This is too weird. Marcus has always seemed so smooth and cool. Now here he is beating himself over the head because he’s not funny. That’s love for you.
So I’m like, “But, hey, you’re Marcus West. You’ve got the cool, the glide. You’re a doer, dude. You don’t just dream things, you get them done. If our whole generation was like you, maybe we really would change the world.”
“Yeah, but it’d be a boring world.”
“You aren’t boring, Marcus. You’re an interesting guy. You have all these opinions and causes and everything. And I can tell you’re crazy about Cassidy, aren’t you?”
“I am, man. I really am.”
My heart’s bleeding for the dude, but I’m also doing this for Cassidy. If she needs another boyfriend right now, she could do a lot worse than Marcus West.
“Look, Marcus.” I would give him a pat on the shoulder, but it’d be awkward as tall as he is. “Let me give you some advice. For one thing, she’s into you. She told me she is, so you can believe that, one hundred percent.”
“She told you that?”
“Absolutely.” Okay, so admitting this hurts more than I thought it would, but it’s for a higher cause. “And another thing.” I’m on a roll now. “She’s also into all your causes and everything. The girl used to wear me out with that stuff. But maybe you could back off on saving the world just a fraction. I mean, as f**ked up as the world is, with all the war and torture camps and exploding buildings and shit, it can crush you into a powder just thinking about it.”
“Hey, that’s not what I’m trying to do.” I’ve never seen anyone look so earnest. In fact, I haven’t seen many people over the age of nine look any kind of earnest. He’s like, “No single person can save the whole world. I’m just trying to do my part. I get that from my mom and my brothers and the church we go to. You know? You just start with the small stuff in your own world and let it spread from there. That’s all I’m trying to do.”
“Yeah, well, it can be a little much for someone like Cassidy who’s a lot more used to talking about doing that stuff than actually doing it.”
“I thought she liked doing it, though. But, I mean, she doesn’t have to do everything I do. Everyone’s different. To tell you the truth, sometimes I get a little stressed myself. I got a lot of pressure on me. Sometimes it’s like I got this wire stretched tight inside me, about to break, but I don’t figure that’s any reason to give up.”
“Well, let her know that. Don’t go around playing the macho man who won’t tell his girlfriend his problems. Sit down and talk to her, get it all out in the open. And, dude, don’t plan everything out so much—just let it happen. Plus, it wouldn’t hurt you to have a beer every now and then. Maybe even some whisky.”
“I’m not into that.”
“It was just a thought.”
He studies me for a second. “I really appreciate you talking to me like this, Sutter. It’s big of you. I guess I was always like some of the other guys—I figured you were kind of a joke, but you’re not. A long way from it.”
“Wait a minute. Who thinks I’m a joke?”
“I’m just saying—you got a lot more to you than you let on. You got heart, man.”
“Oh yeah, I have that, all right. I have a heart the size of a tuba.”
“You know what, man? I bet if you put your head to it, you could really be a difference-maker yourself.”
“I’ll leave that to you, Marcus. You got it all under control.” I put out my hand, and he gives it a good, warm shake. He’s back to being Marcus West again.
“Why don’t you head over to Cassidy’s,” I tell him. “I’m sure she’d love to see you right about now.”
He smiles. “I think I’ll do that. Thanks again. You’re a good man.”
He ambles away and folds himself back into the Taurus. Bob’s standing in the window again. What a damn good guy. I shoot him another high wave to let him know everything’s all right. Doom has passed me by for now.
But as I drive away, I can’t help going over the conversation. There are no two ways about it. I handed him the keys to Cassidy, all right. At least for a couple of months. That’s all I give their relationship before it collapses under the weight of Marcus’s immense sincerity.
Chapter 44
Aimee’s still not tired of me, and I can’t say that’s a bad thing. I’m really enjoying hanging with her. She’s up for just about anything I want to do. The thing is, now that the secret’s out about my afternoons with Cassidy, I have to explain it to Aimee before it gets back to her through someone else. Krystal Krittenbrink would love to pass that piece of gossip along.
Lunch seems like a good time to spring the news. It’s harder for an argument to get out of control in the middle of McDonald’s than if it’s just the two of you at home. Of course, Aimee’s never given me the least cause to think she’s the fit-throwing type, but you never know what might happen.
I turn out to be a genius, though. I start by telling her about me setting Marcus straight on how much Cassidy’s into him. Then I casually mention the good things Cassidy has to say about her whenever we get together for drinks on Thursday afternoons. And it’s true—Cassidy has told me she thinks Aimee’s an absolute sweetheart. Still, the Thursday afternoons part doesn’t escape Aimee’s attention.