Chapter 112
112
When I flew into Amsterdam, Gunnar was waiting for me at the airport.
He was in even worse shape than when I’d last seen him – 20 pounds heavier, a far shaggier beard, and a badly stained tracksuit – but the grin on his face was pure joy. He wrapped me up in a bear hug as soon as I walked out of Customs.
“My dude!” he shouted in Swedish.
“It’s good to see you, man,” I said with a smile, though I tried not to breathe in too deeply. He reeked of marijuana.
Gunnar pulled back to look at me. “You look great p>
“I don’t feel great,” I said dourly. I was still under a dark cloud from everything that had happened with Rachel. Part of me wanted to go drown myself in an endless row of liquor bottles.
“I meant you’re in tip-top shape. But, yeah, your expression looks like you’ve been put through the wringer p>
“I feel like it p>
“That’s all right!” Gunnar said as he put his arm around me and guided me out of the airport. “Now that you’re a single man, we’ll hit the red-light district, smoke some weed, and – ”
“No p>
“No?! Why not p>
The truth was, the idea of sex with a woman besides Rachel revolted me. I just wanted her, as much as I hated that fact. I wasn’t about to go fuck some random sex worker.
And I’d always hated weed. No need to pretend I liked it now.
“I have a job lined up,” I said, telling him a little white lie.
“Um… a job like the kind that put you in prison p>
“Not exactly p>
“My dude – what do you mean, ‘not exactly p>
“It’s working for the Italian guy’s family. The one I met in prison p>
Gunnar stared at me like I was insane. “Bro – you wanna go work for the fucking mafia p>
I glared at him and looked around to see if anyone had heard. Thankfully, no one appeared to be paying any attention.
“Sorry,” Gunnar said apologetically. “But DUDE – ”
“Look, I know it’s hard for you to understand this – but other than you, Dario’s the only friend I have. He had my back the entire time we were in prison. He did everything he could to get me out early, even though it meant putting himself in danger. I trust him with my life. You’re the only other person I trust as much p>
I didn’t add, Although your drug habit tends to make me trust Dario more.
“So, yeah,” I finished. “I’m going to give it a try p>
Gunnar looked at me sideways. “Are you sure p>
“Yeah p>
“…okay,” he said sadly. “Then… congratulations… I guess p>
“Thank you p>
“You know, you can stay here with me as long as you want,” he offered. “I got a bigger place – I’ve even got a guest bedroom you could crash in p>
“Thank you, but I just want to go and start my life again p>
“I hear you. So… you just came to Amsterdam to see me p>
“Yeah – why else would I come p>
Gunnar smiled and teared up a little, then grabbed me around the shoulder in a sideways hug. “My dude p>