Chapter 2

I let her lead me to our usual booth in the center of the biggest window. She pulls me in and sits against it.

“It’s nine fifty-eight,” I tell her. “What if they keep us waiting?”

“Then I’ll drink tea, and you’ll drink coffee, and we’ll enjoy each other’s presence.” She watches the people outside the window, her face so close, her breath is fogging it.

“Can I start you off with something?” Hazel comes to our table with a notebook and pen that has a big fuzzy poof on one end.

“Yeah, if we could get a black coffee and a tea please.” I offer a smile to her.

“Sure thing, what kind of tea?” Hazel glances to Lana. Of course, she already knows who the tea is for.

Lana turns a brilliant smile on Hazel. “Chamomile, please.”

“Little early for caffeine free, isn’t it?” Hazel chuckles.

Lana smiles back.

I love her smile.

“If she had anymore caffeine she wouldn’t be sitting,” I joke. Hazel laughs, and Lana wrinkles her nose at me before she goes back to staring out the window. I take the chance to check my phone. There’s an email notification at the top of the screen, one of the agents I queried. My hands shake as I click on the email.

Thank you for submitting your work to us. Unfortunately, we don’t feel this is the right fit for us. We wish you the best in your pursuits.

“Dang.” I go to delete it when Lana rests her head against my shoulder.

“You’ll get it.” Her arms wrap around mine, and she gives me a squeeze. She tilts her head back, trying to maneuver around her hat, and presses her lips to my cheek.

“The right one will take your book, you’ll see.” I can feel her smile against my cheek.

“Thanks.” I tuck my phone away and take her hand with my other arm. That was one of my top five. I try to shake the disappointment off. I knew this was going to be hard when I started. I just didn’t know rejection was going to actually hurt. At least I have Lana to soothe the sting. I kiss the top of Lana’s hat.

“Lana!” Shaina screams.

“Shaina!” Lana’s voice is much gentler than Shaina’s.

“You okay?” she whispers to me. I nod, and Lana swings her legs over me and throws herself at Shaina.

“Hey man.” Alex maneuvers around Shaina and Lana and slides into the opposite side of the booth.

“Hey.” I sigh and sit back.

“Another rejection?” Alex asks.

“Yeah.” I nod as Lana and Shaina step over Alex and me and take the seats next to the window.

“So…” Lana leans over the table. “How’ve you been?”

“You mean, since two weeks ago? When we last saw them.” I laugh.

“A lot can happen in two weeks.” Lana slides a glance at me. “We got together within two weeks, and we got our apartment within two weeks.” She turns her attention back to Shaina.

“You know you don’t challenge her.” Shaina giggles. Her hair is a mess of curls, her skin a coppery golden color. Lana is a little jealous, in a friendly kind of way, of Shaina’s skin. I try not to think of the conversations Lana and I have had over Shaina. Although, her skin is inhumanly perfect.

“He’s still sleepy,” Lana explains, as Hazel comes back with our drinks.

“Two more coffees.” Shaina bats her long lashes at Hazel. “And could we get a bowl of creamers and sugar packets too, please?”

“And a blueberry donut.” Lana tacks on, smiling at me as if to say of course she remembered.

“Alrighty.” Hazel bobs her head and goes to retrieve the coffees.

“We’ve been good,” Shaina says, sliding a smile at Alex.

Alex smiles back.

Shaina dangles a hand in front of Lana. “Just hanging out, exploring the city… dropping to one knee…”

Lana squeals. “He did not!” she exclaims, excitedly looking Shaina’s hand over.

“What?” I try to look past Lana, but she’s practically on the table now.

“Theo, look!” She squeaks, yanking Shaina’s hand over the table for me to see. Sitting on Shaina’s ring finger is a small clear stone.

“You didn’t, Alex.” I can’t help the laughter bubbling out of me.

“Course I did.” Alex snakes his arm out around Shaina and pulls her against him. “I love her, I want her to be mine forever, and I want everyone to know it.” Alex pulls Shaina against him.

I slide a glance at Lana. She’s smiling, her face glowing as she looks at Alex and Shaina. Her eyes are just a little bit unfocused. Maybe she’s imagining me proposing to her?

Should I?

Lana rests her chin on her hand.

I don’t even have money for a ring. Sweat beads along my hairline. Thanks a lot, man. I glare at Alex across the table, but he’s too busy with Shaina to notice.

“You guys are so cute.” Lana sits back in the seat. I try to find a trace of jealousy or longing on her face, but when she turns her eyes to me, she looks the same as always, content.

“Aren’t they?” she asks me. I’ve never met a person as sincere as Lana. I can’t help but smile back at her, even though I’m still bummed over the rejection letter and the news of Alex one-upping me on good boyfriend status.

“Yeah.” I wrap my arm around her shoulders and pull her against me. “They’re so cute.” I mimic her. She laughs and lets herself rest against me as she drinks her tea.

I love you, I will her to hear my thoughts.

“I love you, Theo,” she whispers into her cup, just loud enough for me to hear.

I guess she did hear me.

“Here we go.” Hazel brings the coffees out and hands me my donut.

“Big spenders today, huh?” Alex jokes, eyeing my donut.

“His motivation for the day.” Lana shoulder-bumps me.

“Lana!” Shaina giggles. “You can’t bribe your boyfriend.”

“Of course, I can,” Lana says, all matter of fact about it, “but this was more of an incentive than a bribe.”

“Same difference.” Shaina rolls her eyes and pushes the bowl of creamers and packets of sugar to Lana.

“A bribe indicates something dishonest or illegal.” Lana peels the creamers open one at a time. “An incentive is motivation.” She pours them into Shaina’s coffee and discards them onto a napkin. Shaina shakes her head.

I catch Shaina’s eye. “You know you don’t challenge her, Shaina.” I laugh, and Shaina throws a creamer at me.

“Hey, no wasting food.” Lana slips under the table and grabs the creamer to add to Shaina’s coffee.

“You’re right.” Shaina says, “I’m sorry. I’ll finish my coffee and then throw my cup at him instead.”

Lana’s cheeks puffed out. “I guess that’s better.”

“Wait, what?” I poke at her arm, but Lana finishes fixing Shaina’s coffee and sits back. She casts a glance and a smile at me. She’d never actually be okay with any of us hurting each other.

Her eyes drift to the window again, her hands curling around her cup. Her smile is soft, her eyes dreaming. I pull my eyes away from her as she turns her eyes back to Shaina, as if she suddenly remembered her friend is here.

“Dude.” Alex punches me on the arm.

“Yeah.” I look at him.

“Be my best man.” He’s got a huge grin stretched across his face, his arm around Shaina’s shoulders.

“Me?” I ask.

Alex laughs. “Yeah, of course.” He holds his arms out. “Who else?”

“Jason?” I guess.

Alex rolls his eyes. “Dude, you’ve been my best friend for the last six years. I thought asking Shaina to marry me was gonna be the hardest part of all this.”

I slide a glance at Lana, she’s got this huge smile all the way across her face. Say yes, she mouths to me.

“Yeah, sure.”

Alex stands up. “He said yes!” he yells to the Café. Applause breaks out, and I drop my head back—part embarrassment and part disbelief. Alex getting married. I shake my head…Who’d have thought it?

Lana and Shaina laugh and applaud, and Alex takes my hand to hold it up. The waitress comes back with pieces of apple pie for everyone, and a couple, three tables down, pays our bill.