Page 20 of The Longest Wait

Lucy whipped out her phone. “Jack is going out with the guyson Friday night. Apparently, Alex threw a similar tantrum.”

Thank God. Sofia wasn’t about going anywhere where Alexwould show up. She wanted to have fun, not prepare for battle. Orworse, harass him for answers on what was going on in his life. Shecouldn’t forget what he said when they were at Dominic’s house,about his bad day he wouldn’t talk about.

She worried about him, not that anyone else was aware of this.It was part of the reason she needed a night out.

“My plan was to work all weekend. I have a few new clients Imet with last week regarding marketing needs.” Lucy toyed withher phone. “But if I work a majority of the day Friday, I can swinggoing out. Only if we agree to nothing before eight.”

“I might be tired,” Tess admitted. “Who waits until eight togo out?”

Sofia wasn’t having this type of negativity in her life. “We do.We’re in our early thirties, not applying for AARP membership.We can wait until eight. Let’s get dolled up and have a night onthe town, just us girls.”

“Let me check my calendar,” Tess admitted in defeat. “I havenothing on Friday, but I can’t be out all night. I have a weddingon Sunday, so I will be crazy busy on Saturday.”

Sofia did a little dance in her chair. The stars have aligned.Her and her besties were having a night out. A girls’ night. It wasexactly what she needed.

A NIGHT OUT was exactly what Alex needed. He often revisitedhis career and the lasting effect of the attack from when he was onassignment last year. When someone travels somewhere known forcrime, you are not safe. Even still, he was blindsided when himand his colleagues were attacked. Ever since his nightmare of anexperience last year, work was no longer the adrenaline rush hecraved. Something was missing in his life, and he had to get out ofhis own head. A night with Jack and his friends would be a goodtime. Dominic was going to be there, so some sort of shenanigansalways went down when he was out. If nothing else, the night wasbound to be entertaining.

They normally went to Daltons, a centralized bar, when theywent out. Dominic demanded something different for a change.Jack tried his best for Chickie’s & Pete’s, but the idea was shut down almost as fast as Jack mentioned it. Dominic had a one-track mind to meeting a woman for the night, and he said it wasn’t happening at a sports bar known for crab fries. At the end of the location debateat Connor’s house, they landed on The Sardine Bar. Jack knew abartender, and it was ladies’ night, which appeased Dominic.

Connor bagged up the trash. “You guys ready?”

“Yes, and I can drive. I have a shit ton of work I need to dotomorrow, and I can’t be hungover,” Jack explained.

“Whipped,” Dominic coughed his reply loudly, which madethem all laugh at the jibe, including Jack.

They followed him to the car, ready for their night out. Alex didn’tknow Jack prior to him meeting Lucy. Apparently, he hardly did anything but work before meeting her. Which still stood true, somewhat.Mostly when they hung out, Lucy and her friends were there too. Onthe rare night they weren’t all together, Jack was working.

Only ten minutes into the bar, and a redhead was alreadyunder Dominic’s spell. He had to give it to him, Dominic wascharming as hell when he wanted to be. It was a rarity for a womanto not be interested in him.

Alex grabbed his beer and met his friends at their table. Theywere talking about the end of football season and the expectationsfor the following year. Next, they moved to hockey and if the Flyerswere going to play any better. They had a crap season so far. Afterthat, they hit on the basketball and the Sixers.

“I have no idea how the hell you’re a Knicks fan,” Jack tormented him.

This was a constant battle between Alex and his friends.

“I grew up in New York, asshole.”

“Loyalty,” Connor chimed in.

Jack smirked. “I guess I would prefer to root for the betterteam. Which is the Sixers.”

“This season, perhaps.” Alex took a gulp of his beer. “No matterwhat, the Knicks are the better team and I’d prefer to not be afront runner.”

They continued to jab each other about sports when Dominicrejoined them. He smugly held a napkin with a number writtenon it.

“Probably a fake,” Alex goaded him. “It’s outdated to givesomeone your number on a napkin. Just put it in your phone.”

They all laughed, and then he heard a feminine voice frombehind him.

“I’m surprised you know that, given your age, old man.”

Sofia smirked at Alex as she rounded their booth and sat asfar away from him as possible. Connor checked his watch. “Guys’night lasted two hours, which was an hour longer than I expected.Cheers to that.”

Every clanked their glasses together for his makeshift toast.

“I’d like to point out, you idiots decided to go out to a placethat is having a ladies’ night and we’re ladies. They love us here,”Sofia sassily told the table.

“You’re not a lady,” Alex shot back.