We Were Here: A New Adult Romance Prequel to Geoducks Are for Lovers (Modern Love Stories Book 1) (47 page)

“Or yours.” Lizzy attempted to look happy about Franco-American nuptials.

Gil’s finger slipped and hit a wrong note.

“I hope we see each other on a more regular basis than weddings and funerals. That’s depressing.” Selah pulled out her cigarettes, lit one, and then handed them to Maggie.

“At least some things never change.” Maggie held up the pack and pointed out the man with the erection hidden in the camel.

Even Gil cracked a smile over the old joke from freshman year.

Unlike the rest of my life, I knew one thing for certain.

When I grew up, I wanted to still be friends with these people.

More than friends.

We were family.

“Advice for the Young at Heart” ~ Tears for Fears

Lizzy

THE CREDITS RUN
at the end of Owen’s documentary and the theater lights brighten. Applause incites a round of awkward bowing from Owen, who invites everyone to the after party. We sit in our row as others around us get up and file out to the lobby. I have chills, but it could be the overzealous air conditioning in the old theater.

“Wow.” Gil breaks our stunned silence.

“Were we ever that young and stupid?” Selah removes her boots from the seat in front of her and sits up.

“Did I really say those things? Sheesh, could I have been more of a Pollyanna Sunshine?” Maggie rolls her eyes.

“No, you really couldn’t have.” Quinn tosses a piece of leftover popcorn at her. “I forgot about your schoolmarm outfit.”

“I think it’s sweet.” Jo gazes at Ben.

“I agree.” Ben holds her hand.

“You would.” I lean forward next to Ben to make eye contact with Jo on his other side. “You two were the happily ever after of the whole film.”

“Unlike me, who according to this masterpiece of cinéma vérité, am a sexless virgin.” Quinn gives me a devilish grin.

“The entire thing is a work of creative fiction, not historical fact.” Gil brushes popcorn off his jeans and stands.

“Says the history major.” Quinn tosses another kernel at him, which Gil catches in his mouth.

“How do you even have popcorn left in your bucket?” Selah pulls it closer to herself.

He yanks the tub away, scattering more popcorn. “Let’s go to the after party. Maybe convince Owen to make a director’s cut with all the footage from the editing room floor.”

Everyone else groans, then starts complaining about finals and being busy.

“No, nuh-uh,” I protest. “First, there will be free drinks. What college students turn down free anything? Second, this is it. Next week is graduation and the end. Finito. We go our separate ways.”

“Doesn’t mean we won’t all still be friends. Half of you will be within a few hours of New York or in the city.” Gil sweeps his arm in front of the group.

Maggie sighs. “Not me. I’ll be an ocean away. An ocean and a continent from home.”

“Living in France, mind you. The suffering will be unbearable, I’m sure.” Quinn finally gets up and popcorn rains down on the floor.

“We have our whole lives ahead of us. We need to rally ourselves out of this funk.”

“After grad school for most of us.” Gil’s tone holds no excitement despite getting into the program of his choice.

“Grad school will be different.” Ben smiles at Jo. Quinn and I have a bet they’ll become a Mr. and Mrs. as soon as he becomes a MBA

“You’ll all make new friends and forget about me.” Maggie seems on the verge of tears.

Quinn squints at her. “Hello, crazy French lady in the raspberry beret, you look vaguely like someone I used to know.”

“It’s not funny, Q.” Maggie walks to the end of the aisle.

“We won’t forget you, Maggie May.”

Maggie’s step falters at Gil’s use of her old nickname, something he hasn’t used since two summers ago. He shrugs and his mouth forms a half-smile. For a brief moment, they stare at each other in silence. We hold our collective breath, waiting to see what happens next. A small, sad smile flashes briefly on her lips before she composes herself again.

Quinn flaps his arms around like he’s trying to calm a group of toddlers. “Everyone settle down. We’re going to stay friends. We’re like geoducks. Forever in the same holes. Or a hundred years. Whichever comes first.”

“I don’t want to be a penis clam.” I frown.

“You’re stuck with me. I’m like gay glue.” Quinn pulls me up out of my seat.

A guy with a broom and dustpan walks down the left aisle. “There isn’t a second showing. You need to leave.”

“Charming,” Selah mumbles.

We shuffle out of the row and up the aisle.

“If you’re the gay glue of this friendship, what am I?” Selah asks.

“The heart. You act like it’s a cold, black, shriveled thing, but you probably have the biggest heart of all of us.”

“Do me next!” Maggie strolls backward in front of him.

“The memory. If not for you, we probably wouldn’t have all met.”

“And Gil?” Selah stomps past me, heading for the exit.

“The brain.”

“Isn’t memory part of the brain?” I ask.

“Exactly my point.” Quinn looks smug.

“And Ben and Jo?”

“They’re the body, strength and stamina.”

“I do love your stamina,” Jo whispers loudly to Ben. The rest of us grumble, all too familiar with their stamina after living together.

“And me?”

“You’re the soul, sweet Lizzy.”

“Perfect.”

We arrive in the bright lobby, glance around the crowd, and meet each others’ eyes.

“Free booze or not, I vote we go back to Lucky’s.” Ben stares at us expectantly.

“Their pitchers are practically free.” Quinn meanders in the direction of the glass entrance.

We follow him, exiting the open doors together with arms interlinked or thrown over shoulders.

Doesn’t matter what the future holds for us.

For now we’re here.

In the moment.

Together.

Hope you have an AWESOME year in Paris.

I'll miss you.

Gil

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We Were Here
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I HOPE YOU
enjoyed
We Were Here
. If you’re curious to find out what happens to these characters in the future, please read
Geoducks Are for Lovers.
Spoiler alert:
Geoducks
is a second chance love story.

Evergreen State College, and Speedy the geoduck, aka the best college mascot ever, were inspiration for my characters’ alma mater in
Geoducks Are for Lovers
. In
We Were Here,
my characters attend a fictional version of Evergreen. If you’re a Greener, you probably recognize some things and could point out dozens of details I got wrong. When I sat down to write
We Were Here
, I deliberately fictionalized some aspects of Evergreen and Olympia to fit these characters and their stories. I hope the spirit of the real Evergreen shines through in these stories.
Omnia Extares
!

I’M MOST THANKFUL
for the people who buy and read my books. That’s you, dear reader.

With deepest gratitude and love to my husband for being my alpha reader and my greatest supporter. He kindly and generously lets me borrow some of his charm and wit for my male characters. Another special thank you for never asking how long I’ve been wearing the same leggings when I’m on deadline.

I’m forever grateful to my beloved friends and family. Thank you for continuing to champion my writing. Special thanks to the Lost Girls for your love and support—may our list of adventures continue to grow!

I’m indebted to my beta readers on this book, Helena and Julia. Your feedback is invaluable, as is your friendship. I’m blessed to be part of an amazing community of fellow authors and readers. Shout out to Ashley Pullo for early conversations about how to structure this story. Big thanks to Erika, Dianne, Traci, and Kelly for reading early drafts and loving these characters the same way I do. To all my readers in Daisyland, thank you for sharing part of your days with me. To the bloggers and reviewers, who tirelessly promote authors and books because they love reading, thank you for all of your hard work and support.