He smiled wholly for the first time since he’d arrived. “Gonna do it right this time. No more messing around. This one’s the real deal.”

“I couldn’t be happier for you. I mean it.”

“See, this is thing about being happy, Harp. It really puts the past into perspective.” Cal moved to the edge of the chair and leaned in toward me. “I mean there I was, sitting at a quiet little table in Octavia with October, and we’re sharing this incredible dish of crab pappardelle, and we’re talking about my wedding, and the big performance she has coming up, and it dawned on me that I have absolutely no hard feelings toward her anymore. None. Now, if you would have told me on the day she and I broke up that I would one day be able to sit across from her and share pasta, I would have bet you a lot of money otherwise.”

I noticed the buttons on Cal’s shirt were shiny, pearlescent snaps. The fanciest Western shirt I’d ever seen.

“During dessert something else occurred to me. I had a realization. And I looked at October and said, ‘You know what? If I can forgive you, I should be able to forgive him too, right?’”

My anxiety morphed into alarm. “You spoke to her about me?”

“I’m going to be straight with you. She wasn’t too thrilled about that. As soon as I mentioned you, she clammed up and stared at her crème brûlée. So, I said, ‘You don’t think I should forgive him?’ and she said, ‘Chris, I know how much he means to you, and I think you should do whatever feels right. I just don’t want to talk about him.’”

Cal’s words sunk into my chest like a pickax. “She hates me. Why wouldn’t she? I hate me too.” I picked up my mug and tossed back what was left of the tequila while Cal watched. Just as he was about to speak, I put my hand up and said, “Don’t bother telling me how much I deserve her hate; I know.”

Cal shook his head. “Don’t underestimate her. October’s above hate. She feels things hard and then channels those feelings into her fucking art. Even after you left, when I hated you, you know what she told me? She told me the most important thing to do when your heart’s been broken is to keep it open.” Cal rolled his eyes. “‘Nurture the tenderness, Chris. Hold on to the love. Turn it into something beautiful.’ Those were her exact words. And when I asked her why she wasn’t furious with you, she said, ‘I understand Joe too well to be angry with him. I’m just sad.’”