26. Tyree

I standwith an ice-cold beer in my hand as Tyson lines up drinks along the counter, quickly becoming a bartender.

“You don’t have to do that. Clarissa can make a rum and coke,” I say, twisting the top off and taking a swig from the bottle.

“Nah, I got it for this reason. It’s cool.” He doesn’t turn to me but continues making the drink.

“Thank you,” Clarissa says as he hands her the green cocktail. She takes a sip, and her eyes close before she’s shimmying in place. “It’s perfect.”

They smile at each other, and I clear my throat.

“Hey, come on. I’ll introduce y’all. It’s quite a few people from work.” He leads us out of the kitchen, and we go around as we meet new faces.

“This is Karli, my date for the evening.”

At those words, I perk up, tuning back into the conversation. Karli is dressed in a tight black dress that hugs her curves, and I nod when I get Tyson’s eye connection. He hasn’t dated since he’s been back, so I’m happy to see him with someone. He always seems to be the third wheel at all our functions. Every time I ask him about dating apps or going out to meet someone, he says that’s not his focus. I’m not sure what’s holding him back, but he has more restraint than me. I would definitely be getting my feet wet if I were single in a new town.

Clarissa’s face lights up, and she turns to his date.

“A date! A date!” she says, doing a dance, and I shake my head.

His date seems to take it well, smiling along with everyone else as Clarissa continues to sing.

“Story time. I need to know how y’all met. You didn’t tell me you had a date.” She whispers the last part, but I still hear it. They have gotten close, and it’s cool and all, but sometimes I wonder when this shift happened. Like he seems more her best friend than mine.

“Well, I was having lunch,” Tyson begins, and Clarissa interrupts.

“Lunch without me?”

“Chill, it was the day you went to lunch with Tyree’s mom, I think. Don’t give me that look. The food was just okay; you didn’t miss greatness.”

He laughs, and I scratch my brow. Once I’m at work, it’s hard to get away, and Clarissa loves to go out for lunch. She goes with co-workers, my mom often, or her friends if they’re free, so her going with Tyson fits.

“Anyway, I was finishing my food, but tables were tight from the lunch rush, and Karli asked to sit at mine. We got to talking, and I invited her to my housewarming.”

“Most people go to a restaurant on a first date, but hey, it’s different.” She shrugs, and he bumps her shoulder, looking down at her with a smile. His date is nodding as if she thought a first date to a housewarming was different too.

“Don’t laugh at me, I needed a date. Trust me.”

“Yeah, I was surprised at first, but I’ve seen him around the neighborhood. Plus, I carry mace,” Karli says with a laugh, and everyone except me joins in. We talk for a few minutes, but after a new wave of people rings the doorbell, Tyson is off to greet them. I’m surprised he has so many guests filling up the space.

We settle on the sofa and join in various conversations around us before the girls shift to their own side, and I go back to the kitchen for another beer.

On the way back, August and his date stop me.

“Aye, man, we made it! This is Rey. Rey, this is Tyree.” We hug, and I direct a handshake to his date.

“Nice to meet you. We’re over here.” I point, and we walk over, doing another round of introductions.

There’s music playing, and it’s a nice mix of the 90s and early 2000s. “So, what’s the word on the wedding? Four months is wild. You getting cold feet?” August asks, and I’m already shaking my head.

“Never, I’d do it today. As a matter of fact, I suggested we elope, just her and me, a few months ago.”

“What happened?”

“You know how she is with the planning. It means a lot to her, so…” I shrug and take a sip of beer. “What she wants, she gets.”

“You learn early.” He pats my shoulder, and I shift to look around the room. Clarissa and Tyson are coming back from the kitchen, and she has a fresh appletini. I toss my drink back.

“Aye, you good?”

“Yeah. Nice meeting you, Rey. I’m going to get some fresh air.”

I step away before August can respond and walk out to the back patio. The house is nice. There’s a pool with lights positioned on the floor and a firepit with a couch and chairs off to the side.

I stand outside, breathing in the cold air, and drink my beer. When my mind starts down a path, I back up because I don’t want to think about that road. I know I’m tripping and that Tyson is just lonely right now. For some reason, he seems to be leaning on Clarissa.

I take another sip and drink until the bottle is empty. I shake this thing off in the air and slide the door back open. The warmth is amazing as I come back from the cold to join the group.

As I walk up, Clarissa is focused on me with her brows furrowed. “Where’d you go?” She sips her drink.

“I needed some fresh air.” She pauses but doesn’t press the issue, and I tune back into the conversations around us.

“What, who doesn’t like oranges? They’re so good!” This statement comes from Rey, who is going on about a recipe she loves at this new restaurant downtown.

“Oranges are the best. Who wouldn’t like them?” I say, agreeing with her statement.

“Issa.”

“What?” I ask, shifting to Tyson, who has his hands in his pockets.

“Issa doesn’t like oranges. She despises them, actually.”

I swallow and wish I had a drink. “Right.”

He shakes his head and moves to step away.

August catches my eye, and I give him a look, but he shrugs, and the conversation continues. That was weird. It almost seems like he’s pissed at me for forgetting. I shake off the encounter, and the group is laughing again.

The night continues like this: a wave of laughter and great food, with slight scowls and tension I can’t find the source of.

“I’ve been meaning to ask you all night. What is your perfume?” Tyson’s date asks Clarissa.

“Miss Dior.” But it’s not Clarissa speaking. The deep voice belongs to my best friend, Tyson. We all turn our heads and stare at him.

“Oh my gosh. That’s right. How did you know my perfume?” Clarissa laughs, but I stand straighter. The hairs on the back of my neck move at attention, and I flex my fingers.

“Yeah, I’d like to know that too,” I add because how the hell would he know?

He shakes his head and stares at me over the rim of his drink, a slight chuckle coming out.

“What’s so funny?”

“Nothing.”

“So we laughing at nothing now?”

“Hey, y’all chill,” August says, walking up to stand by my side. He places his hand on my shoulder.

“Tyree, what’s wrong with you?” Clarissa stares at me with an open mouth, and I nod, dropping it. But something is buzzing, and I don’t like the way it feels. I grab another beer and drink it in the kitchen.

Clarissa comes in a little bit later. “Hey, I wondered where you were.”

“That’s a surprise.”

“Why would that be a surprise?”

“No reason.”

She walks over and looks down at my beer. “How many is that?”

“I only had a few. I’m fine.” I start to get irritated, and I run my hand down my face.

“Hey, I need you to lower your voice.”

“Man, this has nothing to do with you. This is between my fiancée and me.” I stand up straighter, never breaking eye contact with Tyson, and I’ve never seen him look so focused. He tries to laugh it off, but his eyes are sharp. I flex my fingers and walk closer. “Feels like you want to say something.”

He pinches his brows and releases a breath.

“Speak!” I yell, feeling the tension engulf us.