Page 35 of Joey

It doesn’t seem like much of an offer so I add, “You can have the house too. And whatever money you want. I have so much of it, it doesn’t even mean anything to me.”

“No,” she says. “See, that’s the thing. I don’t need the house unless someone comes with it. I’d rather earn a paltry paycheck selling Bright Berry Beach cosmetics for money than live in a nice house and have a fat bank account. Because a job would give me a purpose. I’m not looking for things, or for money, or even security.” She pauses. “I want to fit in. I want to be on your team.”

“To fill the void,” Huck offers.

“Yes,” Brooke admits, letting out a breath. “Exactly.”

“You do realize this is bizarre?” Wald asks. “You don’t even know us.”

“You’re wrong,” Brooke says. “Well, you’re right. I don’t know you. But I know your kind. We’re alike.” She’s looking at me again. Like she heard that whole private conversation I just had in my head. “We need each other. So that’s my price. That’s my door. That’s my new opportunity that will lead to a new life.”

“You’re lonely,” Huck says.

“Yes,” Brooke admits. “The world is big and I am small. So yes. I don’t want to be alone anymore. It’s just… not for me.”

Huck likes that answer. It’s poetic and that’s his thing. But I’m not sure.

“We’re not really looking for another team member, Brooke.” I say it because it’s true—I’m very satisfied with my two best friends. There’s definitely room for Maisy, but Brooke? I just can’t picture the four of us that way.

“I don’t know,” Wald adds, looking at me. Then he looks at Brooke. “Maybe we are? It can’t hurt to try. We need her for the job, anyway. And I’m sure Brooke will move on if we don’t hit it off. We’re not pledging ourselves with blood under a full moon at midnight, for fuck’s sake. Let’s just see how it goes.”

Brooke’s eyes meet mine. Wondering if I’m gonna object.

But I don’t.

Because he’s right. She’s not gonna hang out if we don’t hit it off. And I have no clue what I want. I never have. I’ve been drifting aimlessly for over a decade. And if Wald and Huck feel so sure about it then, fuck it. She can stay.

“OK,” I finally say. “So… you wanna go buy a house?”

She smiles. Nods. “Yeah. Why not?”

The realtor is an older, nondescript man in a very nice suit. Just a guy I found online who handles million-dollar properties. Because if we’re gonna buy a place, we’re gonna buy a nice place.

I drive and Brooke is quiet as we make our way to the first house.

“What are you thinking so hard about?” I ask her, just as we pull up to a house and park behind a silver Mercedes.

“Nothing.” She huffs a little. “Just… life is so freaking weird. Yesterday I didn’t even know you. Now, we’re shopping for houses. It doesn’t make any sense. Maybe Wald is right? Nothing’s real.”

I smile at her. Half a day. I’ve known this girl half a day and she’s got Wald down. She’s definitely the right woman for the job and I take a minute to study her as she glances around the neighborhood.

Then I glance around the neighborhood too.

It’s a nice fucking neighborhood. It’s old, you can tell by the architecture. None of the houses look alike and most have walls with gates. There’s two private schools down the street. I know. My brothers and I went to both of them. Kindergarten through eighth grade for the one closest by and high school in the other. Hell, even Zack went there.

Thinking back on our early school years now, I realize something.

That’s when my brothers and I grew apart, I think.

When Johnny got to ninth grade and went to high school Jesse and I stayed behind.

One year. That’s how long Johnny and I were apart. Just one.

But when I got to ninth grade he was settled into some new life that I wasn’t a part of.

I didn’t belong anymore.

When Jesse joined us a year later it only got worse. He had grown into someone else too.