“What big thing does she have coming up?”
“Mmmm, nope. I’ve kept my mouth shut about this for so long. Let me hold out for five more minutes.”
He narrows his eyes, but moves on. “Is their father in the picture? Sage and River’s?”
I pause just before I take a huge bite. “Yeah, why?”
“I wasn’t sure if maybe that’s why you’ve been helping them,” Jake says. “Like a surrogate sort of thing.”
“No, I—” I shove the food in my mouth and buy myself a few seconds to come up with the best possible explanation. “Their dad is basically the anti-Drew. Married to their mom forever. Has seven kids. Loves them all so fucking much and works his ass off to provide for them, except that it means he’s hardly around.”
“So, he’s the anti-Drew, with the unfortunate side effect of barely seeing his kids more than a guy who bailed entirely.”
“Exactly. It’s why I try to give the whole family a break here and there.”
Jake finishes his coffee and sets it aside. “And speaking of Drew, he wasn’t there to watch Supine tonight.”
“Nope. Haven’t seen him since the party.”
Three weeks ago. And this is probably something Jake and I could’ve talked about during that time, but I guess we found a hundred better things to do.
“Any DMs?”
I snort. “Not since we had lunch, actually.”
He’s silent for a minute while I eat, but then he reaches for my free hand. “If you ever want me around while you burn another birthday card, you know I’ll be right there. But if you decide to start keeping those cards, or maybe send one of your own, I’ll be there for that, too.”
Sage reappears then, and I’m so fucking grateful because I don’t think I could speak any other way. She starts clearing the table. I tap her arm, then gesture to the rest of the diner.
“Where are all the banners and balloons and confetti and cake?”
She blushes, just a little. “Thereareactually a couple of balloons in the back. And I’m definitely stealing a slice of apple pie because—apple pie. But there’s not, like, a going-away party or anything.”
“Where are you going?” Jake asks her. The five minutes I asked for expired a while ago.
“Darren didn’t tell you? Tonight’s my last night because I got a new job at—”
“Hold on a second,” I interrupt. “I didn’t bring balloons or confetti, but I have a small gift for you. Or—not really a gift, exactly. I don’t know. I thought it was cute, but it’s totallyup to you. We can always—whatever, I also have a trivia question for Jake.”
Sage giggles, and I get a side-eye from Jake. “I should’ve been asleep hours ago. I hope you remember that if I get this wrong.”
“You won’t.” I promise, clearing my throat dramatically. “The scientific name of this plant is derived from a Latin word meaning ‘to save’ or ‘to heal,’ and its common name is shared by the newest bartender at Trailhead.”
Jake’s head whips up to look at Sage, his smile exhausted but beautiful. “Oh, congratulations. Or I’m sorry, depending on how often you’re stuck with this guy.”
I stick my tongue out at him and pull a small gift from my hoodie pocket, Sage already tearing into it before I can explain that I’m really not objectifying her. She deserves far more than someone like me causing her problems, even if I know a whole group of friends who will have her back. She must know it too, or just not care right now, because she seems thrilled.
“Oh my god. It’s so fuckingcute,” Sage squeals, unfolding a cropped tank top with the Trailhead logo printed across the front of it.
“If you’d rather wear a regular t-shirt like V does, we can make that happen. But I thought it might be fun to play around with something different.”
“Oh, you mean I can’t be shirtless like the rest of you?” she says. “No, seriously, this is perfect. And V already gave me my rainbow bandana, so I’m gonna look so good. Hey, maybe I should get my belly pierced.”
“Hot. Everyone loves Riley’s piercings.”
Sage gets called away again and sets our check on the table just before she goes. “If I don’t see you guys before you leave, I’ll definitely catch up with you soon. And Darren? Thank you for everything.”
Jake nods his goodbye and looks at me. “She’ll make a lot more at the bar than she does here, huh?”