The drive home was boring and far too quiet. By the time I reached my exit, I knew I wasn’t going to settle for going straight home. Sitting at a light a few minutes from home, I glanced at my phone. None of my high school friends lived on Long Island anymore, and I wasn’t in the mood to go all the way into the city on a week night. I turned on my Bluetooth and dialed the one person I knew was in town.

“Cassidy? Hey.” It was Brent’s turn to sound surprised.

“Hey, Brent. How are you?”

“I’m doing all right. You? Feeling any better?”

“Want to do something tonight?” I glanced at the clock. It was early, but that didn’t mean he hadn’t already made plans.

“Uh, sure. I wasn’t expecting you to actually change your mind.”

“Yeah, sleep helped.” It hadn’t, but it sounded nice.

“Ok, cool. What do you want to do?”

“I don’t know. What is there even to do here?”

“How about we go to O’Reily’s?”

“I’ve never been, but I’m game.” It was one of the half dozen Irish pubs in or around town.

“You’ve never been?”

“I haven’t exactly been on Long Island much since I turned twenty-one.”

“Ok, it’s not necessarily the coolest place, but it’s fun enough.”

“Ok. When should I meet you?”

“Eight work for you?”

“Sure.” It had been a long time since I’d gone out at the eight o’clock hour, but then again it had been ages since I’d gone out on a week night.

“Great. See you then.” He hung up.

I hoped I wouldn’t regret my decision, but I’d have my own car and could leave anytime.

---

The inside of the pub was exactly as I expected it to be. Crowded, dark, and loud. It was musty with a faint hint of cigarette smoke that must have come from the patrons since there was a smoking ban. I had half a mind to turn around and walk right back outside. Maybe hanging out in the basement wouldn’t be so bad.

“Cassidy, hey you made it.” Brent walked over with a beer in his hand. He gave me a half hug I awkwardly returned.

“Yeah. I’m on time, I think.” I glanced at my watch.

“You are. I got here a little early.”

“I see.” I gestured to his beer.

“I wanted to make sure I didn’t miss you. Can I get you anything to drink?”

This wasn’t a date, which meant I had to be very careful not to send the wrong signals. “I can get myself something.” Then I remembered, “Wasn’t I supposed to buy? I mean to make up for the tip?”

He shrugged. “I was kidding about that.”

“Okay.”

I glanced around the crowded bar again. “Are you meeting anyone else?”

“Not specifically, but there’s a usual crowd here on Tuesdays.”

“Oh ok.”

“Your brother comes sometimes.”

“Oh.” He still hadn’t stopped by or called, but I refused to read into it. I hadn’t made the effort either.

“So let’s get you something to drink.”

“I’ll just have a diet Coke.” I usually enjoyed myself more with a real drink, but I didn’t want anything clouding my judgment. I was out of it enough already.

“You don’t drink?” The question was more out of curiosity than judgment. Point for Brent.

“I do, but not tonight.”

“Okay.” He walked over to the bar.

“I’ll get it.” I shoved my cash down on the bar before he could pay for my soda. I grabbed the glass and walked away from the bar.

“You’re still really stubborn.” He pulled out a chair at a small corner table.

“Was I stubborn in high school?” I’d thought I was rather free-spirited back then. Post college was another story.

“Yes.” He laughed. “No offense.”

“No offense taken.” Of course I’d taken offense. I was glad for my soda decision.

“So, I’m sorry about your break-up, but what else have you been up to?”

I took a long sip of my soda. “I went to law school. Worked at an insurance company in Philly for a few years.”

“Where do you work now?”

“Nowhere. I quit.”

“Oh.” His eyes widened in surprise.

I turned the conversation before he could ask more questions. “What about you? How long have you been back here?”

“A while.”

“Like since after college?”

“Pretty much. I haven’t found anything I really want to do yet.”

“I know the feeling.”

He sipped his beer. “Are you planning to stay around for a while?”

“Maybe.” I stirred my straw around the glass. “I haven’t really thought things through.”

“Everyone needs to take a break occasionally.”

“Explain that to my mom.”

He laughed. “Trust me, my mom wasn’t thrilled when I came back either.”

“Where do you live?”

“I have a place over on Lowcross. It’s pretty small and crappy, but it works.”

“Still better than a basement.”

“I’m guessing if you stick around you’ll leave your parents’ house.”

“Absolutely. It’s already been too long.”

“Cassidy?”

I turned at the sound of my name and hopped out of my chair as soon as I saw who the voice belonged to. “Hey!” I ran up and hugged, Clay, my brother’s best friend.

“What are you doing home?” He stepped back and looked me over. “It’s not a holiday.”

“Uh, it’s a long story.”

“Then let me get a beer, and you can tell me. By the way, does Nile know you’re home?”

“It’s really a pretty boring story, and yeah. He does. I’m sure my mom told him.”

“Hi Brent.” Clay nodded at Brent before making his way to the bar.

“Hey.” Brent nodded in response.

A girl smiled at Brent from across the room.

“You can go over. It’s fine,” I explained.

“You sure? I don’t want to ditch you.”

“I need to catch up with Clay anyway.”

“Ok, cool.” He waved before walking toward the girl.

Clay returned a moment later with two beers in his hand.

“Double fisting?” I laughed as he took a seat next to me at the table.

“This one’s for you.”

“I have a drink.” I wrapped my hand around my glass.

“That’s a soda. If you’re home because of a long story, you need a beer.”

“It’s not a good story, and how do you know this isn’t a Rum and Coke?”

“There’s no rum in that glass.”

He was right, so there was no reason to argue the point. “Don’t you have better things to be doing?” I picked up the beer.

“I’m at O’Reily’s on a weekday night. Do you think I have better things to be doing?”

“I quit my job and broke things off with Steve.” I took a long sip of the cold beer.

“That’s not a long story.”

“I guess not when I tell it that way.”

“Finally realized he was gay?”

I spit out the beer.

“I’m right. Aren’t I?” Clay leaned forward.

“How did you know?” I wiped up my mess.

“I met the guy once when you first started dating.”

“So?”

“That’s all I needed.”

“Just because you’re gay doesn’t mean you can tell if someone else is.”

“Yes it does, and tell me. Is that what happened?”

“In short, yes.” I sighed. It felt good to get that out, although Clay had been the one to say it.

“What finally tipped you off?” He took a long swig of his beer.

“He’s in love with someone else.”

“I’m proud of you.”

“Uh, what?”

“For finally admitting it. For ending things before it went too far.”

“Wasn’t getting engaged and living together too far?”

“Evidently not.” He set down his beer. “You’re here now.”

“Yes, here.” I took another sip of the beer.

“But what was wrong with the job? I don’t have a guess for that one.”

“I just snapped.”

“Snapped how?”

I wasn’t sure why I could open up to Clay in a way I couldn’t to my own family. Maybe it was because he was so close to family, yet not actually related to me. “I couldn’t do it anymore.” I went to law school with aspirations of helping people. Instead I was hurting them.

“It was just a job. There are always others.”

“You didn’t say that about the Steve thing. About there being other guys.”

“Because you already know that, and your identity doesn’t require a partner.”

“But my identity requires a job?”

“Cassidy, you’ve had a job since you were seven.”

“I have not.”

“You have. Lemonade was too passé for you, so you sold that half iced tea, half lemonade stuff. You even charged extra for straws. In the winter you sold hot chocolate. And as soon as you could you were babysitting. Not to mention all the volunteer work you did.”

“Those weren’t real jobs.”

“They were jobs.” He brought his beer to his lips.

“That doesn’t mean it’s required for my identity.”

“Who are you Cassidy?”

“Shut up.”

“No, really. If I’m wrong, then answer that question.”

“I’m me.”

“That’s not what I’m asking.”

“I’m single, jobless and pathetic. I have no idea what to do with myself, and I can’t stand living in my parents’ house. Not that you guys didn’t do a good job with the basement.”

“You’re not pathetic, and you’re welcome for the upgraded basement. Nile’s learning.”

“I need to figure out where I want to live before I find a new job.”

“I have a job for you.”

“A job?”

“If you’ll stick around long enough to make it worth my while.”

“What kind of job?”

“I need someone to help me with my business.”

“Your construction business? Have you seen me try to use a hammer?”

“Yeah, I have. I don’t want you touching the tools.” His lips twisted into a smile.

“Then what do you need?”

“You’re the most organized person I know.”

“And that helps…”

“Organize the business. Get things in line. Do all the detail work I won’t take the time to do myself.”

“And this will come with a paycheck?” I couldn’t believe I was considering his offer, but any job sounded good. Besides, maybe he really could use my help.

“A small one, but I can give you more than that.”

“More than a paycheck?”

“Really want to get out of your parents’ basement?”

“Yes, but I doubt you’re going to pay me enough to afford an apartment here.”

“There’s a small one-bedroom apartment above my shop. I lived there until a few months ago when I bought my own place.”

“You bought a house?” My mouth fell open in surprise. Clay had really changed. “That’s awesome.”

“I could rent out the place eventually, but I have no problem with you staying there for now rent free. You need time to get back on your feet.”

“Why are you being so nice to me?”

“Because you’re a good kid.”

“I’m not a kid.”

“You’ll always be a kid to me.” His eyes twinkled. He’d teased me constantly when I was little, but later I understood it was all in good fun. He never had a younger sibling to tease.

“Nile hasn’t even called.”

“He doesn’t call anyone anymore. Well, except Melinda.”

“I hadn’t even heard about her until I ran into Brent.” At least I knew her name now.

“Your parents aren’t fans.”

“I’m not sure my mother would be a fan of any girl Nile brought home.”

“She’s right about Melinda.”

“Yeah?” Clay was rarely opinionated about Nile’s decisions, so it was worth hearing him out.

“She’s pulled him away from everything and everyone in his life. If it’s not her and her friends, then it’s not worth doing.”

“And Nile’s okay with that? It doesn’t sound like him.” He’d never been the type to let someone tell him what to do.

“He’s convinced he’s hit the jack pot with her.”

“It’s not like he’s ever had trouble getting girls.” With his killer smile and charming personality, he’d had girls at his feet for as long as I could remember.

“Nope. For some reason he thinks she walks on water, although I happen to disagree.”

“Do you have a picture?” I was intrigued by who had my brother so completely wrapped around her finger.

“No.”

“Fine.” I took a small sip of beer.

“I don’t routinely take photos of the bitch my best friend is dating.”

“Wow.” I leaned back in my chair.

“What?”

“You called her a bitch. You don’t curse much.”

He took another swig of his beer. “Well, she warrants it. I’m sure she’ll treat you like crap too.”

“You think Nile is going to let his girlfriend treat me badly?” He wasn’t perfect, but he was usually pretty protective of me. I couldn’t imagine him letting someone treat me badly.

“The old Nile, no. This Nile, yes. He’s been rude to your mom, which is insane.”

“Hmm, I can’t believe she didn’t tell me.” No wonder she was asking me to talk to Nile. He’d dated some less than fantastic girls, but no one who was openly rude to our family. Something was up.

“Why do you think the basement isn’t finished?”

“Melinda wouldn’t give him the time?”

He shook his head. “Nope.”

“I need to talk to him.” I regretted how long I’d let it go without calling.

“Good luck with that.” He leaned back in his chair.

“Sounds like I’ll need it.”

“So what about the job? You going to take it?”

“If it’s going to get me out of the basement? Yes.” I couldn’t think of a single reason to say no, and that was a good enough reason to say yes.

“Great.”

“Oh, one thing.”

“Yes?” He sat up with a worried expression on his face.

“I need to bring my cat.”

“You hate cats.” He knew my aversion to felines. I was okay with dogs, but cats had never been my thing.

“I do, but I have one.”

“Steve?”

“He gave him to me, so now the cat’s mine.”

Clay laughed. “Cats are fine. I love cats.”

“I know. Maybe you can help me understand this one.”

“Cats aren’t meant to be understood. They’re meant to be admired.”

“Well, you can admire Fluffy all you want.”

“You named a male cat Fluffy?”

“Yeah. He’s got fluffy white fur like the ones they always have on the cat food commercials.”

“And you wonder why he hates you?”

“That’s not what he hates me.” I crossed my arms.

“So he’s really fluffy?”

“Very. I bet he’d be great at snuggling, but yeah, he doesn’t do that.”

“Well, you and Fluffy are welcome to move in anytime. And we can do all the paperwork for you to start working. By we, I of course mean you can fill it out.”

I laughed. “I hope you don’t trust all of your employees to do that themselves.”

“I hire out for someone else to do the paperwork for those jobs. Or I did. Maybe you can save me money by doing them.”

I shrugged. “I’m not an expert, but I can look at your set up.”

“You’re excited.”

“Am I?” I leaned an elbow on the table. I was relieved to be moving out of my parents’ basement at least.

“You are. See, having a job is ingrained in you.” He picked up his beer and tapped it against mine. “There’s that smile.”

I laughed. “You had better be a good landlord.”

“And a good boss. Don’t forget that detail.”

“Maybe that’s getting into bed on too many things.”

“Nah, we won’t kill each other.” He smiled.

“Thanks.”

“No problem. Hopefully this works for both of us.”

“I hope so.” My expectations weren’t high, which boded well for not being disappointed.

“So uh, what’s with you and Brent?” He nodded to where he sat with the girl who had waved earlier.

“I don’t know anyone here anymore.”

“He’s not a bad guy, but don’t send mixed signals.”

“Oh yeah. I know.” I’d already worried about that.

“He’s been watching us this whole time.”

“Then what do I do?”

He put an arm around me. “Pretend to be madly in love with me.”

“He knows you’re gay.”

“Like that’s stopped you before.”

I pushed his arm. “Stop.”

“What?” He grinned.

I sighed. “Might as well say goodnight.”

“You haven’t finished your beer.”

“I need to drive home, so half a beer is all I need.”

“You’ve had two sips.”

“They were really good sips.”

“Drive safe, Cass.” He patted my shoulder. “I’ll call you about setting up a time to get you the keys and everything.”

“Thanks. I appreciate all this.”

“It’s nothing.” He disappeared into the bar.

I walked toward where Brent was seated and noticed he was deep in conversation with the girl. I wasn’t going to get in the way of that, so I headed out to my car and shot a text over to Brent on my way. Didn’t want to interrupt you. Nice to see you.

I got in my car and made the short drive back to my parents’ house.

I heard a text notification and assumed it was Brent replying. I waited until I was back home to check my phone.

Sorry I rain checked on you. We’ll get that tape fixed.

Leo. I smiled. I get it. Sometimes we all need to be a little bit mysterious.

Mysterious, but not rude. Was I rude?

You were doing me a favor.

I was. I forgot about that part. I guess that means I’m off the hook.

I sunk down on my bed. Maybe, but you did promise a rain check.

You still want one?

Why do you sound surprised?

How would you know how I sounded?

Good point. This could be easier if we talked on the phone.

My phone rang, and I picked up right away. “That didn’t take long.”

“Despite what I said, I still feel bad about earlier.”

“Don’t.” I leaned back against my pillows.

“How was the rest of your evening?”

“I got a job.”

“Nice. That was fast.”

“To be fair I got it from an old friend.” I heard shuffling in the background. I wasn’t sure what he was doing.

“Old friend, as in code for an ex-boyfriend, or really an old friend?”

“My older brother’s best friend.”

“That doesn’t answer the ex-boyfriend question.”

“He’s not, but why would that matter?” I wondered if he actually cared or if he was just trying to prolong the conversation.

“Because then taking the job would be a bad idea.”

“But if we haven’t had sex it’s fine?”

“Less complicated, and less likely the offer comes with strings.”

“You’re kind of savvy on this stuff.” Was he a know-it-all, or did it come from experience? He was more opinionated on the subject than I would have been.

“I like to think I am.”

“You never answered my question from earlier.” I rolled over onto my side to get more comfortable.

“Which question was that?”

“The ‘are you single’ one.”

“I’ll take a page out of your book. Would it matter if I was?”

I didn’t hesitate with my answer. “Yes.”

“Oh, this I want to hear.”

“If you’re in a committed relationship you shouldn’t be talking to me right now.” And I wanted to be talking to him.

“Why not? Is anything about this conversation inappropriate?”

“Not inappropriate, but I wouldn’t want a guy I was with having it with anyone but me.” And if I felt that way, I couldn’t be the only one.

“Would you hang up on me if I wasn’t single?”

“Maybe.” I probably wouldn’t hang up, but I would end the call quickly.

“Good thing I am then.”

“Single?”

“Yes. That seems to be what you’re obsessing about.”

“I’m not obsessing. I’m merely making sure I’m not entering into someone else’s territory.”

He chuckled. “Territory, huh? You take one drive with a girl, and she’s already moving in.”

“Good night, Leo.”

“Hey, not fair. I answered your question.”

“It kind of sounds like you want to stay on the phone with me.”

“And what if I did?” There was a challenge in his voice.

“I’d wonder why? You were too busy to have dinner with me, yet you want to talk?” I liked hearing from him, but I wanted to understand him better.

“I had to take care of something.”

“What kind of something?”

“I wasn’t visiting a lover. We’ve already established that, so let’s move on.”

“What are we moving on to exactly?” I rolled to my other side and switched the phone to my left ear. It was never as comfortable on that side, but I liked to change it up.

“How about planning where you’ll take me to dinner tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow? I wasn’t aware that when you rain check you get to schedule the make-up.”

“Are you busy tomorrow night?”

“Not that I know of.” And there I went revealing how boring my life was.

He laughed. “Want to meet at Vino’s Pizza at six?”

“Vino’s?”

“If you’re treating, I don’t want to stretch you too thin.”

“I’m game. Love their pizza.”

“Great. I’ll see you at six tomorrow, then?”

“Yeah. I’ll see you then.” I hung up unsure of whether I’d just lined up my first post-Steve date.