He wasn’t sure why he really wanted to know.

“She didn’t break my heart or anything, if that’s what you’re thinking. We were together for all the wrong reasons. At first, we didn’t realize it. Some things had happened, and Christi and I clung to each other, then neither wanted to tell the other when we realized what we were doing. She’s a special woman, just not the one for me. The shitty part is, I haven’t told my parents yet. They think we’re still together.” Bryce leaned forward, resting his arms on the bar. “So, the cooking thing... Tell me about that.” Again, Nick could tell Bryce didn’t want to go into too much information about his friend, and he let it go, even though he really fucking wanted to know why he would let his family believe they were together.

“I’ve always loved cooking. It makes me feel good to give someone a meal. The initial program was only two years. Jill and I were serious by then, and I wanted to settle into a career so we could begin our lives. I’ve never enjoyed anything the way I enjoy cooking.”

He didn’t want it to sound like he’d gone into culinary because of Jill. He did, and always would love it, but he’d also made that decision in part because it was the most logical one for them.

“What about you and bikes?”

“It wasn’t like that for me.” Bryce shrugged. “I didn’t know what the hell I wanted right away. When I first got out of high school, I wanted nothing to do with college. I decided to follow in my dad’s footsteps and work for his carpet business. I was young and thought it would be easy. My parents loved the idea, because neither of my brothers followed his path, and honestly, I think they were scared if I didn’t do that, I wouldn’t do anything. I didn’t realize how much I would hate it, though. It wasn’t for me. I did odd jobs and then decided to try college. I knew my family thought I should go. I’m the only Tanner kid who hadn’t. I tried a computer program, a business program. Then came bartending, another school program unfinished, and a very pissed off, confused family. They thought I should pick something and stick with it. But I need to feel passionate about what I’m doing, and I hadn’t found that yet. They saw it as indecisiveness.”

Nick looked over at him, and he wondered if Bryce could tell he didn’t understand it, either. Not that he was looking down at Bryce, because he wasn’t. Nick just sort of followed in the path he’d taken without much thought.

“A few years ago Christi started dating this guy who rode a bike. He wanted in her pants, so he let me drive it. And that was it. I was in love. I knew it was what I wanted. Bought a cheap bike, and taught myself some things about it. Got it put together enough to drive and I rode her all the time. I got my certificate later, and worked as an apprentice at a motorcycle repair shop at the same time. It was automatic for me, though. I love the freedom of riding. It’s like there’s nothing in the world but me and my bike. I think about all those other programs I tried, and working with my dad. They never would have made me feel like this. I’m glad I held out to find my passion, ya know? To find what I love and can’t live without.”

“Good for you. It takes balls to do that.” Nick wouldn’t have been able to.

Still, the way he talked...yeah Nick could hear the passion about bikes, but it sounded like he didn’t quite feel that passion in the rest of his life. Not really. In a lot of ways, that didn’t make sense. Bryce obviously lived his life the way he wanted, and had a good time doing it, but there was something there that Nick couldn’t put his finger on. Something familiar.

Bryce laughed and added, “Jesus, I feel like I’m getting sentimental for no good reason.”

“Yeah, that’s probably my fault. Wanna shoot some pool?” Nick asked and Bryce said yes. They shot two games, each winning one. They found a booth afterward and sat back, talking again. They were both football fans, and both ex-smokers. They’d already discovered they were both the youngest out of their siblings, both grew up in a similar middle-class kind of family, only Nick’s more traditional than Bryce’s. Both of them were the only ones not married out of their siblings, and both had secret addictions to the TV show Gold Rush.

It wasn’t until the bartender called last round that Nick realized how late it was. That they’d sat here talking for hours, thoughts of anything other than their conversation long gone. He couldn’t remember when he’d last been so comfortable, and had such a good time.

***

Bryce felt like an ass. He’d promised to take Nick out and help him have a good time, yet he’d sat around and talked to the man all night. They’d agreed to go out and try again the next Saturday night, but it had gone down much like the first. The only difference was Nick didn’t talk to anyone except Bryce and the bartender all night. He didn’t approach a single woman.