“Tounexpected friendship.”
Chapter Ten
The storywasn’t coming to me the way I had wanted it to. My characters weren’t behaving,and the words weren’t flowing. A distraction was needed, so I glanced at myfriend behind the bar and asked, “Why do people call you Goose?”
Helifted his gaze from the pina colada he was making for a Lynyrd Skynyrd lovingsorority girl and glared at me. The way he looked at me, with put-oncontention, pushed me nearly to the brink of giggling.
“Youalready know too much,” he growled, before returning his attention to the glassin his hand.
“Okay,well, can I guess?”
Snorting,he shook his head. “Go right ahead. Doesn't mean I have to tell you.”
Poppinga boneless wing into my mouth and then wiping myhands onjeans that were just a little too tight, I said, “Okay. Igottamake this good. Did you grow up on a farm where your job was to clean up thegoose poop?”
“Nope.”
Heturned from me to hand the girl her drink. She left him two dollars as a tipand he sighed, stuffing the money into his pocket. “Fuckin' song brings in thecustomers but they're cheap as hell.”
“Maybedifferent music would bring in a wealthier crowd with a greater respect for theworking man.”
“Oh,yeah?” He dried the condensation from his fingers with a towel. “Like what?”
“Like,um ...” I tapped my fingers together, studying the smoky veins running througha glass pendant light. “Josh Groban.”
Hefroze, with a look of horror plastered on his face. “Josh Groban?”
“Yeah,”I replied, nodding. “Or maybe, hmm … Andrea Bocelli.”
“Jesus,Kenny. I'mlookin’ for rich, not myfreakin' grandma.”
Shrugging,I popped another wing in and said, “Just trying to help you out.”
Hegrumbled his thanks and chuckled, wiping the bar down, as I checked the clockon the wall. I had a doctor's appointment that evening and still wanted to jumpin the shower before heading uptown, and I was running out of time.
Slidingoff the stool and grabbing my sweatshirt, I said, “When you're sick and blowyour nose, you honk like a goose.”
Helaughed. “Nope. Thank God.”
“Onceupon a time, you slipped in goose shit and got it all over your clothes.”
“Nope.”
AfterI pulled my sweatshirt on, I pointed at him and said, “I'll figure this outeventually.”
“Howwill you know if I never tell you?”
“Youwill.”
Hewaved his hand toward the door. “Get the hell out of here, before you're late.”
“Fine.I'll see you soon and I'll be back with more guesses.”
Witha laugh, he turned and waved over his shoulder. “Bye, Kenny.”
“Bye,Goose. Don't miss me too much.”
“Don'tworry; I won't.”
