September 2. Inside her Worthington dorm, Joey sat beside Pacey on her bed as her new roommate Audrey left the room to go collect her belongings that had been sent to the college from California last week. He couldn't help laughing, and crossed his arms.
"Well, this is a Sunday morning we'll never forget."
She huffed and rolled her eyes.
He glanced at her, his lips curving into a smirk. "Oh, you with a roommate. Oh, Lord. I feel sorry for this person. Twenty-four hours a day, confined in a small space with you… it's not healthy."
She narrowed her eyes at him. "I don't snore."
"I beg to differ."
"And even if I did, which I don't, it hasn't ever stopped you from sleeping next to me, now has it?"
He shook his head with fake solemnity, heaving a long-suffering sigh. "The sacrifices I'm forced to make for love and a great sex life."
She slapped his arm.
Audrey soon returned to the room carrying a tote and dropped it on her bed. Her cell phone started ringing and she pulled it from her pocket, frowned, and ignored the call. "My mom," she explained to them. "She likes to act like she's Mother of the Year, but she forgets that I know her in real life."
Pacey chuckled darkly. He could relate.
Removing the lid off the large plastic tote, Audrey started rummaging around inside it. Then she pulled out a cornflower blue scrunchie with small pink flowers, and turned to face them. "See this scrunchie? This will be the most important item in our dorm for the next… however many years you and I both share this room."
Joey's brows knitted as she glanced at her boyfriend. They watched her walk over to the door and place the scrunchie around the knob.
"Whenever one of us has a guy in here and we want some privacy," Audrey continued. "We're just gonna take this scrunchie from its place here, and put it around the doorknob outside. That way we know we've been sexiled from the room, and we won't walk in on anything neither us wants the other to see. Okay?"
"Sexiled?" Joey pulled a face, and Pacey laughed.
"Is this agreeable to you?"
"Yeah, it's… it's fine, Audrey."
"Good. Well, I'm gonna go get the rest of my stuff. There's gotta be a luggage cart or something I can use to haul my crap in."
They watched her leave. "Geez, how much stuff did she bring?" Joey muttered.
Pacey got off the bed and immediately put the scrunchie on the outside knob before closing the door. He waggled his eyebrows at his girlfriend, and she laughed.
"We can't sexile Audrey from the room on her very first day in the dorm, Pacey. She has to get settled. Not that I don't wish for there to be some major distance between me and my roommate right now after what happened earlier…" The embarrassment still made her cringe.
He collapsed on the bed, taking her into his arms. She snuggled against him as he threw a leg over her thigh. He ran his hand down her side to her jeans-clad hip, then grabbed her ass and rubbed through the denim. "Last night was fun," he said in a low voice.
She blushed furiously at the memory. "Yeah," she agreed, but she couldn't meet his eyes. "It was… different."
"It's fun to try new things." The sexual thrill of licking her asshole still radiated through him. Pacey's gaze never wavered as he watched her face grow red at the simultaneous shame and desire his tongue on her anus had produced. It made him want to do it again, as soon as possible. Lust-filled ideas began swirling inside his mind.
Joey could feel her face burning. A knot of fear tightened in her stomach. "Uh-huh."
He grinned and bit his bottom lip. Nerves fluttered inside his gut. "We could keep doing that… you know, trying new things."
"Like what?"
He squeezed her ass again, and a low sound escaped his throat. "Well…"
Her entire body went taut. Her mouth went dry and she swallowed. And then painful insecurity rose up like a rogue wave. "Pacey, are you… are you bored? Are you bored with me?"
His mouth fell open and he blinked at her. "What? Bored? No! Of course not." Seeing that the conversation had obviously made her uncomfortable, he frowned. "Joey, look at me."
She finally raised her eyes again to meet his gaze.
"I'm not bored. Far from it. You could never be boring, Jo. In a million years, I could never be bored with you. I just… I want to experience everything with you." He gently caressed her backside.
He frowned again, taking in the anxiety etched across her face. "But not at the expense of your own enjoyment. I don't want to do something you don't want to do. I mean… watching you enjoy sex, enjoy me, enjoy yourself, that's what gets me off. If you do something I want to do just because you feel obligated or pressured… that's not fun for me. I mean, what's the point? The whole point of sex for me is making you feel good. If it doesn't make you feel good, then I don't want to do it. Okay?"
"And by 'it,' you mean…" The knots in her stomach tightened.
He licked his lips, his cheeks flushing with warmth. "Well… anything."
Their intimate conversation was then interrupted.
"Seriously, you guys?" Audrey complained through the door.
Pacey chuckled while Joey rolled her eyes as she pulled away from him and rolled off the bed to open the door and let her roommate in.
"Well, I'll let you two get acquainted," he said, getting up off the bed as Audrey deposited the last of her totes and boxes around her bed. "I have to go home and shower and get ready for work later."
Joey walked him to the door and kissed him goodbye. She returned to her bed and watched Audrey start to unpack.
"So, you wanna go to a party tonight?"
"What?" Joey laughed. "You literally just got on campus, and you already know about some party?"
"Yeah, I ran into some guys in the common rom. The party is over at Hampden Hall."
It was one of the residence halls designated for upperclassmen. The brochure said the rooms came with their own kitchenettes, separate bedrooms, and large living areas. "Thanks, but I think I'll skip."
"Oh, come on! Come to the party with me! Don't make me go by myself!"
Joey tucked her hair behind her ears and moved off the bed, going over to sit at her desk and look over the campus map and her schedule again. She was determined to never be late for a single class.
"Okay, well… there will be plenty of parties later." Audrey sat on the end of her newly made-up bed and watched her. "So, do you maybe want to go get some lunch?"
"No, thank you."
"So, what's your class schedule like?"
Joey glanced at her. "Mornings, and an afternoon class on Wednesdays."
Audrey pulled a face. "Mornings? How early?"
"My first classes start at eight."
"Ugh." Her roommate grimaced. "I picked all afternoons for my classes. I refuse to get up before noon if I can help it."
"We have a mandatory meeting tomorrow morning in the common room at ten."
Audrey blinked. "Are you always this much fun?" she grinned, before getting up and crossing to the other side of the room. She stood in front of the cork bulletin board on the wall. "I like your pictures."
A half-smile tugged at Joey's mouth. "Thanks."
"Is this you and the boyfriend at senior prom?"
"Yep."
"He's really good-looking."
"Um…" What was she supposed to say to that? "Thanks?"
Audrey chuckled. "You might want to keep an eye on him. Who knows what kind of skanks are around this place?"
Joey stared, her brows knitting. "I'm really not worried."
"You're both on a tropical beach? Looks like a palm tree."
"Key West. We sailed down there for vacation last summer."
Audrey's gaze moved to another picture. "Ohh, yeah. There's the boat."
"The True Love. Pacey practically built it from scratch."
"Wow. That's amazing." Then Audrey laughed at another picture. "What's with the pink crowns and the number seventeen on them?"
Joey smiled. "Pacey took me out for my birthday junior year."
"You guys have been together a long time, huh?"
She thought her roommate's voice had taken on a rather sad tone. "We were just friends then. We've known each other since we were kids, but we've been dating for…" She made a quick mental calculation. "Almost fifteen months."
Audrey said nothing and merely moved on to the other pictures. "Are these your friends?"
"Yeah. Jen and Jack, and Andie and Will. It was a really hot day back in July, and we all jumped into the creek behind my house. Fully clothed. It was funny, but I guess you had to be there."
"Yeah."
"They're actually all here in the city. Jack and Jen are going to Boston Bay. Andie's going to Harvard. Will's at Boston College."
"That's nice they're close by. I don't know anyone here." Joey frowned in sympathy. "Where's Pacey going? Does he go to Worthington, too?"
"No. He's not going to school. He works as a cook in a restaurant downtown."
Audrey looked at her curiously for a moment and pursed her lips before turning her attention back to the cork board. "Aww. Is this your mom? She's really beautiful. You look just like her."
Joey took a deep breath, becoming slightly annoyed with all the questions. "Yeah, that's my mom."
"She looks like she's a good mom, unlike mine, who is by far the worst example of motherhood I've ever encountered." She smiled at the pinned photo. "So, did she cry when she dropped you off at school?" the blonde giggled.
"No because she's dead."
Audrey's hand flew to her mouth, her eyes wide. "I'm so sorry! I had no idea!"
"Don't worry about it," she waved her apology off. "It happened a long time ago."
She simply nodded.
"My older sister and her boyfriend dropped me off yesterday."
"Where's your dad?" her roommate asked tentatively, as if afraid of what the answer might be.
"He's in prison."
Her blunt honesty had had its desired effect. Audrey gave up talking and went back to her side of the room. Regardless of her roommate's friendly intentions, nothing could eliminate the embarrassment Joey still felt at being walked in on that morning and Pacey falling out of the bed naked, and she just wished the girl would leave her alone. She hadn't the energy to answer more of Audrey's incessant questions.
"Well, I'm gonna go for a walk. I'll leave you alone to unpack and get settled in." Joey stood up from the desk, taking her campus map and schedule with her.
"Oh, I don't mind the company. You don't have to leave."
She gave Audrey a small smile, and then went out the door.
The warm and sunny weather agreed with her, and she decided to time the distance between Plymouth Hall and the buildings that housed the classrooms she'd be attending during the week. She walked along the paths that cut through the college green, around flower-filled landscaping that trimmed most of the architecture that dotted the campus, where birds warbled merrily and bees and butterflies flitted from one glorious bloom to another.
"Well, well, well," spoke an English accent, pulling Joey from her thoughts. "It's the moody girl from Cape Cod."
She turned to see a pretty girl, standing on the green smirking at her. Her thick blond hair shaped her face and fell perfectly straight to just above her shoulders. The sun sparkled in her penetrating, intelligent blue eyes. A black over-sized Siouxsie and the Banshees T-shirt hung off one shoulder, short black jean shorts hugged her hips, and black sandals clad her feet. The girl took a drag from her cigarette. Joey recognized her, of course. Alice something-hyphenated-something. The sophomore—and now probably junior—who Worthington had paired her up to stay with for Admit Weekend back in the spring.
"Alice, right?"
The blonde gave her an indulgent smile. "Alice Cowper-Smith. I'm sorry if I don't remember your name."
"Joey Potter."
"Right, right. So, you're here. Getting the lay of the land. How is it going so far?"
"All right," she shrugged.
"And how's that boyfriend of yours? Did he move to the city with you as planned?"
She took a deep breath, trying very hard to be polite. "Yes, he did."
Alice lifted her cigarette to the corner of her peach-frosted lips that contrasted with her shiny black nail polish, and lazily inhaled again. "So, I guess I'll be seeing him around campus, then."
"Maybe," she said impatiently, and shrugged her shoulders noncommittally. "But he'll be working a lot, so…"
"Oh, well…" Alice sighed. "I'll see you around. Good luck with your first week. If you need my help with anything, you can find me at Bristol Hall, room three-two-eight."
"Thanks."
Joey walked away, determined to have as little contact with this girl as possible.
September 3. On Monday morning, after dragging a resistive Audrey out of bed, she walked down the hall to the common room for the mandatory residents' meeting. They arrived on time, and joined the eighteen male and female dormmates from the nine other rooms on the first floor. The meeting began, and each member of Plymouth Hall's staff spoke about different topics. The Residence Hall Director, Vernon Tanner, spoke about building security and rules.
He wanted everyone in the room to know that "street people" were not their "friends," and should not be admitted to the building, and if caught in the building, should be ejected immediately by Hall staff. "Petty theft of your personal items will be minimized by keeping your doors locked, and not allowing strangers inside the Hall. Please also keep in mind the safety and well-being if your female classmates, so do not let anyone inside the building who does not belong on this campus."
When Mr. Tanner finished his spiel, he left the common room. Then a light-skinned black guy with wavy hair, wearing a Worthington College T-shirt, stood up at the front of the room.
Audrey leaned over and whispered in Joey's ear, "He's hot."
She rolled her eyes.
"What's up fellas and ladies?" he said in a tender voice with a mild southern accent.
Beside her, Audrey sighed, obviously disappointed. "He's gay."
Joey shushed her.
"My name is Jerami Grant and I'm going to be the first-floor RA this year. I am a senior, proud member of the Class of 2002, and I am here to help you through your first year on campus. It is my job to oversee dorm life, plan social events, and keep an eye on any homesick freshmen. I will provide a sympathetic ear and practical advice for any of y'all who need help dealing with academic, social, medical, or personal problems. I am here to pay attention and notice any serious changes in behavior. So, if I think you seem uncomfortable or unhappy, I will come and talk to you to make sure y'all are okay.
"It is also my job to enforce residence hall rules. This includes calling campus security for any underage drinking- or drug-related infractions. But I'm gonna make this short and sweet. I'm from Atlanta. And anyone who knows about A-town knows we love to kick it. If you want to smoke weed, just don't let me smell it. If you want to drink, pour me a cup, but don't get behind the wheel. It's that simple. Other than that, I really don't care what y'all do in your rooms.
"I am not here to be your mama or yo' daddy. I just want y'all to have a good time. As long as you respect each other and keep the first floor clean, y'all can do pretty much whatever you want. But don't mess around with V-Man, or he will fuck you up. If you get caught by him, there is nothing I can do. If he gets you, he's got you. That understood?"
Everyone either nodded or murmured their affirmative answer.
"Overall, my job as your RA is to be the person you can turn to and someone you can trust. If I cannot solve a problem or if I feel that more help is needed, I will direct y'all to the right campus support center where you can find the help you need. But my job is not all about solving conflicts. I'm also here to make sure you have fun and are enjoying life while staying safe. I look forward to making this the best first year possible for y'all.
"Now, are there any questions or issues that we can address right now?" Jerami asked, looking around the room with pursed lips. "Something that affects the whole floor. Personal issues can be dealt with in private later after the meeting."
A boy standing on the other side of the room holding the orientation brochure and wearing a white button-down shirt raised his hand. Joey thought he looked about five-nine, and couldn't have weighed more than a hundred and forty pounds soaking wet.
"Yes. Your name?" the RA said.
"Timothy. I just want to bring it to everyone's attention that the walls here are thin. And some of us are very light sleepers and don't want to be woken up in the middle of the night to loud sex noises. And on a Sunday night, too. That is the Lord's Day," he concluded, clearly affronted by this.
A low murmur of giggles rumbled through the room. Audrey turned to look at Joey, who froze, her smile fading. "Oh, my God, do you think he's talking about you?" she whispered, laughing breathlessly. "First nothing on the doorknob, and now this? You've got a lot to learn about dorm life, girlfriend." She laughed again.
Joey's face had turned beet red and her eyes bulged. She wanted to die from the embarrassment. She wanted the floor to open up and swallow her. Thankfully, at least no one seemed to be looking particularly in her direction. The 'loud sex noises' appeared to be anonymous for now. She hoped it stayed that way.
Jerami clenched his jaw, the corners of his mouth twitching as he fought a grin. "All right, let's always remember the thin walls. I'm sure everyone in this room doesn't want their private life to become a public spectacle."
At quarter to eleven, the meeting mercifully came to an end, and the students began leaving the common room as the second-floor residents started to make their way in. Her face still burning, Joey rushed out, in a hurry to get away from the group.
"So, what are you doing now?" Audrey asked after catching up to her.
Walking beside her, Joey threw a brief glance in her direction. "I'm going to a barbecue at a friend's house. I have to catch the bus soon. What about you? Any parties happening later?"
"Yeah. Berkshire Hall is throwing one tonight. And there's some frat house off-campus that's hosting a cookout this afternoon."
"Well, I'm sure you'll have fun, and I'm equally as sure you'll tell me all about it later."
"I'm planning on having a blast," Audrey said, smiling widely. "Last night's party was a dud. I fully intend on kissing some boys tonight, and maybe more."
Joey stopped when they reached room one-twenty-seven. "Are you saying I might come back here tonight to find a scrunchie on the doorknob?"
Her roommate's eyes widened and she shrugged as a grin spread across her face. "Who knows? Maybe. That's the beauty of being open to new experiences. You should try it."
"Who says I'm not open to new experiences?"
"I don't know. You seem… kinda uptight."
"I'm not uptight," she denied. Scoffing, Joey unlocked the door and walked into her room, but as soon as her back was to Audrey, she frowned, her brows knitting together.
On Monday morning, Pacey stood over the stove, heating a skillet over the large burner. The smell of bacon and sausage mingled with the lifegiving scent of coffee. Moving to the counter, he whipped a frothy bowl of eggs, adding a bit of cream, then salt and pepper, before pouring the mixture into the hot skillet. Once they began to sizzle, he dropped cheese and vegetables in, then swirled and expertly flipped the omelet closed. After pulling down a clean plate from the cupboard, he slid the omelet into place. Strips of crispy bacon and two pieces of buttered toast followed, and he turned to set the plate on the island as his sister appeared.
"You made my favorite?" Gretchen said with a smile.
"I did." He poured her a steaming cup of coffee, added the exact right amount of cream and sugar, and set it down on the island next to her plate.
She sat on a stool and picked up the cup to take a sip. Then she stopped. "What's this about? It's not my birthday."
He laughed and took a bite of toast. "Does there need to be an ulterior motive? Can't a guy just make a nice breakfast for his big sister?"
Her eyes narrowed over her cup of coffee as she drank.
He seated himself at another stool at the island. "So, um, you and I haven't spent that much time together since I got to Boston."
"Well, you're working a lot now. And when you're not working, you're with Joey."
"True. But there's been times…" He took a deep breath, thinking over his choice of words. "It just seems like you've avoided being alone with me. We haven't really… talked much."
"What do you want to talk about, Pace?"
He drank from his cup. "Well… I come to Boston and Joey tells me you've got a new boyfriend, whom you conveniently never mentioned to me at all over the summer whenever I called. And it's been over a week now, and I still haven't met this person. Should I be concerned?"
"Concerned?" she laughed.
"Well, let's face it, Gretch. You don't have a great track record when it comes to choosing boyfriends."
She didn't reply, and instead forked her omelet and took a bite. When she finished chewing, she spoke. "You're right."
"Are you happy with Charlie?"
His sister beamed a smile, and her cheeks blushed pink. "Yes."
"So, why are you hiding it?"
"I'm not hiding how happy I am," she replied evasively.
"Don't you think I want to meet the person who's making my sister so happy? Look, Jen's grandmother is having a barbecue this afternoon at her house in Dorchester. Why don't you come today and bring Charlie? That way we can all meet h—Charlie."
Gretchen lowered her gaze and sliced her fork through the cooked eggs. "I think Charlie's working today."
Well, he knew that was a lie. The restaurant was closed today. He kept his face passive, and shrugged. "Well, all right. Maybe we can all go out or something one of these nights. Hey, we can go across the street to Hell's Kitchen and play some pool." When his sister didn't reply, he sighed. "At least bring Charlie over to the loft sometime when I'm here so I can at least get a good look at this person."
"You don't need to worry about me, Pace. I'm a big girl."
"I know, I know." He backed off and dropped the subject.
At noon, Pacey left the apartment, and walked down to the bus stop, where he hopped a ride going south to the Savin Hill section of Dorchester, Boston's largest neighborhood. He got off at the corner of Dorchester Avenue and Harbor View Street, and then walked the three blocks down to Spring Garden Street. When he found the brick house numbered twenty-eight, he went up to the front door and knocked.
The door opened, and he was greeted with a shriek of excitement. In an instant, Andie jumped into his arms, and he picked her up and spun her around.
"I missed you like crazy," she said, smiling widely as he set her feet back on the ground.
"I missed you, too, Andie." He followed her into the house. "How was your summer? How's Krudski?"
"It was very good. And thanks again for the Aerosmith tickets, Pacey. It was an awesome show. And Will is good. He's excited to see you."
They walked through the townhouse to the backyard, where Pacey saw Joey had already arrived. She was out back with Jen and Jack, Mrs. Ryan, and Will. He shook hands and doled out hugs, and then kissed his girlfriend hello.
"Hi, sweetheart," she said with a smile, placing her hand in his. "How was work last night?"
"Oh, you know… washing dishes. The kitchen was pretty mellow, though, comparatively. A lot less screaming than Friday and Saturday night. I'm hoping they'll let me move from the sink to the prep station this week, but it's honestly up to Armando and Dominic."
"Maybe we'll have to come by and eat there sometime once you start cooking," Jack said.
Pacey laughed darkly. "Well, be prepared to pay an arm and a leg when the check comes."
"So, you're liking the job?" Jen asked him.
"I am. I like it there a lot. Just being in the kitchen of a busy restaurant. I don't know. There's… there's just something about it, about the people who work there."
"Perhaps you found your place in the world, young man," Mrs. Ryan said astutely.
He gave a small smile when Joey squeezed his hand. "Uh, yeah. Maybe."
A little later, he was helping Andie and Will carry the charcoal and grilling meat from the house into the yard. He quickly fired up the grill. "Are you sure you don't mind doing the cooking?" Jen's grandmother asked him.
"Of course not, Mrs. Ryan."
"Pacey Witter, when are you going to call me Grams like everyone else? Even Dawson doesn't call me 'Mrs. Ryan' anymore."
"Sorry, Mrs.—" He chuckled. "Grams."
"There you go." She turned to the others. "Well, I'm heading inside to make some pitchers of lemonade and iced tea. Sound good?"
"Sounds great, Grams," Jen called out from where she sat at the picnic table.
Pacey watched the older woman disappear inside the house with Jack, and then turned to his friends. "So, you guys got moved into your dorms all right?"
"Yeah," Will answered.
"I'm in a quad in Straus Hall, one of the seventeen freshmen dorms," Andie said. "I toured them all, and Straus has the best common room in my opinion. Anyway, I'm all moved in, and my three roommates seem really nice and cool, thank goodness."
"Well, my roommate is this kid who carries an inhaler with him everywhere he goes and wears Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle pajamas, but I guess it could be a lot worse as far as roommates go. At least he's not a Yankees fan."
He chuckled, nodding his head. "You got that right. So, Andie, how's life in Harvard Yard treating ya so far?"
"Oh, my God, Pacey," she said excitedly. "I just have so much to tell you!"
"I'm all ears, McPhee," he grinned.
As he and Will started to spear vegetables and swordfish pieces onto skewers, he listened as she gave him a blow-by-blow of her first week spent on the prestigious campus. It was a hot and humid day, and standing over the grill, he was soon sweating bullets. It wasn't long before Grams returned outside, and he gratefully gulped down a cold glass of sweet iced tea.
Over on the picnic table, Joey watched Pacey work the grill. She blushed slightly as he pulled his red T-shirt off, revealing his tanned, smooth, glistening, sweat-soaked skin. Her gaze swept over his shoulders, the way his shoulder blades moved, and her heart skipped a beat. His white tank undershirt clung tightly to him, and the front was lifted up, showing his slim waist and flat stomach and the happy trail that led down from his navel to the waistband of his belted khaki shorts.
He was extremely sexy like that, and she stared. How could she not? He was a sight to behold, the magnificence of him, the elemental maleness of him as he worked. His intensity of concentration, the care he took with his task, the masculine grace as he moved and bent and lifted. The curl of brown hair over his brow, the curve of his neck as he knelt beside the cooler, the line of his back so lean and strong. She wanted to put her hand there, between his shoulder blades, and run her fingers down the deep furrow of his spine. To feel the warmth of his skin. To kiss him there and taste his salty male heat.
Pacey started to pull the kabobs off the grill and stack them on the platter he had waiting beside it, a study in efficient grace that was as enjoyable to watch as most other things she'd seen him do. After a few seconds of watching him work, she again found herself thinking back to Saturday night, and blushed over the surprisingly exquisite sensation of Pacey's tongue against her—
She felt a hard foot make contact with her shin.
"Ow, Jen!"
"You're daydreaming about sex again. You've got that glazed look."
Joey huffed and rolled her eyes. Her face blushed pink and she chewed her bottom lip.
Jen leaned forward. "Okay, now I'm intrigued. What's with the blushing?"
Chewing on her thumbnail, she laughed nervously. There was no way she could say it out loud. "He hasn't exactly said it, but I think… I think Pacey wants to have anal sex," she whispered.
"I'm sure he does. In fact, I'd be willing to bet money on it."
She pulled a face. "Really?"
"Yeah, really. I mean, hey, do you wanna ask Andie if Pacey ever fucked her in the ass?"
Joey laughed in spite of herself. "I'd rather rot."
"Or maybe he did it with Ms. Ja—"
Her face turned hard. "Don't you dare mention that… woman's name."
Jen's eyes went wide as she smacked her lips. "Anyway… of course Pacey wants to do that with you. It's a guy thing. Guys have dicks. Girls have holes. Guys want to put their dicks in girls' holes. They're not all that picky about the specifics."
Joey rolled her eyes. "Jen! That's disgusting!"
She shrugged one shoulder. "I didn't say it wasn't. Like I said, it's a guy thing. Guys can be disgusting."
Sighing, she folded her arms on the picnic table. "So, I'm guessing you've never… done that? Or have you?"
"Nope," Jen replied, shaking her head. A mischievous grin curved her lips. "But you know what? I'm really not the one to ask." She shifted on the picnic bench and turned. "Jack!" she called out.
Joey's eyes went round as quarters. "No!" she whispered desperately at her friend. "Don't you dare!"
"Hey, Jack!" Jen called again, ignoring her.
He finally turned from where he was standing near the table where the prepared food was being set up buffet-style, talking to Grams and Will, and then started walking over.
"I fucking hate you!" she hissed.
Jen shook her head, clicking her tongue in faux disapproval. "Language, Miss Potter."
Joining them at the table, Jack took a seat across from her next to Jen. "What's up?"
"Joey here has a question she'd like to ask you," his best friend said with a smirk.
As Jack looked at her curiously, she was sure her cheeks were pink again. She lifted her glass of lemonade to her mouth and drank.
"Go on. Ask him. It's the only way you're gonna get the answers you're looking for without looking up sketchy porn on the Internet."
Jack's brows knitted together as he glanced between the two girls. "What?" he laughed.
Setting her glass back down, she took a deep breath. "Have you…" She wanted to die from mortification. "Have you ever…" She rubbed her hand across her brow, unable to look him in the face. "Have you ever had… anal sex?" she whispered.
Eyes going wide, Jack turned a stunned expression on Jen.
"I know," she giggled.
"Why, Joey Potter," he said in surprise.
"Our baby is growing up so fast," Jen cooed, rubbing his arm. "Just think, a mere seven months ago we were switching up cabin keys so she could lose her virginity, and now she wants to know all about anal sex."
Face burning, her hand over her brow, she stared down at the table. "Oh, my God. Please shut up."
Jack's face blushed red. "Um… what exactly do you want to know about it?"
Tongue firmly planting in her cheek, she lifted her face, but still couldn't look at either of them in the eye. "Well, isn't it painful?"
"Ah. Well, if you're with an uncaring douchebag who just wants to shove it in, yeah… it'll hurt. But if you take it nice and slow at first, then…" Jack glanced at Jen, who was smiling broadly, clearly enjoying this conversation.
"Is it different… with guys?"
"I don't think it's that different. Look, anal sex is one of those things that isn't supposed to hurt if you're doing it right. And if you're really doing it right, then… well, it feels really, really good. I've never personally experienced the… receiving part of it, but I've been told as much."
"Who told you?"
His face went red again. "Tobey."
Joey giggled. "Oh. How is your boyfriend, by the way?"
Sighing, Jack shrugged. "He's okay. He misses me. I miss him, too. We probably won't be able to see each other until Thanksgiving. I don't know, the long distance is just…" His voice trailed off. "Anyway, back to the topic at hand."
She frowned in sympathy, and then turned to Jen. "Would you… ever want to do… that?"
"Well, I'm not against it, in theory, but I've never been with anyone I trusted enough to do it. So, I've never wanted to. But if I was with someone who I trusted, then…" Jen shrugged. "I mean, sure, why not? If I liked it, great. If I didn't, well, then I'd just never do it again. It'd be a new experience, right? I could at least say I tried it."
"Yeah," she said, spinning her glass of lemonade on the table. She still felt unsure about it all.
"I think it's mostly about being comfortable with yourself and your own body, and with the person you're with," Jack said. "Being open and vulnerable, and trusting the other person with that vulnerability. Trusting that person not to hurt you, or do anything else you're not comfortable doing."
Joey looked over at the grill, where her boyfriend stood talking with Andie. Feeling her eyes on him, Pacey turned to look at her. She smiled at him, and he answered her with a returning smile, his eyes full of love and tenderness. Their gazes locked for a long moment, and she felt warmth flooding through her chest and up to her face, down to her core, her blood pumping, hot and alive, through her body.
Shortly before two o'clock, they were all seated around the large picnic table, dining on swordfish kabobs, burgers, and honey mustard-glazed drumsticks along with the side dishes Mrs. Ryan had prepared.
"What's the recipe for this glaze?" the older woman asked. "It's delicious."
"I don't really have a recipe. I just…"— Pacey shrugged. — "made it. I combined Dijon mustard and honey until it tasted right, added a little salt and pepper, and then coated the chicken."
Joey's heart swelled with pride at the compliments her boyfriend was receiving around the table. As she lifted a forkful of pasta salad to her mouth, her cell phone vibrated in the front pocket of her blue jeans. She pulled it out and looked at her screen, recognizing the Witter's home phone number. With a quick glance at Pacey, she stood up from the bench and walked away from the table.
Opening the Motorola flip phone, she lifted it to her ear, hoping against hope it wasn't Mr. or Mrs. Witter. "Hello?"
"Joey? It's Doug. I got your number from Bessie."
She blinked in surprise. "Oh. Hi. What's up?"
"I've been trying to call my brother, but he isn't answering his phone. I left him a couple messages. He hasn't called me back."
"Okay." Her stomach clenched at the sound of worry in Doug's voice. Did something happen to their parents? Someone else in the family? She hoped it wasn't any of the kids. "What's going on?"
"Joey… Mitch Leery was in a terrible car accident this morning. He was taken via MedFlight to Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis, to the level three trauma center."
Stunned beyond belief, her mouth fell open in shock. "Oh, my God. But Dawson and Gail and the baby?" Her face crumpled as her stomach twisted in horror.
"They're okay, Joey. Mitch was by himself in the car."
Some relief spread through her, and her stomach unclenched. "Is he gonna be all right?"
"He's… well, it's pretty bad. There's a good chance he's not going to make it, but you never know. I've witnessed the folks who run the trauma center work miracles. Gail and Dawson are at the hospital. I just, uh, thought Pacey would want to know. And, well… you, too."
Still reeling from the shock, she hung up the call and walked back over to the picnic table.
Pacey turned in his seat to look at her. "Hey. What's with the furrowed brow? Better watch out. You're gonna give yourself a wrinkle."
"I've got some bad news."
He studied her face as the others around the table started to quiet their conversation. "Why don't you look like you're kidding?"
"Doug just gave me a call. He said he's been trying to get in touch with you. He left you messages."
"Oh. I meant to turn my phone on this morning, but I guess I didn't. Hey, what are you gonna do?" he shrugged.
"You probably should've."
"What's going on?"
Everyone was looking at her now. Tears stung her eyes. "It's Mitch… he was in a bad car accident. He…" Her throat closed up. "He's been rushed to the hospital, but… he might not make it."
The news of Mitch Leery's accident was like dropping a bomb on a tea party. Andie and Jen gasped. Grams dropped her cookie and Jack almost choked on his lemonade. But Joey only had eyes for Pacey, who was staring back at her like a deer caught in the headlights.
He expelled a breath in disbelief. "What?" Suddenly thoughts of the rest of the Leery family filled his mind. It was too devastating to contemplate. "And… I… I… Is everybody—I mean…"
"They're all fine. It was just Mitch. He was alone."
Pacey sighed with relief, but then thoughts of Mr. Leery tore at his insides. "When did this happen, Jo?"
"Sometime this morning. He was air-lifted to the trauma center in Hyannis."
Their eyes locked, unspoken words passing between them, and an expression of dawning realization swept across their features. The color drained from his face as the news truly began to sink in.
"We have to go," he breathed.
"I know," Joey choked, nodding as her eyes filled with tears.
After a quick call to Gretchen, Pacey was able to borrow her Land Rover. He and Joey took the ninety-minute drive southeast to the Cape. Their friends had piled into Grams' car, and were on the road not far ahead of them. Labor Day bridge traffic was a bitch, but he was far too worried and anxious, and very much dreading what he might find at the hospital, to complain about it.
When he and Joey arrived at Cape Cod Hospital, she took that long slow walk with him inside. Their hands clasped, fingers threading, holding each other tight. They both knew just how frightened the other was. They found the information center and were directed to the waiting room for the trauma center. What would they find when they got there? Was Mitch still alive? Was he going to die?
They reached the waiting room and found it crowded. Jen was in the chair next to Dawson, who sat in an end seat in one row of plastic chairs, while her grandmother was over sitting next to Gail, holding her hand. Andie and Will had taken seats on the other side of the room. They were holding hands, their heads close together in whispered conversation. Bessie and Bodie and Doug were there. Jack was standing in the far corner of the room, talking to some of his former teammates on the Capeside High football team. Pacey recognized them from his junior classes he had to retake last year. The boys looked pretty shaken up. They were no doubt very worried about their coach.
Gail saw them first. Tears filled her eyes at the sight of them, and she reached. Emotion choking her, Joey let go of Pacey's hand and walked toward Mrs. Leery. She stopped as she passed by Dawson's chair. He was looking at his shoes. She couldn't help the visceral reaction deep in her gut at seeing him, being in the same room as him, even as she sympathized with his terrible ordeal, as compassion tugged at her.
"I'm so sorry, Dawson," she said quietly, and she meant it.
He slowly lifted his head, looked from the hands she willed not to tremble to the veiled disdain in her eyes, but didn't reply. He held her gaze for a brief moment, and then lowered it again. Not wanting to interact with him more than was absolutely necessary, Joey moved away from him.
"Oh, honey," Gail cried, pulling her into a hug as she took the empty chair on the other side of her.
"We came as soon as we heard," Joey said, hugging her.
Pacey stared at Dawson, who was bent over, elbows on his knees, staring wordlessly at the floor. Jen's hand lay gently on his back, an attempt at comfort. He looked over and his older brother caught his eye, motioning for him to join him and Bodie on the other side of the room. "Hey, Dougie," he said in a low voice as he approached.
"Hi, Pace."
"So, what's the word?" he asked, shaking Bodie's hand.
Doug sucked on his bottom lip and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Doctor said that Mitch sustained a serious brain injury and they're working to keep the swelling to a minimum. He also had a badly burned arm, a broken right leg, a broken left ankle, a cracked spine, and several other minor injuries. The brain injury is the most severe. He's listed in critical condition, and they're hoping to get him into surgery tonight or tomorrow morning if they can get the swelling down."
Bodie nodded. "The doctor said the next twenty-four hours will be crucial. If he makes it through, he'll need months of rehabilitation, and it'll be possibly a year before he makes a full recovery."
Pacey hung his head, expelling a heavy breath. "Oh, man."
After a few more minutes' conversation, he watched Bodie walk over to the chairs to join Bessie, and then turned to his brother. "I'm kind of surprised Dad isn't here."
Not meeting his gaze, Doug hesitated to reply. Pacey eyed him and then scoffed, shaking his head in contempt. "Too drunk to drive out here, right? And I can see why he didn't come along with you either. I mean, it could be seen as poor taste to show up plastered to console the Leerys when Mitch might die in there because of a drunk driver."
He went and sat next to his girlfriend, who was now sitting apart from the rest of their friends with Bodie and her sister. Joey closed her eyes against the rush of emotions ripping through her. She glanced over at Pacey and found comfort in his solid presence beside her. She tightened her hand around his and leaned over to place her head on his shoulder, finding even more comfort in doing so.
He wrapped his free arm around her shoulder. They sat and waited, as people do in emergency waiting rooms. People and families came and went, and they still waited. She eventually went to sleep on his shoulder. At last, one of the doctors came in to speak to Mrs. Leery.
Joey woke up and stretched. "How long have I been asleep?"
Pacey shrugged. "I don't know. I've been doing duty as your pillow for the last couple hours. Bessie and Bodie left a little while ago. Had to go pick up Alexander." He stood up and rubbed his back. "Ugh. These chairs are awful."
When the doctor walked away, the group stood and approached Mrs. Leery. "The doctor says that the swelling is going down much better than they initially anticipated, and if…" She choked up. "If Mitch makes it through the night, then his surgery is scheduled for six a.m."
Mrs. Ryan put her arm around her former neighbor, pulling her close. She glanced up at the clock on the wall. "It's almost nine, and I really need to get these children back to their dormitories. They have their first classes early tomorrow morning."
"Oh, that's right," Gail said, sniffling. She wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. "Thank you so much for coming, and being here with us. You'll never know how much it meant to me and Dawson to have you here, to have your prayers and support. As soon as I get word about the surgery, one way or another, I'll let you know."
Through it all, Pacey had watched Dawson, still staring at the floor. Jen leaned over and kissed his hair, saying something in a quiet voice, words he couldn't quite catch, but the guy didn't appear to say anything back to her. Pacey sighed, a frown curving the corners of his mouth as he turned to walk out of the room.
When they had reached the exit doors to the parking lot, he turned to Joey. "You can ride back to Boston with them, right?"
Andie, Jen, and Jack halted, turning to look at them. When Will noticed everyone had stopped walking, he turned around as well. Joey gazed up at her boyfriend, surprised. "What do you mean? Aren't you coming?"
"I don't have to be to work until tomorrow afternoon. I think…" In his mind's eye, he could still see Dawson sitting there in that sterile waiting room, not saying a word for hours. "I think I'm gonna stay."
She held his hand, unable to completely suppress the slight feeling of disappointment that rose up within her. But on the other hand, she also felt grateful the Leerys wouldn't be alone. "Is it terrible of me to feel relieved that someone will be here to take care of Dawson, and just as relieved that that someone doesn't have to be me?"
He gave her a small smile and rubbed her arm. "No." Pacey turned to Mrs. Ryan. "Is there room in your car for one more, Grams?"
"Oh, I think we can squeeze her in," she replied. "She's skinny. A little too skinny, if you ask me, Miss Potter. Maybe the 'Freshman Fifteen' would do you some good."
"Grams," Jen scolded.
"I'm just saying I can see the girl's hip bone, is all," she said in a low voice to her granddaughter as she turned back towards the automatic doors.
Joey fought back an eyeroll as she looked at her boyfriend. "Gee, thanks," she muttered, and he snickered before mouthing I'm sorry.
"She's tired and it's way past her bedtime," Jack explained with a laugh.
When the group started moving toward the automatic sliding doors, Pacey leaned down and kissed her. "I love you."
"I love you."
"I'll see you tomorrow, Jo. Well, maybe. I don't know when I'll be back, and if I'll have time to spend before work. And then it'll be awful late when I get out of work. So… might not be until Wednesday."
"It's okay. Call me."
"I will."
Joey lifted her mouth for another kiss, and then she left, following their friends out to the parking lot.
Pacey returned to the waiting room. Gail wasn't there. He approached the chairs, and this time Dawson looked up at him, his eyes and mouth opened in surprise. "I thought you all left."
"They did leave, yeah. I decided to stick around."
"Well, thanks for comin'."
"Of course… but I can't say that this is exactly the way I wanted to see you again for the first time."
"Yeah, I know what you mean. How was your summer?"
Pacey's lips curved into a small smile. "My summer was really good. It was really, really good, actually. It totally cleared my head."
"Good."
"And how was your summer?"
"Better than I expected, to be honest."
The guy was still looking at the floor. Pacey frowned. "I'm sorry, Dawson. I wish I had somethin' better to say to you than that, but that's really what it boils down to. I'm really, really sorry."
He sat up and breathed a heavy sigh. "So, if everyone else left, why didn't you go with them?"
"I wanted to be here with you."
"Why?"
Pacey took a seat in the empty chair next to him. "Well, because once upon a time, you and I were best friends. And that means that whenever you need me, I'm here. Anytime, anywhere, any place. Forever. You understand that?"
Dawson frowned and stared at the floor again. "But I'm sure you have to be somewhere."
He shook his head. "Nope, not me. I'm not in college, remember? I don't have to be anywhere in particular until three o'clock tomorrow afternoon."
"I'm not in college either," Dawson replied.
"Yeah. Right."
"That's the reason my dad's in there, fighting for his life. The reason for his accident."
Pacey's brows furrowed in confusion. "What are you talking about, Dawson?"
"He had to go out to the store this morning to buy milk. My mom cooked me breakfast, used up the last of the milk, and there wasn't any left for Lily. So, my dad went to the store. If I hadn't been home, if I'd just been out in California where I was supposed to be right now, this never would've happened. It's all my fault."
"Man, you can't think like that. I mean, who's to say this wouldn't have happened whether you were in Capeside or not?"
"What, like it was supposed to happen? Like it was fate?"
He chuckled breathlessly, and shrugged one shoulder. "Who knows, man? Maybe?"
"Isn't that usually my side of the argument, Pacey? You're supposed to be the cynic."
"Yeah, true. Here's what I do know, Dawson. Sometimes we're just in the wrong place at the wrong time, and bad shit happens. There's nothing we can really do about that, and it does no good to blame yourself or anyone else. Except the dirtbag who drove drunk and plowed into your dad's car. A man named Gary Peters caused your father's accident. A guy who should've known better than to get behind the wheel. A guy who, for the rest of his life, will carry around the guilt. And I want you to know that that guy is not you. It's not you, Dawson. Do not blame yourself for this."
Dawson's chin quivered. "You wanna know the last thing my dad said to me?" he asked, and Pacey looked at him curiously. "'I'm disappointed in you.'"
Pacey understood the fragile dynamic of fathers and sons. He knew firsthand what it was like to harbor regrets and anger over the choices made by his own father, the harsh and cutting words that left deep wounds that would take a long time to heal, if they ever did. He knew just how severely the words and actions of one generation could adversely affect the next. But… Mitch and Dawson Leery?
He pulled a face, brows drawn together in disbelief. "I can't think of anything that would make him say something like that to you—"
"Well, you know that I deferred USC…"
"Yeah, until next year."
"Well, I've been thinking lately that maybe I don't want to go at all, and maybe I should move to Boston instead. My dad thought I was crazy, and we had this huge blowout."
Pacey blinked. "Dawson, why on earth would you, of all people, want to skip out on film school?"
He swallowed, and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "You know how I said my summer was better than expected? Well… I've been spending a lot of time with Jen."
"Oh. Heh. I get it."
"No, it's not…" Dawson sighed. "She didn't ask me to stay here, and I haven't said anything to her either. Nothing's… happened. We've just been spending time together as friends… just hanging out and talking, really. She's helped me open my eyes to certain things. And then I just found myself becoming less and less interested in writing my movie script, less and less interested in going to Los Angeles. I really just… want to be around Jen all the time. The thought of spending four years of my life away from her… I don't know. I hate the thought."
"And your dad… wasn't happy about this?"
"He got really mad. You know, first I defer for a year because I wanted to stay here with Joey, and now I don't want to go altogether for a completely different girl. He kind of… really hit the roof. And nothing's even happening with me and Jen. We're just friends, and I can't really see her ever wanting to be more than that. Sometimes I think she does, and then I'll second guess everything. But I still don't want to leave her, and I still find myself willing to give up USC, my dream school, even if we'll never be anything more than friends. I mean, am I an idiot? If anyone can tell me, you can."
Pacey grinned and leaned back in his chair. "Well, you are an idiot, Dawson. That goes without saying." His friend scoffed. "But if anybody understands the various shades of gray here, it's me. And maybe it's time the two of you got your shot. Because the way I see it, you never did, and this world could use as many love stories as it can get."
He took a deep breath, entwining his fingers in his lap, and then smiled. "You and Joey still seem really happy."
"We are."
"Good."
Then Gail reappeared and sat in the seat on the other side of Pacey. She took hold of his hand. "I'm so glad you're here, sweetie." Her voice choked on emotion again. "I know it means the world to Dawson, and me, too."
Pacey glanced at his friend, who blushed and looked slightly embarrassed.
"I'm happy to be here, Mrs. Leery."
Hours went by. Pacey wasn't able to sleep much through the night; the chairs made it impossible. Dawson and Gail slept, though, and he reasoned it could only be because of the exhaustion and emotional fatigue. Before the sun was even up, a doctor appeared in the waiting room to let them know that Mitch's swelling on the brain was mostly gone. He was out of danger, and they could go ahead with the surgeries to mend his broken leg and ankle.
Pacey expelled the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. Gail cried tears of relief. Dawson slumped forward in his chair, breathing shakily.
Mitch was expected to be in the operating room for several hours. Walking out of the hospital, Pacey made a Dunkin' Donuts run, and then brought back three cups of decent coffee and some food. After they ate and drank, a man with red hair and dressed in blue scrubs came to fetch them.
When Pacey made to follow, the man gave him a look of contempt. The look was all too familiar, and he racked his brain trying to figure out who the guy was. "The OR waiting room is family only."
Mrs. Leery reached behind her and grabbed hold of his hand. "Pacey is family, Mark."
"Okay," the man sighed, nodding his assent. "Sure thing, Gail."
Pacey scowled. Jesus, what bug crawled up his ass and died?
They moved through the corridors, making their way from the trauma center to the surgical center. Then it finally dawned on Pacey, an image of one of his father's deputies swimming in front of his eyes. "Is that Mark Callaghan?" he whispered. "Brendan's brother?"
"Yes," Gail answered him, still holding onto his hand. She squeezed it.
They sat for several hours in the family waiting room, and much to Pacey's chagrin, the chairs weren't any better than the ones down in emergency room. Shortly after ten o'clock, they were informed that Mitch had been moved to Recovery, and he was doing well. Gail shed more tears of relief. Pacey got on the phone to give Joey the good news, and asked her to pass it along to their friends.
After being told what room he was being admitted to on the floor, they were there to meet him. Pacey watched as Dawson and Mrs. Leery stood on either side of his hospital bed, holding his hands. He was still a little groggy, but he seemed to be doing fine.
A nurse dressed in cranberry scrubs soon entered the room. "Mrs. Leery, um, Sheriff and Mrs. Witter are here to see Mr. Leery. He says to tell you it's purely a social visit, and not in any official capacity. Is it all right if I send him on in? Or would you like me to tell him to come back another time?"
Pacey inwardly groaned and quietly backed up against the closed bathroom door.
"I don't mind seeing John and Susan," Mitch said to Gail, his voice ragged.
Two minutes later, his parents were walking into the room. They didn't see Pacey at first, who'd started backing up towards the open doorway as soon as they had entered the room. John and Mitch exchanged pleasantries, and Susan asked Gail about the surgery.
Pacey stood with his back against the wall, still as a stone, saying nothing. His guts had tied up in knots. Fear and a really healthy dose of anger were now tied together in a pretty untidy package. Gail's eyes flickered over to him, and he met her gaze. She smiled kindly.
"John," she said sweetly. "I just want to thank you and Sue for raising such a wonderful son. He's a beautiful boy, inside and out. You both should be so proud of the young man he's become. You have no idea what a blessing Pacey has been to myself and Dawson through this ordeal." She smiled again in his direction.
His parents turned sharply, surprised to see him, their eyes widening. "Oh. Um… Pacey."
"Hiya, Pop. Hi, Ma."
"How long have you been here?" his mother asked.
"He was here with us all night," Gail continued, tilting her head at Dawson. "Getting us anything we wanted, making sure we were taken care of, making us laugh when we needed it. The experience would've been so much worse if Pacey hadn't been here. I don't know how I would've remained calm and sane without him." Her eyes became wet with tears.
Emotion seized his throat, and he swallowed against the lump forming there. He glanced at his watch. "Well, I really gotta be heading back to Boston. I have to get ready for work. Don't wanna be late."
Gail crossed the room and gave him a tight hug. "Thank you so much, sweetie."
"You're welcome. Call me anytime if you need anything." He threw an uneasy glance at his father, and then turned to Mr. Leery. "I'm glad you're gonna be all right. You had us all worried."
With one last look at his parents, who stood there speechless, staring at him, he turned and moved towards the door.
"Pacey," Mr. Leery called out hoarsely, and he turned back. Their eyes met and held. "Thank you. Thank you for taking care of my family."
His throat closed up again, but then he tried to laugh the emotion off. "Well, believe me, Mitch, it was no picnic. Whoever made those chairs in the waiting room must've graduated from the Marquis De Sade School of Design," he snarked.
His mother and Gail laughed. Dawson chuckled while Mitch smiled appreciatively. What was surprising was hearing genuine laughter from his father, not the derisive, mocking laughter Pacey was used to hearing whenever anything came out of his mouth. Hearing his father laugh at the joke was unnerving. After saying goodbye to the Leerys, he quickly fled the room.
He didn't get far down the hallway.
"Pacey!"
Closing his eyes, he came to a halt, and heaved a long-suffering sigh before turning around to face his father. "Finally decided to show up now that you're sober, huh, Pop?"
John Witter's face hardened, his jaw clenching, but there also seemed to be regret and maybe even shame behind his eyes. "Well, it was Labor Day, after all. And I'd never get behind the wheel after one too many, son."
His eyes narrowed. "We both know that's not true. Don't we?"
The color drained from his dad's face. His mouth opened, but no words came out.
With a cold look of contempt, Pacey turned and started to walk away.
His father called after him, and then he heard his mother's voice calling him, but he kept on walking and didn't look back. They once held power over him, but not anymore. He'd gotten away from them. He felt stronger, more confident. They would never hurt him again. He was free. Free of Capeside, free of them.
When he finally reached the parking lot and started to insert the key into the driver's side door of the Land Rover, he heard his name called again, but it was a different voice. Pacey turned to see Dawson rushing towards him. His erstwhile best friend came to a stop, breathing hard.
"What's up, man? Is everything okay? Your dad, is he—"
"Oh, he's all right. Yeah, he's fine. I just, uh, I just wanted to catch you before you left."
Exhaustion was starting to kick in, and he took a deep breath. "What is it, Dawson?"
The guy shoved his hands in his pockets, looking like he was gathering his thoughts. "About a month ago, you called me on the phone. You remember?"
"Uh, yep."
"You told me to think about everything you'd said, and if there was anything I wanted to say to you, then I should just tell you next time I saw you."
He licked his lips, nodding. "Yeah," he replied tentatively, unsure about what he was going to hear.
Dawson took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. I wish I'd been a better friend to you. Despite everything that's happened, you really were the best friend I'd ever had. And I just… I wish I'd been better. I truly am sorry, Pacey."
He honestly hadn't been expecting to hear that. "Thanks, Dawson. I appreciate that. And, for what it's worth, I wish I'd been better, too."
A smile played about his mouth. "Take care of Joey up there in that big city, and don't be a stranger."
"I will, and… I won't," Pacey chuckled.
He stuck out his hand to shake. Their eyes met, a silent understanding passing between them, and Pacey grasped his hand. Dawson nodded, then turned and walked away.
It was as if a chapter had closed in his life. The summer breeze brushed his curly hair across his forehead, almost like a page turning. Pacey exhaled, then climbed behind the wheel of the Land Rover, eager to return to Boston, ready for the next chapter life had in store for him.