Why should we act otherwise? After all, we went into that evening planning to make the most of it, and we did what we intended. We enjoyed the full Vegas experience, and we left it all behind when the sun came up.

Tonight, I’m going to keep forgetting about it since I’m off to a Yankees game. First, I stop by Sunshine Bakery, where Josie is closing up. She sweeps the floor as I enter and beams when she sees me.

I smile, too. “You didn’t forget, did you?”

She laughs and shakes her head. “You only told me five times.”

I hold up a finger. “Once. I told you once. Because I told Chase I’d tell you once. It’s embarrassing enough.”

“You must really owe him big time, then.”

“He’s collecting from years ago.”

Josie sets the broom against the wall and heads behind the counter. She grabs a small yellow bakery box. A heart sticker is affixed on the box to keep it closed. She thrusts it at me. “One strawberry shortcake cupcake for Chase Summers.”

“Can’t believe I’m bringing a fucking cupcake all the way to the Bronx for that bastard.” I sniff the box. “Please tell me there’s a seven-layer bar in here for me as a reward?”

“No such luck.” She points to the heart sticker. “It’s only for him.”

I read her writing: The manliest cupcake in the world. Not :) But glad you enjoy it, and glad you missed it. Come visit soon! It’s been too long!

“I swear, Josie. It was all he talked about when we made plans. Are you bringing me a cupcake? Are you bringing me a cupcake? I was like, Dude, get your own. But he’s had daytime shifts all week, so hasn’t been able to make it. And I had to take pity on him seeing as how, well, you know . . .” I make a rolling gesture with my hand.

“He saved lives in war-torn Africa for the last year,” Josie supplies. “The man deserves a cupcake. Be sure to tell Doctor McHottie to stop by to get another one.”

I shoot her a look. “Don’t call him that.”

Her eyes widen in a who me expression. “That’s what you used to call him.”

I shake my head. “Trust me. I never called him that.”

“Then who did?”

“All. The. Ladies.”

She gestures to herself. “I’m a lady.”

“And he’s a dog.”

She laughs. “Sounds like a compliment, then, since you like dogs.”

I consider that briefly. “Got me on that one,” I say, then make my way to the door. But I stop halfway and rap my knuckles on a yellow table as I consider whether I’m missing a chance to pry. I mean, check in on Natalie. “Hey, Josie,” I say, all nonchalant.

“Yeah?”

“Everything good with Natalie?”

Josie tilts her head to the side. “Of course. Why do you ask?”

I shrug. “No reason. Just making sure.”

Josie stares at me, and I know I’ve said too much. This is my sister, and she reads emotions as if they’re tattooed on your forehead. “Did something go wrong in Vegas?”

I scoff. “No. God no,” I say, giving a champion-level denial. Then, worry strikes. “Why? Did she mention anything?”

“No. I just was curious. She’s been a little quieter lately, though. Did you say something stupid to her?”

About a million stupid things.

“No more than usual,” I say with a cheesy grin, breathing a sigh of relief.

“Seriously, though. Were you a good guy?” she says, her big green eyes pinning me. Challenging me. Making me ask myself the same question. Does marrying Natalie on a whim and annulling it let me stay in the good guy camp? Running through the time in Vegas with Natalie, I decide I was a good guy. Maybe not a bright guy. Maybe not a cautious guy. But at least I treated her well, and I’ve been a good boss since we returned.

“I was very good. So good I deserve a seven-layer bar,” I say, batting my eyes.

She laughs and grabs a bar from behind the counter. “You know I always give you one.”

“You’re the best sister in the entire world, world, world,” I call out, making my voice echo, as if I’m talking in a microphone.

“I know, I know, I know. Give Chase a hug for me.”

“Never. That will never happen.”

18

At Yankee Stadium, I find my college buddy in the third row by the first baseline, tapping away on his phone. “Yo. All the women swiping left on you?” I clap him on the back. “It’s rough being everyone’s last choice in Tinder.”

“Don’t you know it, man,” he says, then knocks fists with me. “Good to see you.”

“You, too.” I eye his skin, a golden-brown hue now. “Guess a year working outside will do this to you.”

He holds out one arm. “Like my tan? I really am the golden boy now,” he says, then winks and grabs for the cupcake box. “C’mon. I missed my sweets when I was gone.”

Chase just returned from a year working with Doctors Without Borders. He served shortly after he finished his residency in ER medicine, and now he’s back in New York, working at a trauma hospital.

“No cupcakes in Africa?”

“Shockingly, no,” he says, as he reads the sticker, smiles, and opens the box. He pops a chunk of the strawberry treat in his mouth. He rolls his eyes in pleasure and points. “This is the meaning of life. Right here. This cupcake.”