Page 15 of Lonely Hearts Day

“O-kay,” I said. “Jack is coming in a minute, and I have so much to do.”

“Want help?”

“Yes, please,” I said. “I have decorations.”

“Jacky!” My sister said when he joined us in the basement. We were drawing designs on the chalkboard wall and filling the fridge in the kitchenette with drinks. “You got taller.”

“Evelyn,” Jack said, giving her a hug. “I didn’t know you were coming.”

“It was last minute. Ava’s coming tomorrow, too.” She looked at me for several beats then resumed drawing on the wall with her chalk. She was working on a cat—the mascot of singleness.

“She is?” I asked. “How come nobody told me?”

“You like surprises.”

“I hate surprises.”

“She does,” Jack said.

“Well, you should learn to love them. Life is full of surprises.”

“Why are you being so cryptic today?” I asked.

“Am I? I’m not trying to be.” She added a heart collar to her cat drawing.

Jack freed a bowl from the bag he was carrying. “I brought fruit.”

“Jack likes to bring health to our parties,” I said, like we’d had a dozen parties before this and not just one.

“I bring health to your life,” he said.

“What?”

“Yeah, I don’t know. It sounded better in my head.” He slid the fruit into the fridge. “What’s new with you, Evelyn?”

“Not much. Last year of college. Then adulthood, I guess. What about you? How’s your family?”

“Same,” Jack said. They really were the same. His parents still constantly picked at one another, his brother still treated him like garbage, and he still chose to hang out with me most of the time.

I wrapped my arms around him and pulled him playfully against me. “Jack’s family is great. We had a picnic a couple weeks ago before the snow storm, we made spaghetti last night because Mom and Dad worked late, and we might ski next weekend.”

He chuckled and returned my hug. “Yes, my family is the best.”

Evelyn’s eyes darted back and forth between the two of us several times before she said, “What else do we need to do?”

I released Jack and went to the game closet, pulling open the doors. A memory of being in there last year with Jack flashed through my mind. Heat rose to my cheeks, surprising me. I ignored it and reached for the game I was looking for. “Let’s go through this box and pick out some truth cards for tonight. None to do with relationships.”

“We’re not playing the same games as last year?” Jack asked.

“Of course not,” I said. “Only subpar party-throwers do that. We are experts.”

“I think she’s been sleeping on a talent,” Jack said to Evelyn.

“A party-throwing talent?” Evelyn asked.

“Yes, it’s a skill and your sister has it.”

“I hear she’s your sister too,” Evelyn teased.