Lily didn’t want me to play hide and seek with her. I would lose. She would never be found.

I walked outside to get some fresh air and spotted a figure on the swing set. It wasn’t Lily. I slowly walked toward the swing set, Ramsey slowly swinging back and forth. I sat in the swing next to his. “This feels very reminiscent of our school days,” I said.

“Except now if I swing, I’ll actually get dizzy and pass out.”

I scoffed. “No shit. Why is that, I wonder?”

“Just another part of getting old.” He sighed. “Sagging things, backaches, and just general exhaustion.”

“So, Izzy is engaged,” I said.

“I don’t need to be reminded,” he muttered.

“Do you think she’s happy?” I asked.

“Fuck if I know,” he said. “I can’t explain it. Don’t you think she’s different around him?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“Bullshit,” he said. “You do know. You know this guy isn’t going to make her happy.”

“Have you talked to her about your opinion?” I asked.

“Yes,” he said. “I’ve told her I think he’s a jerk. He’s a no good, self-serving, egotistical man-child who doesn’t deserve her.”

“I agree,” I said.

“She accepted his proposal,” he said. “I don’t know when he proposed, but I can’t believe she accepted it. She didn’t even tell me.”

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