“How come I keep getting roped into your social gatherings?” Josh asked two days later as I drove him to Thad’s house.

“You didn’t have to come.”

“It’s fine. I’m just not used to this. Usually I’m the one dragging you around to get-togethers.”

I had explained to Josh last night my drunken encounter with Thad, then our day “on the town” with him and his grandmother. Josh told me that Thad was nuts for ever taking me up on his offer, but he seemed to enjoy the idea of me chauffeuring around little old ladies and their teenage grandsons. It definitely wasn’t something I did often, but now that I was in this kid’s life, it would feel wrong to extract myself from it. I had never thought of myself as a generous person, but I didn’t know many people who needed my generosity. Normally I was a nuisance, or I was some drunk dude giving out sloppy blowjobs in people’s cars. I wasn’t used to the role of “do-gooder”. I liked it more than I thought I would.

“Oh, I should let you know,” Josh said as he glanced at his phone, “I think your bud Duncan friended me on Facebook.”

“What? How does he even know your last name?”

“I think I mentioned it over drinks. Didn’t I mention it?”

“Why would you mention your last name?”

Josh shrugged. “Well, he friended me. Did he friend you?”

“No,” I muttered.

“It’s probably because you have nothing on your Facebook.”

“My Facebook is on private. He wouldn’t know I don’t have anything on my Facebook.”

“Try friending him. I know you like playing hard-to-get, but it’s not a great strategy for landing a boyfriend.”

“I don’t want him to be my boyfriend.”

Josh took a sip from the bottle of kombucha he’d insisted we stop and get. He drank that shit like it was water. “Girl, okay.”

I rolled my eyes, but I had to curb the desire to grab my phone and look up my Facebook. I wasn’t on it often, so Duncan might have sent me a request I hadn’t seen. I really hoped that he hadn’t just friended Josh and then ignored me. That would be an ultimate kick to the nuts.

“He’s got some cute pics,” Josh felt obligated to say.

“Like what?”

Josh turned the phone so I could glance at it. On the screen was Duncan and a little girl—no older than three— both wearing sunglasses and making a “rock on” sign with their hands. I had to assume that this was the niece he’d briefly mentioned, though who knew how many siblings with children he had.

“It’s not his kid,” I told Josh.

“I didn’t think it was. She’s cute though.” Josh scrolled through some more images. I reached over and put my hand over the phone.

“Hey, what are you doing?”

“Can you not do that right now?”

“Why not? You’re driving!”

“Because it’s distracting.”

“Why? I’m not doing anything,” Josh laughed. He reached over and poked me in the cheek. “Jealous?”

“Fuck off.”

“Ooh, Justin’s so jealous.” Josh’s smile faded when he saw my expression. “Oh, come on, man. It’s not that serious. It’s just Facebook. I’m sure he’s not more into me than he is you. For one, he’s having sex with you, which means way more than Facebook friending does. Does he even know your last name? Maybe he simply can’t find you.”

That was true. I don’t think I ever told him my last name. But I hadn’t thought Josh had told him his either.

“You must really like this guy, huh?” Josh asked more quietly.

“No. Yes. I don’t know. We just have good sexual chemistry. We don’t talk much.”

“You have a serious thing for bad boys.”

I didn’t say anything, because it was the truth, and we both knew it.

Josh sighed. “God forbid you two do get together. I await all the drama that’ll come with it.”

“This is Thad’s street,” I announced unnecessarily, hoping to change the topic. Josh made a few comments about the neighborhood before I pulled into Thad’s driveway.

“Ah, a fixer-upper. Bet it cost 700k.”

“No, Thad’s great-aunt died and they got it from her.”

“Makes sense.” Josh threw open his door and slipped out of the car, and I followed. I offered to knock, but Thad was already stepping out onto the porch.

“Hey!” I greeted more brightly than needed. “This is Josh, my gearhead friend.”

Josh threw out his hand to Thad and shook it firmly with a grin. “Nice to meet you, man. Josh Moreau. Justin thought I should come by and check out your car before we drag my brother Addie into it. It could be a simple fix. You know anything about cars?”

“No,” Thad said. “I know it’s a Toyota.”

Josh laughed. “Well, it’s a start.”

“My nana made some peanut butter cookies, if ya’ll want any,” Thad offered. “I’ll go get them, hang on.”

Thad darted off before another word could be said, vanishing back into the house.

“Talk about a Southern accent,” Josh muttered.

“I know, right? It’s adorable.”

“And his grandma made cookies for us.”

“His grandma is really nice. Talkative, but nice.”

“Yeah, she would be. Unless we were black. Then maybe not.”

I elbowed Josh in the side. “Don’t assume she’s racist just because she’s from Alabama.”

“All I’m saying is that the probability is kinda high. How old is she? She was probably old enough to go to segregated schools.”

“Josh—”

Thad returned carrying a platter that didn’t just contain peanut butter cookies but also brownies and a pile of Hershey Kisses.

“Hey, this is more than the peanut butter cookies you promised,” Josh said.

“Oh, I made some of these brownies last night. And my nana thought you might like the Kisses.”

“You bake?” I asked.

“Cook, bake, whatever way I can help ‘round the house.”

“An all-purpose man,” Josh said, grabbing a brownie and biting into it. Through a full mouth, he said, “Mm, these are good.”

“Thanks. Lemme show you to the car.”