The Wild Zone Read Online Free Page B

couple,” Suzy said. “Your brother and the bartender.”
    “Yeah, they do.”
    “She seems very nice.”
    “She is.”
    The conversation came to a halt. Suzy returned her attention to the drink in her hand.
    “Kristin said you just moved here from Fort Myers,” Will said after several uncomfortable seconds.
    “Kristin?”
    “Jeff’s girlfriend.”
    “Jeff?”
    “My brother,” Will qualified. What was the matter with him? Had he always been so totally inept with women? No wonder Amy had dumped him.
    “The bartender and the bodybuilder,” Suzy stated.
    “Personal trainer,” Will said, then almost kicked himself. Was he a complete idiot? “So what prompted the move from Fort Myers?” he asked.
    “Have you ever been there?” she asked, as if this was answer enough.
    “No.”
    “I guess it’s not a bad place. The people are certainly nice enough. It was just time for a change.” She shrugged, took another sip of her martini.
    “A change from what?”
    “Everything.”
    “What did you do in Fort Myers?”
    “Worked in a bank. I was an assistant manager.”
    “Sounds interesting.”
    “Let’s say it was exactly as interesting as it sounds.”
    Will laughed, felt his body genuinely beginning to relax, as if he’d released his belt a notch. “Did you get transferred here?”
    “No. Believe me, the last thing I ever want to see is the inside of another bank. Unless, of course, I’m depositing money.”
    “So, where are you working now?” Will asked.
    “I’m not. I’m kind of like you, I guess. Taking the summer off.”
    “And then what?”
    “Haven’t decided. You?”
    “Me?”
    “What happens when the summer’s over?” she asked. “Must be a little crowded at your brother’s.”
    All roads lead back to Jeff, Will thought. “A little. I don’t know. Maybe I’ll go back to school. Maybe I’ll go to Europe. I’ve always wanted to see Germany.”
    “Why Germany?”
    “My thesis—it’s about this German philosopher. . . . Martin Heidegger.”
    “Don’t think I’ve ever heard of him.”
    “Not too many people have. He writes about death and dying.”
    “Yeah, they kind of go together.” She smiled. “Sounds a little depressing.”
    “People always say that. But it isn’t really. I mean, death is a fact of life. We’re all going to die sooner or later.”
    “They teach you that at Princeton? Because if they do, I’m sure as hell not going there.”
    Will laughed. “There’s nothing to be afraid of.”
    “Are we talking about death now or Princeton?”
    “Do you believe in God?” he asked, thinking of all the earnest undergraduate discussions he’d had on the subject, the arguments he’d had with Amy. . . .
    Suzy shook her head. “No.”
    “You sound very sure.”
    “You seem surprised.”
    “I guess I am. Most people are more circumspect.”
    “Circumspect?”
    “Cautious,” he said, although he sensed she knew exactly what he meant. “Guarded. They hedge their bets, say they don’t know, that they’d like to believe, or that they believe in some sort of a higher power, whether you want to call it God or a life force. . . .”
    “I guess I’ve never been very good at circumspect.” Her eyes drifted toward the large ceiling fan whirring overhead.
    “You look like you have very deep thoughts,” Will ventured.
    Suzy laughed, her focus restored. “First time I’ve ever been accused of that.”
    “It was meant as a compliment.”
    “Then that’s how I’ll take it. You ever been married, Will?”
    “No. You?”
    “Yes. But let’s not talk about that, okay?”
    “Fine by me.”
    “Good.” She took another sip of her drink. “What do you say I finish this, then we get out of here?”
    “Whatever you want.”
    “My three favorite words.”
    “You’re really very beautiful,” he told her, surprising them both. Until this moment, he hadn’t actually thought she was.
    “No. I’m too skinny,” she said. “I know it’s all the