“Hey gorgeous, come here often?”
Jen smiled up at Jack as he stood over her. “Only when I’m looking for a really hot guy to hook up with. Know any?”
He kissed her cheek and sat down opposite her. “If only I did.”
“I ordered for us.” She smiled. “I figured you wanted the usual.”
“Something familiar would be comforting.” Jack reached over and squeezed her hand. “Much like you.”
“I don’t know if I appreciate that,” she smiled. “But I’ll thank you anyway.”
“It was meant much more complimentary than it sounded,” he assured her. “So, you’re the shrink. How should we do this?”
“Do this?”
“Begin the conversation that I know you’re dying to have with me.”
“Well, traditionally, I would have to charge you quite a lot of money then you’d have to hedge around the subject for several years before we finally had a breakthrough when you finally started to trust me.”
“Sounds time consuming.”
“It is. And profitable.” She pulled out her datebook. “So, should I schedule you in for the next year or so? How’s Wednesdays?”
Jack grinned. “Thank you.”
She replied with a smile of her own. “I’m board certified to make you smile. Now, you want to talk?”
“Not really.” He paused as the waiter brought over their food. After he left, Jack sighed and poked at his dinner. “I wouldn’t know where to start.”
“The beginning?”
“Which beginning? The beginning of my work crisis, which stems from the fact that I’m working in a profession that doesn’t seem to welcome those with a different sexual proclivity? The beginning of my personal crisis, which stems from the fact that I’m dating a man that has a whole other life that I can’t be a part of? The beginning of my family crisis which stems from my sister’s decision to carry through with killing herself? Or the beginning of my other personal crisis which stems from the fact that Pacey is no longer speaking to me?”
“Whichever one you feel is most important.” She took a sip of her wine. “Or whichever is easiest.”
“None of them are easy.” He shook his head. “I can’t do this.”
“We don’t have to.” She smiled at him and shook her head in response. “I’m your friend, Jack. And that means that you tell me whatever you want to tell me. I’m not your psychiatrist; I’m not your counselor. I’m just your friend.”
“Thank you.” He extended a bite of his pasta toward her. “Shall we pretend that there’s nothing wrong in either of our lives for a couple of hours?”
“Do you think there’s enough wine?”
Pacey stood outside the train station looking around. The sign said Capeside and he experienced the familiar rush of emotion that always accompanied returning home. He hated home. He hated most of his family, hated the town that always looked at him as if he was some sort of blight on their perfect reputation.
He sat down on the stairs, glancing out at the night. The lights behind him were off, the station closed for the evening. Somehow, it seemed a perfect sort of homecoming.
“New in town?”
He looked up, surprised. “Hey.”
“I got a rather cryptic call from an old friend who told me it might be nice if I showed up here tonight right about this time.” Dawson raised an eyebrow. “What brings you home?”
“That word is getting quite the workout today.” Pacey stood up and brushed off the seat of his jeans. “I take it this particular old friend simply told you I was coming and neglected to mention any sort of reason?”
“He just said it might be best if I came bearing at least a six pack.”
Pacey climbed into the passenger seat of Dawson’s car and grabbed one of the beers that lay on the seat between them. Snapping it open, he took a long swallow. “Andie killed herself yesterday. I woke up, walked downstairs and found her sprawled out all over the living room.”
“Jesus, Pace.” Dawson took his own beer and downed some of it. “No, Jack didn’t mention that at all.”
Pacey finished his beer and opened another. “Yeah. Quite the anniversary present.”
Dawson’s eyes widened even further and he took another long drink. “Jesus, Pace.”
“My sentiments exactly.” He stared out the windshield. “So, where are we headed?”
“Where are you staying?”
Pacey sighed and laughed softly. “Hell, I don’t know. I hadn’t thought that far in advance. Basically, it came down to the fact that I couldn’t step foot in my house and Jack’s apartment is a little small for two people. So I needed someplace to go. Capeside was just…”
“Natural.”
“Unfortunately.” Pacey smirked. “So, I figured I could beg mercy from Bessie and Bodie and see if they’ll put me up at the B&B.”
“Or you could just stay in our spare room.” Dawson shrugged as he started the car. “I know my mom and dad won’t mind. I mean, they never minded the entirety of our childhood.”
“Why are you home, anyway?”
“Kara’s birthday.”
“That’s right. How is the littlest Leery?”
“Self-centered, annoying, spoiled, naďve…”
“Sounds like another Leery I know.” Pacey grinned. “It must be a family trait.”
“As I recall, I’m the one rescuing you from a five mile walk into town.” Dawson gave Pacey a knowing look. “I’d watch the disparaging comments.”
“I can’t help it, Dawson. Disparaging comments just sort of come naturally when the two of us are together.” Pacey grinned. “Besides, I imagine that you’ll level a few in my direction before the day is out.”
“Undoubtedly.” Dawson pulled out of the parking lot and headed in the direction of his parent’s house. “How are you holding up? You seem to have your sense of humor intact. Which, if I remember correctly, is a typical Pacey Witter defense mechanism meaning that you’ve got a tenuous hold on your emotions.”
“Wow. You remember that much about me?”
“You’re such an ass.”
“Another defense mechanism.” Pacey looked out the window, avoiding Dawson’s gaze. “I haven’t quite gotten around to dealing with any of this. I don’t know how. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do or feel or anything.”
“It’ll come.”
“Yeah. But when and how? And will I be able to handle it?” Pacey’s breath clouded the window and he brushed the steam away. “Andie was sort of my rock, you know? And when your rock washes away…”
Dawson didn’t respond, driving the rest of the way toward his house in silence.
| Chapter Seven |
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