Sam shook his head and scooped a bite of potatoes into his mouth. “Fine. We’ll go. But we’re not staying late, and you, baby sister, owe me big time. And don’t think I’ll forget it.”
I jumped out of my chair and hugged him hard from the back. “Thank you! I promise, the next time you two need alone time, I’ll clear out, no questions ask.” I clapped my hands. “I’m going to do the dishes and get changed. Put on your best boots, brother mine. We’re going dancing!”
“MOM, YOU’RE SURE YOU don’t want me to hang out here tonight? I can just stay in my room. I won’t interfere in spa night. Though I have been told I do a mean facial.”
My mother shook her head. “Ew, and I don’t even want to know who would’ve told you that. No, you’re out of here. Go have fun with Alex. See some of the guys. Bridget’s fine with us. Right, darlin’?”
“Right.” My daughter turned from the kitchen table, where she was helping my mom mix up some kind of hair conditioner goop. “No boys allowed tonight. It’s girls’ night.”
“Fine, fine. I can see where I’m not wanted.” I stood up, pushed in my chair and tugged on one of Bridget’s braids. “I’ll get changed. Alex is picking me up in twenty minutes.”
I passed Reenie coming down the steps as I was going up. She carried a stack of towels and shot me a wide smile. “Getting your cowboy on tonight¸ Flynnigan?”
I stopped, my hand gripping the bannister. “What did you call me?”
Maureen turned to look back at me. “Flynnigan. Why?”
“No one ever called me that but Dad.” I almost whispered the words.
“Oh.” She nodded. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to . . . step on anything there. I didn’t even think of it.”
“It’s okay.” I shrugged it off. “Just took me by surprise.”
“I miss him, too.” She hugged the towels to her chest. “So much has been happening the last few months, but every now and again, I swear I hear him singing, or smell his aftershave.”
“Yeah.” I rubbed my jaw. “Think he’s hanging around to make sure we’re behaving?”
“Knowing Dad, probably the opposite. Hoping we won’t behave.” She grinned. “So I stand by my original sentiment: go get your cowboy on tonight, Flynnigan.”
I changed into a faded white and blue cotton dress shirt and rolled the sleeves to just below my elbows. Opening my closet door, I looked at my beat up old boots, the ones Ali had given me for Christmas in our junior year of high school. I’d left them behind when I fled Burton, not wanting any reminders of Georgia or the girl I’d loved.
But tonight, I was feeling the need to go old-school. I reached for the boots and sat down to pull them on, feeling them mold to my feet again, just as comfortable and perfect as they’d been a decade before.
Back downstairs, I kissed Bridget good-bye and teased all the girls about sneaking back to take pictures of them in their clay face masks. I heard the purr of Alex’s Porsche as he turned into the driveway.
“Behave yourself!” My mother had to get in last word. “But have fun.”
I stood in the open doorway and winked at her. “No promises.” Closing the door behind me, I slid into the passenger seat of my friend’s fine machine.
“Check you out.” I slammed the car door and tugged my seatbelt across my lap. “Business must be good.”
“No complaints.” Alex turned in the driver’s seat to back out, and the scent of his very expensive cologne drifted my way.
“Hey, do guys really dig that smelly stuff?” I stretched out my legs.
Alex glanced at me. “Why do you ask? You looking to change teams?”
I rolled my eyes. “No. Just curious.”
“Well, then, in my experience, yes, they do. At least some. But it’s just like with girls. There’s no one size fits all.”
I grunted. “If it’s just like with women, I don’t see the point. I mean, I hang out with dudes because chicks are confusing.”
“Yeah, well, it’s the same the world around, buddy. Sorry to burst your bubble.” He sped up as we left the town limits, turning onto the county highway. “Is there any one chick who’s particularly confusing to you?”
“I live in a household of women. They’re all that way.”
“I thought maybe you were thinking of one who doesn’t live with you.”
