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“Come on.” Wally motions me. “Get a beer and tell us all about what happened.”
“Buy me a hamburger and I’ll think about it.” Think about it? Hah. As if I have a choice in the matter.
While Pops orders me a burger and fries, the uncles usher me to ‘their’ booth in the corner of the bar. Yes, they have their own booth. Of course, they do. They practically live here. It’s always funny when a stranger thinks he can sit here. The uncles don’t say anything. They don’t need to. The stares and glares they can throw anyone’s way are enough to make a grown man piss himself. Seriously. I’ve seen it happen. And you can bet your bottom dollar I made them clean the piss up as well. I sure wasn’t going to!
Pops sets a frosted mug in front of me and sits next to me. “Now, tell us everything.”
I take a slug of my beer to fortify myself and then tell them everything. I’m not stupid. I know when to pick my battles.
“At least Barnes was there,” Wally comments when I finish my story.
“You have got to be shitting me. You do know who Aiden Barnes is, right? The guy who tormented me throughout high school? The guy you were ready to eviscerate a few days ago? Am I ringing any bells?”
Wally shrugs. “Yeah, he’s an asshole, but he looks like someone who can handle himself in a fight.”
“Why didn’t you come stay with me last night? Why did you go to a hotel by yourself?” Pops asks and I know he’s not asking because of my safety. No, he’s also hurt I didn’t tell him about my problems.
“It was late.”
He raises an eyebrow and looks around the bar. Rookie mistake. Of course, he’s still up at midnight. McGraw’s doesn’t close until midnight during the week.
“I didn’t want to worry you.”
His eyebrow merely raises another inch. My shoulders hunch. I have no excuse. I should have at least told him what happened last night.
“Promise me you won’t keep information concerning your safety from me again.”
“Promise me you won’t go ballistic.”
He shakes his head. “I can’t promise you that. You’re my baby girl. Nuh-uh.” He places a finger over my mouth to shut off my reply. “You’ll always be my baby girl. It doesn’t matter how old you are. You can be married with children and you’ll still be my baby girl.”
Well, damn. How can I argue with him now?
“Fine.” I grunt. “I’ll keep you informed.”
“That’s my good girl,” he says before giving me a noogie.
“Hey!” I bat his hands away. “Don’t ruin the hair.”
The door to the bar bangs open and in walks Suzie. I stand and face her. Time to give someone a piece of my mind. The uncles hold me back.
“She was only doing what she thought was right,” Pops says.
“Tattling is wrong. She could have talked to me. But no, she acted like everything was all honkey dory all day at the office and then went behind my back. Not okay.”
“I say we let her go,” Barney says. “I bet ten bucks Hails can take Suzie out in less than a minute.”
Wally snorts. “As if anyone is going to bet against Hailey. We trained her after all.”
Suzie’s eyes widen when she sees the look of anger on my face. She swivels to leave and trips on her own feet.
“And down she goes!” shouts Barney.
“At least you’re not clumsy like that one. How we are ever going to find a man to take care of her is beyond me,” Sid says.
I snort. “Good luck. Suzie is the definition of man-hater.”
“She just hasn’t met the right man yet.”
