Page 17 of Make It Last

Me: How are you doing at the hospital?

Ava: I’m bored out of my fucking mind, and the food here isn’t great.

I laughed under my breath and fired off another text.

Me: I’ll pick up some pizza and bring it over. What kind do you like?

Ava: seriously!

Me: Shouldn’t that be a question mark?

Ava: Okay, grammar guy. ;) Pepperoni. Triple pepperoni if they have it.

Me: Be there in thirty. Don’t go anywhere.

Ava: As if.

Ten minutes later, I was walking into Alpenglow Pizza, the best pizza place in town. I’d called in the order on my way over, and Jake, the high school kid who worked the counter, had laughed when I asked for triple pepperoni. “Dude, that’s not a thing.”

“Well, that’s what I want.”

“You usually get regular pepperoni. Why the change?”

I wasn’t about to explain, but when I walked in to pick up the order, Jake eyed me with a sly grin. “Do you have a date?” he asked.

I narrowed my eyes. “I’m bringing pizza to a friend in the hospital.”

“But it’s a woman, right?”

I tilted my head. “I could be into guys.”

Jake shrugged. “Not that it matters, but you’re not into guys.”

“How do you know?”

“My best friend plays for the same team. I knew before he did.”

I snorted. “Okay, man. Good for you.”

“Yeah, thanks. But seriously, this is very romantic, Tanner.”

“Oh my God, dude. Don’t even start.”

He shrugged. “I like you, Tanner. You’re solid. That ex of yours—whatever her name was—didn’t appreciate you.”

I studied him for a beat. “How would you know?”

“I might be a lot younger than you, but her parents live next door to us. My mom heard all about it and thought it was dumb.”

I chuckled. “Ah, well then. How much do I owe you?”

Jake turned to pull out a pizza box from the warmer. “Twenty bucks even.”

After I paid, he added, “I hope she’s nice. I know she’s just a friend—” He waggled his brows with that. “But you’re a good guy, so she better be good.”

I took the pizza box from Jake. “Thank you.”

“For the pizza or the life advice?” he quipped.