I snorted at the thought while the rest of my body heatedwith the possibility, and Patrick nudged me with an elbow.
“You haven’t been here sincecomin’back?”
He was making small talk, and I decided, I could do smalltalk. Small talk was good. It was casual. It kept my traitorous body from rebellingagainst the brain that was trying very, very hard to resist the power he hadover me.
I shook my head. “No. Do you still come here?”
Patrick pursed his lips, as though considering thequestion. “I brought Meghan here once. That was years ago, and it felt wrong,”he said, shuffling his boots on the pebbles. “Some things are sacred.”
“Just hot dogs,” my ass.
It almost struck me as funny, that something as stupid as ahot dog stand could be sacred. But then, I remembered my heart, and how I hadnever allowed another person to come close to touching it.
Sacred.
“How is she?” I asked, eyeing my dirty black Chuck Taylorsnext to his dirty black boots. Shoes frozen in time.
Some things never changed.
Some things changed too much.
“Meghan?” he asked, raising a brow.
“Yeah.”
“Well, she took the divorce better than I expected. Somethings, like thelivin’ arrangements, have been anadjustment, but for the most part, she’s been good. I guess she’s moreobservant than we gave her credit for.” He smiled warmly, tipping his chin tohis chest. “Thank you foraskin’.”
“Yeah,su—”
“Okiedokie, kids, here you go.”
We turned around in unison, facing the paper plates,bottles of water, and the old man wiping his hands on his apron. We waitedexpectantly for the total, and Harry waved a dismissive hand when he realizedwe had the audacity to want to pay.
“Oh, get out of here you two. It’s on the house.”
Patrick threw his hands in the air. “What the hell, Harry!Kinsey waspayin’ tonight!”
Reminding me of the money in my pocket, I shoved my hand inand went to pull the bills free. “Yeah, Harry, let us—”
But Harry just shook his head, crossing his arms. “No, no,no. For old times’ sake. Now, go and enjoy your night.”
“Thanks, Harry,” Patrick said, nodding as he took theplates in both hands. “And hey, if we wereelopin’,I’d ask you to be my witness.”
I groaned while grabbing the bottles off the counter, andgrumbled my own thanks before turning and following Patrick toward a bench—ourbench—on the pier. He sat, spreading his knees wide, and motioned for me tosit. With his legs spread to their capacity, there was little room for me, andI nudged his boot with my sneaker.
Inconsiderate Irish bastard.
He smirked with a slight pinking of his cheeks, and he slidover just a hair. “Sorry. Long legs.” He handed me my plate as I threw him asideways glance.
“Uh-huh, and you wonder why you’re divorced.”
As he picked up a hot dog, he peered at me through narrowedeyes. “Nah, I don’t wonder,Kins. I know exactly whyI’m divorced.”
“Oh yeah?” I said, challenging him. “Why, then? I’d love tohear this. Oh, oh! Wait, don’t tell me. You’re too much of a man for her? Yourdick is too big? You’re too good in bed and she couldn’t take it anymore?” Iwas on a roll and had to bite my tongue to keep from continuing.
“I’ll just remember thatyouwere the first to bringmy penis into conversation tonight.”
He looked pleased, smug even, as he wiggled his eyebrows atme.