“We did?” Jack said. “The beach. Really? Oh, wait, that’s right! Didn’t my buddy almost hit you with a Frisbee?” Jack threw his head back and laughed. “Wow, I totally forgot about that.”
Blue looked away, the memory shifting inside her. It had been so important to her—that moment when the Frisbee almost hit her and Jack had rushed to the rescue, called her pretty. She’d put a frame around the memory, kept it near. All this time she’d believed he felt what she felt. That instant, blush-inducing connection. That pull in the chest. That wonder. But it was all in her head. It meant nothing to him—she meant nothing to him—he didn’t even remember it. She probably hadn’t even been a real person to him, just another conquest in a long summer of them, a way to pass the time.
“Fortunately for me, I was still able to win her over with my charm,” Jack said. He leaned back and smiled at her.
She did not smile back. “Hardly.”
“Oh, come on.” He tilted his head, searched her face. Then he turned to Peter. “It was love at first sight.”
Wait. Did he like her? Was she reading this all wrong?
No, he was just mocking her. She was sure of it.
“Please. It was a meaningless summer fling,” she said. She wasn’t going to let him get over on her again. She wasn’t going to let him see all the stupid hope she had.
“Okay, if you say so.” He was still smiling, though his pupils darted uncertainly as he watched her.
Blue felt a kick under the table.
“You wore his sweatshirt for weeks!” Renee said, staring hard at her.
“No, I didn’t!” Blue snapped. She tried to kick her back and accidentally moved the table, knocking over Renee’s water glass.
Everyone lurched back in their chairs.
“Sorry! Sorry,” she said, hearing the slur move into her voice. “I’m not drunk, I swear.” She grabbed a bunch of napkins and squashed them against the spill. “It’s just water, people. Chill!”
Jack stood, grabbed some more napkins from a nearby table. Their hands touched, a flash of electricity as he helped her mop up. She pulled away as if stung. “I’ve got it,” she said. She dabbed at the spill and then sat back down into an uncomfortable silence. They were all looking at her. A remaining trickle of water dripped into her lap.
“We should get you a real drink anyway,” Jack said to Renee. He put his hand on her forearm and Blue felt the knife twist in her gut.
“Oh, no thanks,” she said. “I’m okay.”
“Why don’t you tell them why, Renee,” Blue said.
Renee shot her a wounded look, shook her head no.
“She’s with child,” Blue said, happy to deliver the killing blow to Jack and Renee’s burgeoning romance. “Her nipples are brown. That’s how you know apparently. Crazy, right? Have you ever thought about having kids, Peter?”
She saw all three of their mouths fly open in shock.
“Ah...excuse me. I’m going to...get a drink at the bar,” Peter said before nearly hurdling over her to escape.
“Well, uh, congratulations,” Jack said to Renee. He tapped his thumbs on the table, glanced nervously around the club.
Renee gave him a tight smile, stared into her lap.
The uncomfortable silence expanded.
“Blue!” someone shouted, and they all turned to see Maya and Hannah heading their way, big grins on their faces.
Blue was at once relieved for the interruption and horrified to have more witnesses to this disaster.
“We’re crashing your date,” Maya said.
“You mean Renee’s date,” Blue said.
“What?” Maya said. Their smiles fell as they reached the table and caught the vibe. They stopped, stood awkwardly, eyes darting in search of explanation.
“Sit,” Blue said. “Have a drink. I’ve offended everyone else. Might as well join the fun.”
Maya and Hannah exchanged looks, then pulled up two seats and sat down warily.
Jack glanced at his watch, took a sip of his beer, smiled grimly at no one in particular.
To Renee, Maya mouthed, “What is happening?”
Renee made a drinking gesture, tilted her head toward Blue.
“I caught that,” Blue said.
Suddenly Renee’s eyes bulged. “Excuse me.” Her hand flew to her mouth as she got up and ran across the restaurant.
Maya watched her. “Is she drunk too?”
“Pregnant,” Blue said. “Drunk is how you get that way.”
“Pregnant?” Hannah said. She looked at Maya.
Maya looked at Blue. “For real?”
Blue shrugged. “Apparently.”
“Oh, wow,” Hannah said.
“Hell yes!” Maya said. “We’re having a baby! This is such an excellent shit show of a vacation. I love it.”
“Yep, so great,” Blue said bitterly, throwing a half-hearted fist into the air. “So glad I came.”
Maya shot her a questioning look, Hannah a worried one.
Jack shifted uncomfortably, kept taking nervous, furtive glances at Blue.
“So how’s it going, Jack?” Maya said.
“Good,” he said. “Yeah, really good.”
“Cool.”
They both nodded at each other for several beats too long.
He glanced at Blue again, as if trying to catch her eye. She ignored him.
He watched her for one more moment and then cleared his throat. “Well... I should be going,” he said, inching out of his seat. “Pete and I have...ah...a thing we’re supposed to...”
“A thing,” Blue said.
“Yeah...uh...”
“You can’t go,” Maya said. “We just got here.”
“No, Maya,” Blue said. “They have a thing to get to.”
“Blue,” Jack said, “can I talk to you alone for a—”
“No, you don’t want to be late for your thing,” Blue said.
Jack sighed helplessly, shook his head.
“Blue...” Maya said sternly. “Jack, you should stay.”
“No, he shouldn’t,” Blue said. “Besides, we have a thing to get to too.”
“We do?” Hannah said.