BooksBarbecue
Back Man of the Year
Chapters (52)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Epigraph
  4. 1.
  5. 2.
  6. Jonah
  7. 3.
  8. 4.
  9. Luna
  10. 5.
  11. 6.
  12. 7.
  13. 8.
  14. Emily
  15. 9.
  16. 10.
  17. 11.
  18. 12.
  19. 13.
  20. 14.
  21. 15.
  22. 16.
  23. 17.
  24. 18.
  25. 19.
  26. 20.
  27. Alexis
  28. 21.
  29. 22.
  30. 23.
  31. 24.
  32. Naomi
  33. 25.
  34. 26.
  35. 27.
  36. 28.
  37. 29.
  38. 30.
  39. Simone
  40. 31.
  41. 32.
  42. 33.
  43. 34.
  44. 35.
  45. ONE MONTH LATER
  46. 36.
  47. Elizabeth
  48. Jonah
  49. Acknowledgments
  50. Readers Group Guide
  51. About the Author
  52. Copyright

When the bill has been paid and our stomachs stuffed to where it feels like they might rupture, we wander to the parking lot for extended good-byes. It’s still light out. Ten years ago, we wouldn’t even be dressed to go out yet.

I compliment Rosie on handling us so well. She says, “Are you kidding? I’m so happy to finally meet you,” and lets me hug her like we’re old friends, which I can tell we might be someday.

When Gina tells Rosie, “I’m stealing her for a second,” and pulls me aside, I give her the thumb drive with a bow on it that’s been in my pocket this whole time. “Seven playlists. One for each day of the week. Happy birthday, boo.”

She hugs me hard and asks, “Can you still make it to that thing?”

“I doubt it, but whatever. The whole thing is weird and morbid, anyway. I didn’t even know the kid. Nobody did.”

“Super weird.”

“I know.”

She glances at the others, then turns back and drops her voice. “You doing okay?”

I shake my head. “How did I get myself into this mess?” The flowers, the kiss, the hard bargain and blood. The threats from that guy who could ruin my life.

“Because you fell in love with the douche,” she says. “Stop beating yourself up.”

I let my hair fall in my face to make sure our friends can’t see or hear me say, “His friend scared the shit out of me, Gina. I thought I was doing the right thing. I’m seriously worried about Dr. Hart. I didn’t know what to do and really believed his friend would be able to help. I’m so stupid.”

“Stop it. Stop being so hard on yourself. It’s time you take care of your own damn future. You don’t have to protect those guys. I still think you should up and quit.”

I shake my head. “That place would fall apart. He’d be helpless.”

“Listen to me. Guys like that? They’re already protected. He’ll be fine. The system is designed to make sure he’ll be fine. You want to get yours? Work outside of the system. Just do me a favor and don’t feel bad. Please? He has no problem watching his own ass, right? You’ve got to watch yours.”

I twist to look at my own ass because it’s easier to crack a joke than to acknowledge that maybe Gina’s right: maybe he doesn’t need me. She hugs me long and hard, and with her lips near my ear, whispers, “Use that blood if you have to.” As she walks away, she calls out, full voice, “Believe me. He’ll be fine.”

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