Page 75 of The Bartender Special

Benny groaned from his shoes to his teeth.

“I should have deleted the whole dang blog years ago. I guarantee that I'd never have to deal with Carol on a boat if I had.”

Jack’s voice swung low.

“True.” His grin was back. “But then you’d be deprived of seeing me in all of my boat glory.”

He leaned in.

It was close enough that he bet Jack could smell his sunscreen.

Benny was grateful he couldn’t smell his panic at what he said next.

“And I can promise you,” Jack rumbled. “Unlike others? I don’t need steering wheel assist.”

Benny nearly died on the spot.

Movement outside of the truck, however, stalled his response.

Carol and child-size sunhat 2.0 moved into view on. She gave them a little trickle of a wave from the sidewalk that led to the boat ramp.

“Did we say her name three times already and accidentally summon her?” Benny grumbled.

Jack joined in.

“I wouldn’t give us that much credit. My money’s on she’s been waiting here since dawn, lying in wait for her next victims.” Jack put his hand on Benny’s knee and squeezed once. “Let’s go feed the beast.”

His hand was warm and strong and then immediately absent as Jack went about exiting the truck.

The panic that had been of a different nature moments before began to transform into a familiar kind of stress.

Much like the lunch at the garden, Benny hadn't been one-hundred percent on what to wear. Sure, living on the bay meant he had a few swimming trunk options, but the moment of crisis over a top had been a bit ridiculous even by his standards. Jack had gone open button-up. Modern Miami Vice. Chic but he hadn’t tried.

Benny had worried himself into a partially mesh, wholly neon blue tank top that showed the world he too could walk an 80s beat alongside his effortless partner-in-crime. It was only by the grace of forethought that he’d packed his black swimming trunks to ground the outfit.

Though Benny realized as they walked up to Carol that between the three of them, he seemed to be the one showing the most leg.

Apparently he’d sacrificed loud color for dress code-breaking length.

Which Jack was quick to note.

He whistled and, in front of God and Carol, openly looked down at Benny’s legs.

“I know I just touched your legs in there, but to see them?” He whistled again. “I think this should be the length of all of your shorts from now on.”

Benny pushed at Jack, not at all trying to be cute but absolutely hoping to make him exit the vicinity, while Carol laughed lightly in her white knit crop top and tired teal shorts. Over her shoulder, Felicity’s yellow sundress could be seen like a beacon from her spot on the dock. Ruby and Marcus were more modest.

“Well, I officially apologize for the interruption,” Carol said in greeting. “But I have to say this kind of interaction makes me even more excited to spend time with you two this afternoon.” She nodded toward the dock. “It’s always so fun to see how different pairs of lovebirds…lovebird when there’s nowhere else to go.”

Benny smiled so big it hurt.

Jack had a moment of being less polite.

“The way you’re talking makes it sound like you’re about to cram us into some kind of bird cage there, Carol.” He shouldered Benny’s bag with one hand and intertwined his fingers with Benny’s with the other. “I’m not sure how you usually have fun, but maybe try being less ominous next time. Almost gave me goosebumps and everything.”

Carol made a noise—grumpiness or humor ready to be faked, he didn’t know—but Jack had already started to pull Benny along with him so he couldn’t figure it out.

Not that he had the mind to do so.