Most people couldn’t fathom having a celebration of life party for someone who was dead. But when the first anniversary of Travis’s death approached, Emma’s best friend since 7th grade, Connor Montgomery, broached the subject of marking the date each year with drinks and dinner from Travis’s favorite restaurant. Emma had liked the idea and invited along Travis’s roommate and best friend from medical school, Nate Rossi, and his fiancée, Casey Turner, who happened to be her best friend as well.

The first year they had tried eating at the restaurant, but it was too loud and crazy for the emotions they were feeling. The next year they decided to host it at someone’s house—with the same food and drinks but with a more intimate type setting for the somewhat somber occasion.

The doorbell ringing brought her out of her thoughts. She hurried to the front door and threw it open. “Hi guys!” she cried.

Her best friends of seven years, Casey and Nate, stood on the porch, bundled in coats and scarves from the December chill. Casey waved her hands, which both held wine bottles. “Hello, hello. We come bearing spirits.”

Emma laughed as she eyed the alcohol in Nate’s hands as well. “I’m glad to hear it. Connor texted me about five minutes ago that he was on his way from picking up dinner.”

Nate grinned as he and Casey stepped into the foyer. “It’s only for my love of Travis that I eat the Olive Garden’s alleged Italian food.”

Shrugging out of her coat, Casey nodded. “Remember the time we took him to a more authentic place Downtown, and he was like, ‘This isn’t real Italian food!’.”

“Poor Travis. He had too much of the mountains in him to be very continental,” Emma mused.

Nate shook his head. “That was just part of his charm.”

Emma smiled. “That’s true.” She’d just hung up their coats when Connor burst through the door, laden down with food bags.

“I’m here, so we can get this party started,” he bellowed.

“I think I might be slightly more excited for the food than your presence,” Emma teased.

“Whatever,” he replied, leaning in to kiss her cheek. He then made his way past her into the dining room to deposit the food bags on the table. Plates were passed around, and the food was slid from plastic to-go containers onto Emma’s late mother’s china. Then the wine was poured into crystal goblets. Once everything was ready, they sat down.

Throughout dinner, the wine flowed as freely as the conversation. For a while, they danced around the ghosts of the past by catching up with the present. It wasn’t until the plates had been cleared that Travis once again became the topic of conversation. “Please tell me you made Trav’s favorite dessert?” Connor asked, rubbing his belly.

Emma grinned. “What do you think?”

Connor’s eyes rolled back in bliss. “Thank God. I’ve been craving Red Velvet cake all week!”

After heading into the kitchen for the cake courtesy of her Grammy’s secret recipe, Emma came back into the dining room. As she passed around the slices, they began to follow through with another tradition—telling a favorite Travis story.

When it came time for Connor’s, he took a long gulp of wine. “My favorite Travis story…” He inhaled deeply as he cocked his head. “It would probably be when I came out to him.”

Emma groaned and covered her eyes. “Oh God, not that one.”

Nate glanced between her and Casey. “Wait, I don’t think I’ve heard this one.”

Casey shook her head. “Me either.”

Connor grinned. “See, I’ve saved the best story for last.”

Emma snorted. “I don’t know about that one.”

After shooting her a look, Connor continued. “So picture it—”

Emma giggled. “What is this, the Golden Girls with Sophia and ‘Picture it—Sicily?”

Connor cleared his throat. “Can I just tell my damn story please?”

“Fine, fine.”

“So as I was saying, here we were in an empty football locker-room. Travis and I had equipment duty, so we’re the last ones back in from practice. We’re standing there in nothing but our jock-straps, and it just hits me—”

“That you’re in love with Travis?” Casey asked.

“God no!” Connor replied. He turned to Emma and smiled. “No offense, Em. But Travis was so not my type.”

She grinned. “None taken. Now finish the story.”

“Anyway, so he’s getting his shit out of his locker to go take a shower, and I know it’s now or never time. I mean, I’d come out to Emma like a few weeks before. Like her, Travis had been my best guy friend since middle school, so I knew he needed to know. My heart was thundering so loud in my ears I was sure he could hear me. But I knew that I couldn’t wait one more day, least of all a minute, without telling him that I was g*y. So, I grabbed his shoulder, whirled him around, and said, “Trav, I know you’re going to hate me after I tell you this, and I’ll understand if you never speak to me again. But dude, I’m g*y.”

Nate’s dark eyes widened. “Holy shit. What did he do?”

Connor’s lips curved into a wide smile. “He goes, ‘Conman, that’s nice of you to want to unburden yourself to me when we’re both stark ass naked, but I’ve known you were batting for the other team for a long, long time. And I could give a shit less. You’re my buddy, and that’s all that matters’.”

Casey glanced over at Emma. “Had you told Travis about Connor coming out?”

Emma furiously shook her head. “No, of course not. It wasn’t my story to tell.”

With a laugh, Connor said, “You could have knocked me over with a feather at his reaction. But that was Trav. On the one hand, he was this typical, rough and tumble, manly man jock. But then he also had a hell of a tender side.” Connor sighed. “He was the sweetest, most accepting guy I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. And one of the best friends I’ve ever had.”

Tears stung Emma’s eyes. “That’s true.”

Casey held up her wine glass. “To Travis. One hell of a stand-up guy who was taken from us far too soon.”

Emma leaned forward and clinked her glass with the others. “To Travis.”

***

At a little before midnight, Casey and Nate started to leave. As Nate helped Casey slide on her coat, she asked, “So we’re still on for the office party tomorrow night, right?”