I shrug. “We have a history.”
I tell him the story about how we were friends in college, and then after she started dating Brad, I was too butthurt to be around her, so I distanced myself. I tell him how we reconnected at Josie and Andrew’s wedding, and with the brewery becoming contracted to the winery, we saw each other more often. Then the girls became such fast friends, and we became drawn to each other all over again.
I tell him everything, well,almosteverything. I’m not about to tell him about our sex life. When I’m done, he looks so much better than he did when he came in here. “And now, we’re seeing where it goes. I like her, Tommy. I like her a lot.”
“I can tell,” he agrees. “She’s good for you. And that kid of hers is cute as shit.”
“She’s adorable, and Lennie and her are so close. It’s been fun to watch their friendship grow.”
“Who knows, maybe they will be sisters someday,” Thomas states, a sly grin coming across his face.
Before I can make some sort of rebuttal to him, he veers away from Lennie and Presley. “Have you heard from Talia’s parents lately?”
“Yeah, actually,” I reply. “We had a FaceTime call with them a few weeks ago, and they sent Lennie a gift card for some back to school clothes.”
“That’s sweet of them.”
“It is. I wish they could get out here to visit, but it’s okay. I think I’m going to take her to California to see them soon. It’s been about a year since they saw her in person.” Talia’s dad had a stroke before Lennie was born, and it’s hard for him to get around now.
“That will be fun.”
“I think so. It’s getting harder as Lennie gets older, trying to explain everything to her, and why her mom isn’t around.”
“She’s a smart kid,” Thomas says. “She’s more intuitive than you think. I think she knows it’s something deeper than her mom not being around.”
“I know. But how do you tell a five-year-old about drugs? How can they understand that?”
Thomas shrugs. “It will come, I’m sure.”
“I hope so. I’m running out of ideas.” With a deep breath, I stand from my chair. “Come on, let’s go pick Lennie up, then we can get pizza for supper.”
“Sounds like a plan to me.”
36
JASON
October
“Hey, sunshine.” I sneak behind Fallon as she strides across the reception hall, wrapping her up in my arms.
She spins into my embrace, a cheeky grin on her face. “Hey handsome.”
I lean down, pressing a kiss to her soft lips. “I missed you,” I tell her.
“It’s been like three days, Jase.”
I shrug, pulling her closer. My arms band around her waist as I hold her to me. “So? I can’t miss you in three days? Admit it, you missed me too.”
With another kiss to her pink lips, she sighs. “Alright, fine, I missed you too.”
“I knew it,” I murmur against her lips. “How’s today going?”
“Really well. Everything is on schedule, and the bride is happy.”
“Good. I thought I would sayhi.”
“Do you work tonight?” she asks.
