***

Since all his details were in the professional profile he had set up, Brad must have known that his message would arrive in the middle of the night to its recipient. Lyn munched on his lower lip while looking at the time at the bottom right of his computer screen. He’d call during his lunch break. That way, he’d avoid seeming too desperate to reconnect.

“Hey, what’s with you?” Amber waved a sheaf of papers in front of him, interrupting his musings. “Did you get any sleep last night? You look ghoulish.”

“Yes, of course, I did,” he reacted. No, not really. He had stalked Brad on social media, just like El had advised him. Her name was Bella, and she was true to the name her parents gave her. A tall blonde woman in her late twenties, with a dazzling smile. She looked happy in all of Brad’s pictures with her. The perfect golden couple.

Brad looked… older. Handsomer. He caused the same ache to squeeze Lyn’s stomach, even after eight years. The young man had grown into a man with broad shoulders, knowing eyes, knowing smile. Lyn couldn’t help thinking Brad was mocking him with his perfect happiness.

“And what do you mean, I look ghoulish?” he said, revolted, grabbing the papers from Amber’s hand. “More work? Really? No wonder I look as worn as your old law textbooks.” Amber was as much a workaholic as he was. They could joke like that.

“Interesting comparison, but it doesn’t fit you. I’d say,” Amber pondered while crossing her arms, “that you look like a wet kitten.”

Lyn scoffed. “Are you calling me a pussy? Really? Wait till HR hears about this.”

Amber snickered, too sure of herself. It pissed him off, but he also liked her rough behavior.

“No, but you do look ruffled, miserable, and in need of saving. Just like a wet kitten.”

He might be all of that and more. Therefore, he couldn’t hold such a thing against Amber. “I might need some time off then.”

“You? Time off? Are you telling me Lynton Calloway is taking a vacation?” She slapped her cheeks, doing a bad impersonation of that famous kid forgotten at home by his ditzy parents. “The world must be ending. Should I start stocking up on toilet paper?”

“No. I’m going to a wedding,” Lyn replied, gathering all the courage he could drum up to say that. “To be frank, I need a break from you.”

Amber touched her chest, gasping in outrage. “That hurt, not gonna lie. Okay, let me know how much time you need. It’s summer, and business is slow anyway.”

Lyn nodded. “Thanks, Amber,” he called out to his boss, who was already on her way out of his office.

“Don’t mention it. Have fun at the wedding. Make sure you don’t catch the bug, though.”

Lyn shook his head. As if. He hadn’t had an actual relationship in his life, if he didn’t count his fuck buddies. There was no chance of him catching that particular bug. Even if it was Brad tying the knot.

***

“Hi, Brad.” He hoped his voice sounded sure enough, and like it belonged to an accomplished lawyer who had barely had time to think of his college crush from eight years ago. Twelve, if he counted all the college years he’d been in love with Brad. “Got your message.”

“Lyn, my man!” Brad chirped happily at the other end. His voice sounded natural, familiar, as if they had talked only last night. Or every day for the last eight years. “So stoked to hear you. So, what do you say? Are you ready to send me off to the land of eternal marital bliss?”

Who talked like that in today’s world? Lyn shook his head. Brad always had to put on a full display of showmanship.

“More than ready,” he replied affably.

“Awesome, that’s so great! Now, listen, I know you’re a big shot lawyer, but can you spare like a week… no, ten days?”

“Ten days? What sort of wedding is that?”

“I was thinking of a reunion. A vacation before I tie the knot. You know, a bit of time for us to reconnect. All expenses paid,” Brad added like an agent dangling an impossible-to-refuse deal in front of a hesitant customer.

Lyn felt his heart do a little flip. Brad wanted to reconnect. Over ten days. “I’ll see what I can do,” he said, keeping his tone neutral.

“Great, great, I’ll send you the details. Pack your swim trunks. We’re going to hit the beach, drink cocktails, remember the good times… you know, all that fun stuff.”

Ten days with Brad. Reconnecting. Lyn had to grab his knee to stop it from jerking. He was reading too much into what had to be Brad’s way of throwing a long-ass party. It was his way of doing things.

“So, a reunion, huh? Who else is coming?”

“Oh, we’ll be a bunch of people,” Brad said enthusiastically. “Bella invited her entire family and like a few dozen friends.”

Lyn grimaced. What had he been expecting? Did he really think Brad would want him all to himself for a week or so before his wedding? That was the sort of stuff that turned perfectly reasonable men into schmucks.

“And of course, it wouldn’t be a reunion without him,” Brad continued to blabber on, emphasizing the last word, giving it the right meaning for Lyn to catch it.

“Ah,” Lyn grunted noncommittally. “Have you kept in touch with him? All these years?” Neither had to say the name; they knew who they were talking about.

While you didn’t make an effort to search for me until you were getting married?

“Nah, nothing like that. I had a harder time finding him than you. He’s a heart surgeon now. Big shot.”

Everyone was a big shot in Brad’s eyes. Lyn pushed back the nasty sting. He wasn’t all that special to Brad, and he needed to live with it.

“By the way, you’ll be rooming with him. We’re a little cramped with all the people coming. And there was also a little mix-up with the reservations and--”

“Sorry, what? Rooming with Alexander? Oh, damn, Brad. What did I ever do to you to deserve such punishment?” Lyn said in a mocking tone.

Brad couldn’t have forgotten, right? There wasn’t exactly any love lost between Lyn and Alexander. Actually, there wasn’t anything of the kind between Lyn and Brad, either. Or between Brad and Alexander. That last night of college life had taken care of that.

To his surprise, Brad chuckled like it was no big deal. “Come on, Lyn. I know you’re a neat freak, and he’s going to pester you for it, but feel free to tell on him if he gets on your nerves too much.”

Lyn sighed to hide his disappointment. “Is he going to be there for the whole ten days you’re planning?”

“Yeah.” Brad fell silent for a few moments. “It’s so good to hear you, man. I can barely wait to see you. I was talking with Bella about you, and I was telling her: Can you believe this guy was like such a huge nerd in college? Look at him now, stylish enough to be on the cover of GQ.”

Lyn pressed his lips together to stop himself from grinning. So Brad had noticed that he’d gotten handsomer, too. Even if it was only to tell his future wife about it. What wet kitten? Amber better eat her words. For those ten days, he’d look his best.

That felt good. It even took away the unpleasant edge of having to room with that obnoxious Alexander for the entire ten days of their reunion.

“Is he just as stiff as he was in college? I suppose he still can’t stand to be called anything other than Alexander.”

Brad laughed. “Be grateful he doesn’t want us to call him Alexander Montgomery III all the time. Although he’s the very definition of stiff upper lip still, he’s not as stiff as he used to be in school. Life has given him a few tumbles, so don’t be too hard on him.”

Alexander? Tumbles? Lyn couldn’t picture that. The cool, collected, and arrogant Alexander he knew would treat them as mere nuisances.

But Brad’s words had the effect of an ice cube dropped unexpectedly in a hot cup of coffee.

“What happened to him?”

“I’m not going to tell you. If he wants to share stuff with you, that’s fine, but I don’t want to risk his wrath.” Brad’s voice was more subdued now. Alexander could be fierce and scary when angry. That wasn’t the kind of image Lyn thought he’d ever forget. “He didn’t open up to me, either, so don’t be jealous. I just googled him, that’s all. You could do the same.”

Yes, he could. But Lyn had no intention of googling Alexander when he had to prepare for ten days of perfect summer.

With Brad. After all these years.

“I’m not the type to pry. As long as he keeps to his side of the room and doesn’t make a mess, I’m fine with the situation.”

“That’s awesome, man. I knew you’d be a total sport about it.”

Since when had Brad started using words like ‘sport’? Did he also have a membership at the local country club? Lyn could see him as part of that scene. He’d blend right in.

He shook his head to get rid of the petty thoughts crowding his mind.

“Send me the details and I’ll be there.”

“Awesome,” Brad repeated the same word he seemed to love so much. “Let’s do this.”

“Cool,” Lyn replied, trying hard not to be infected by Brad’s enthusiasm. “By the way, congrats on finding your girl.”

“Yeah, she’s awesome.”

Like everything else in Brad’s life. Would he still think the same when their little reunion was over? Lyn swung his chair around, taking in the city at his feet. Maybe it was better for them to let bygones be bygones.

And maybe he’d get that closure. Yeah, it sounded like a plan. Although Lyn wasn’t sure about the closure part. Brad wanted to see him after all.

Him and Alexander. The notorious third wheel.

TBC