Page 45 of Old Habits

“Hey, Jovie!”

“Hi, Tucker.”

“You all right?”

“I’m fine.”

The door opens and closes just as fast. I wait a few moments, listening to Jovie’s boots as they stomp down to the sidewalk, before following into the living room.

Tucker stands by the door, awkwardly chewing on his thumbnail. “So, uh…” he chuckles, “did I interrupt something here?”

I toss his phone back to him and it bounces twice in his hands before he finally catches it. “I’ll see you at work, Tuck.”

“See ya…” He nods slowly and backs up toward the door. “Hey, Will.”

“Yeah?”

“You all right?” he asks.

“I’m fine.”

He shakes his head, laughing quietly as he walks outside. “You two really need to get your shit together.”

“Yeah, I know,” I say. “Hey, Tuck…”

He throws up a scout’s honor. “It dies with me.”

I nod. “Thank you.”

Tucker closes the door behind him, leaving me to my own pathetic misery. I stare at the floor, feeling a strange, overwhelming sensation creeping up my ankles, taking hold of my legs and spine all the way to my forehead.

Jovie Ross was in my house.

She slept in my bed.

I kissed her. She kissed me back, whether she wants to admit that or not.

The last time we were together like this, I didn’t know it was going to be the last time. If I had known that, I would have stopped and taken the time to memorize every second of our last kiss.

I had her in my arms again after spending years without her. There’s no way in hell I’m going to never let that happen again.

Plain, meet simple.