“I’ll take ‘what is freshman year’ for a hundred, Trebek,” Madi says.
“He’s dead,” Ruby says. As a librarian, she is physically incapable of letting inaccurate information go unchecked.
“‘What is freshman year?’ for a hundred, host-of-the-week,” Madi says without changing her tone.
We all lived in the same dorm at the University of Texas as freshmen, and we’ve been friends ever since. The dorms had been closed for winter break, but we’d all gotten restless at home after Christmas. When our group chat blew up with whining about how boring our New Year’s Eves had been with our families, we all accepted Madi’s invitation to crash at her parents’ giant house for the rest of the break while they were in Europe or something.
“That’s right,” Ava says. “Freshman year.” She plucks up the remote in front of Madi and turns off the TV.
“I was watching,” Madi says.
Ruby snorts. “You could recite that episode. We need a bestie meeting.”
Ava draws herself into a ball in her chair and eyes Ruby over her knees. These meetings only happen once or twice a year, and the last time, it was an intervention because we had to kidnap Ava for a long weekend in October when she’d worked eighty hours a week for three months straight. She’s a genetics researcher and super into her work.Toointo it.
Ruby disappears into the kitchen and comes back with a pack of Goldfish crackers. She curls up in the other corner of the sectional, opening her snack and rooting in it noisily. Loudest librarian ever.
“What are we meeting about?” Madi asks. She scoops up the remote and drops it down her shirt, like Ruby and I would even flinch at fishing it out. “I’ll watch as muchSight Unseenas I want.”
“Your love lives are sad,” Ruby says. I think being a librarian also makes her a hardcore romantic. “Why?”
“I’m too busy,” Ava says.
“Boooo,” Ruby says. “You practically live in that lab. Bychoice.”
Ava’s eyebrow shoots up. “Do you know how many world-changing things are growing in my lab? Why wouldn’t I want to be there?”
“I’m on Ava’s side,” I say. “Also, men are the worst, and I don’t want one.” I’ve held this opinion since a rough breakup with my college boyfriend a couple of years ago.
“There are good guys out there,” Ruby argues. “Look at Niles.”
I can feel Madi and Ava fighting the same urge I have not to exchange glances with each other. It’s not that Niles is abadguy. He’s just not the kind of guy anyone with two personality cells to rub together would ever date. None of us can figure out why Ruby is with him.
But we all hold it together and say nothing about NilesQuil, as we call him when Ruby isn’t around.
Ruby isn’t done. “I’ll prove it to you. How about a bet?”
“That Niles is a good guy?” I ask, confused.
“No. That doesn’t need proving.” There’s merciful silence from Ava and Madi. “I’m good at matching,” Ruby continues. “That’s my gift in the library, right? I can match anyone with the perfect book. For their mood, for their forever favorite.”
“That’s true,” I concede. She’s constantly bringing books home from work for us, and she hasn’t been wrong yet.
“I also do it with people,” Ruby says.
This is undeniable. She’s the reason we all intersect. I’d drifted across the hall in the dorm, drawn by her and Ava’s laughter for countless late-night UNO and gossip sessions. Then Ruby had collected Madi when they’d bonded over kicking the boys out of the dorm lounge and watching the first season ofThe Crown,eventually turning at least half of our floor into royal watchers.
She can also put together the perfect mix of people for a barbecue or work team. She intuitively gets which people will click. Which, once again, leaves us all baffled about why she’s with NilesQuil.
“So, you’re betting . . . what?” Madi asks. “That you can find Sami a man?”
“A man that she would want?” Ava clarifies. “Because books are not men. Austin men are notAustenmen, you know?”
“Nice one.” I high-five Ava. “But she’s right, Ruby. You really want to bet me you can find me a guy I’ll like?”
“Yes,” Ruby says calmly. “That’s what I’m saying.”
My eyes narrow. “Name your terms.”
