"I'm going out later. With Brad and Riley."
She stops wiping the counter and looks up. "Brad and Riley?"
"Yeah. Why are you acting so surprised? The three of us go out all the time."
"Yes, I know," she says, vigorously cleaning again. "I'm just surprised you'd want to go out with Riley so soon after what happened."
"I didn't think I would, but I miss her too much to not see her. She spent the day with Brad and all I could think about is how I wish she was with me and not him."
"She was with Brad?" my mom asks, her hand pausing over the counter.
"I asked him to take her out. I wanted him to find out if she still wanted to be friends."
"Couldn't you have just asked her yourself?"
"I was afraid she wouldn't be honest with me. Brad can get people to talk. I figured she'd tell him the truth."
"And did she?"
"She said she still wants to be friends, but then she didn't want to go out with me tonight. She'd only agree to it if Brad came along."
My mom goes over to the sink. "Nate, maybe it's time to end this friendship you have with Riley."
I let out a laugh. "What are you talking about? Why would I end our friendship? We've been friends forever."
"Yes, but people change." My mom grabs a sponge and starts scrubbing the sink. "You're both older now and soon you'll be moving away. Maybe it's time to accept that your friendship with her has run its course."
I walk over to her. "Mom, why are you saying this? You love Riley. You love her like a daughter."
"But I love you even more. You're my son, and I don't like seeing you hurting like this, and I definitely don't want you not going out with other girls because you're waiting for Riley to change her mind about you."
"I'm not doing that. I know she won't change her mind. And I AM going out with other girls. In fact, Brad and I are going out this week to meet girls."
"You are?" she asks, sounding surprised.
"Yeah. It was his idea, and I think it's a good one. Like he said, if I start dating someone, Riley will feel more comfortable around me and we can go out and do stuff again. As friends."
"What about Brad? Is he planning to find a girl too?"
"He doesn't want to, but I told him if I'm doing this, so is he, especially since it was his idea. I'm surprised he doesn't already have someone. You should see all the women flirting with him at the pool. Even the moms flirt with him."
"But he hasn't shown interest in anyone?" she asks, scrubbing around the faucet.
"He went out with Giada, one of the lifeguards, but it didn't go anywhere. He says he doesn't want to get involved with someone since he's leaving at the end of summer."
"Then maybe he shouldn't be dating."
"I'm leaving soon too, maybe even sooner than him. If you think I should date, then he should too."
She sets down her sponge. "Have you heard anything? From any jobs?"
"Not yet. I applied for a couple more today. Mom, I'm gonna go get ready."
"Okay. Have fun tonight!"
At seven, we pick up Riley. She's waiting outside the trailer, wearing denim shorts and a tank top. All her shirts are tight and low-cut, a look her mom taught her and one I used to like when I thought she was mine. Now I wish she'd cover up so other guys won't ask her out. I know I need to get over that and accept that she'll eventually date other guys, but I'm not there yet.
Riley hops in the back seat. "So where are we going?"
"Sanders," I say. "Does that work?"
Sanders is a local place that serves mostly burgers and fries. It's one of Riley's favorite restaurants.
"Sounds great!" she says in a voice that's too cheery to be real.
As Brad drives off, I turn in my seat to look at Riley. "What's wrong?"
She looks at Brad. "You didn't tell him?"
"Didn't know I was supposed to. Thought you'd want to."
"What?" I look between Riley and Brad, annoyed they share some secret I don't know about. "What is it?"
"The salon is closing," Riley says.
"Being sold," Brad clarifies. "It could stay open."
"But even if it does," Riley says, "there's a good chance they'll bring in new people and my mom and I will be out of a job."
"When did you find out?" I ask Riley.
"Today. My mom told me when she got home."
"Why didn't you tell me this?"
"We weren't supposed to be talking," she says, glancing at Brad.
"Forget about that. If you need me, call me. We've always said we'll be there for each other. That doesn't change, even if we're taking time apart."
"I talked to April about it."
"Does she think she'll lose her job?" I ask.
"She doesn't know. My mom thinks they'll keep younger stylists like April to draw in younger clients."
"Do you know why Renee's selling the place?"
"People said she was losing money. She probably needs to sell it to pay her bills."
"Any idea who might buy it?" Brad asks, glancing at Riley in the rear-view mirror.
"No clue. I don't know who would have the money for something like that. It'd probably need to be an outside investor. My guess is they'll turn it into something else, like a restaurant or retail."
"I bet it stays a salon," I say.
"Maybe, but even if it does, I still might lose my job." Riley's eyes go to Brad again as he looks back at her in the mirror.
What's going on with those two? Why do they keep looking at each other?
We get to the restaurant and I open the door to let Riley go first. Brad follows, and I notice his hand go on Riley's back as he ushers her to the hostess stand. It irks me seeing him touch her like that, but that's just Brad. He's one of those touchy-feely people, which is why girls sometimes assume he's flirting when he's not. I hope Riley doesn't think that, although being around him so much, I'm sure she's figured out that's just his personality.
"Right this way," the hostess says. As she walks us to our table, she trips and almost falls. Brad puts his hands on her arms, steadying her.
"You okay?" he asks with that smile of his that girls love so much.
"I'm good. Thanks!" She smiles back, in a flirty way.
It's just like I said. Brad was just being helpful, but the hostess thinks he was making a move.
"Enjoy your meal," she says as we take our seats, her eyes on Brad. "Let me know if you need anything."
"Like a date?" I mutter as she walks off.
Brad opens his menu.
"Brad?" I kick his foot under the table.
"What?"
"The hostess. She was hitting on you. You should get her number."
"She wasn't hitting on me."
"Riley. Tell him."
She's sitting next to Brad, since apparently it's too awkward to sit next to me.
"I didn't notice," she says as she reviews the menu.