A Guide to Being Just Friends(30)

“In your dreams, kid,” Noah said, coming out from an open doorway behind the counter.

“You were sweating so much I almost slipped in it,” Leo said, crossing his arms over his body and using one hand to pretend to hide his laughter.

Noah hooked a thumb toward the kid, clearly enjoying the back-and-forth. “Remember when we used to be this cocky?”

Wes looked at Leo, gestured to Noah with a tilt of his head. “Some of us still are.”

Leo let out a bark of laughter.

Wes laughed. “Which room am I in?”

“We rented a laptop cart from the library. I put it in a room down the hall. Wi-Fi is spotty so I hope the class goes well.” Noah came around the counter, gestured to the left.

“Pickup game Saturday,” Leo called as they started down the hall. “Two for one if you want—kick both your asses in one game.”

Noah shot the kid a look. “There’s little kids here, man. Butts. You’ll kick our butts.”

Wes laughed. “He seems like he’s a good kid.”

Noah’s expression darkened. “He is. Chip on his shoulder the size of this center. It’s taken him a while to relax around me and Chris. He’s closer to Rob. Doesn’t trust easily.”

“You know anything about his background?”

Noah stopped, ran a hand through his hair. “Thought I did. Because that’s what we do: we look at a situation and make assessments and judgments without knowing anything. Then we step in and pretend we know how to fix it.”

Wes glanced around, smiled at a couple of people walking down the hall, then looked at his brother, an uneasiness settling in his chest. “What’s this about?”

Noah looked over his shoulder, a strange expression on his face. “Grandpa always said it was about becoming part of the community but that’s not always the easiest thing to do. I live here. I care what happens but I feel like we’re standing still. People in this neighborhood have more to worry about than just this center. Even the ones with a steady income and access to good schools.”

His gaze wandered to Leo again.

Wes sighed. “We can only go one step at a time. You are building relationships. That matters. When people see we’re not just here for a ribbon cutting or tax break, they’ll realize we’re part of this community, too. Give it some time. We have it.” He had a quick flash of the future, of meeting Noah and Chris and their growing families for a pickup game or something fun. The sharp pang in his chest surprised him.

Noah nodded, not looking entirely sure as they walked down the hall.

“What’s Leo’s story?”

“Parents are both doctors. One works locally but the other travels a lot. He got picked on in school. He struggles with reading but he’s smart and quick with numbers.”

Wes looked at his brother. “You do know him. Or you’re starting to. We’re here, showing up just like he is, like others are.”

Noah smiled, the tension in his shoulders fading. “We’re getting there.” His brother wasn’t known for his patience.

Wes had arrived forty minutes early and was glad they could have time to chat. The gym must have been close by because he could hear the sounds of a team playing something and shouting.

“So, if we’re getting there, why do you seem frustrated?”

Noah leaned against the open door. “The more we take on, the more excited I am, but it means we’re spreading ourselves thin. It isn’t just our work life I want to be different. I want to marry Grace. Relationships, even good ones like ours, take work. I don’t know. I guess I’m just tired.”

“Do they have a board of directors? That’s how a lot of these places work. It’s a team effort.”

Noah shook his head. “The manager said the community was having trouble reassembling a board. People have jobs and lives like us. How do we get them to be part of a board if everyone is spread thin? Running this place is a full-time job. The manager is partially funded by the city but I’m betting she does more volunteer work than paid.”

He nearly smiled and said what he was thinking. You’re growing up, little brother. Think first, act second. Instead, he said, “Let me see what I can dig up about the previous board and other community organizations, see if there’s any overlap. I’ll find someone we can reach out to. The best way to be part of a solution is to ask the people who know what the problem is. If we can get more people involved, the work lessens for everyone.”

Noah nodded. “That’s a great idea.”

Wes walked into the classroom, set his bag down, and went straight for the hardware. “These look decent enough. I’ll get them all turned on and make sure they’re all connected.”

“Better you than me,” Noah said, shoving his hands in the pockets of his jeans.

“That’s what I was thinking about the working-with-kids part,” Wes said, glancing over his shoulder as he pulled the laptops out of the cart.

Noah came over to help him, setting the laptops on the tables, opening them to speed things up. “You know what you’re talking about. The kids need that. You’ll warm up after a few minutes. Don’t bullshit them. Be yourself. The self you are around us, not the stick-up-his-ass event guy.”

Wes set the laptop down harder than he meant to. “Nice.”