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“What the fuck! Congrats, dude!” Levi taps his beer against Kip’s.
“Yeah. We weren’t planning on it. Really wanted to build the new patio out back, but I guess that’s gonna have to wait.”
I get up and throw my arms around him. “Congrats, man. You’re a great dad. Shitty baseball fan, but—”
“Why are you two hugging? What did I miss?” Chase lifts his head from his phone.
“Kip’s moving to Antarctica to study extinct ice men.”
Chase looks at Kip, confused, but replies. “Cool. Congrats, man.” Then it’s back to his phone.
“Jesus,” I slap him upside the head. “I’m fucking with you. Kip’s going to be a daddy again. But not with Stacey. Shhh, don’t tell.”
Chase’s eyes go wide as saucers, and I have to take a long swig of my beer to hold in my laughter.
“Damn, man, that’s fucked up. Never pegged you as the unfaithful type. You know, you should really value what you have and—”
“Shut the fuck up,” all three of us say.
I shake my head at him. “Dude, get your head out of your ass. Love is making you seriously dumb.”
“He wasn’t dumb before?” Levi throws in a jab.
“Fuck off. I’m not dumb. I’m third in my class, asshole.”
I give him theokay, surelook while Kip puts out his hands to break it up. “Guys, chill. Chase, no one thinks you’re dumb. Well, maybe that one girl in fifth grade, but you told her wieners go in belly buttons and babies come out of buttholes.”
Levi and I burst out laughing, and beer spews out of my mouth.
“For the record, assholes, I thought babies came out of belly buttons and wieners went into butts. At least I got one right—”
“Come on!” Kip gripes. As much as he loves a good butt joke, it’s probably not as funny when it’s about his cousin. “Short story, Stace is pregnant, and it’s for sure mine. I think. . .”
I raise my hand to flag down the waitress. “This calls for shots.”
“Nowyou have my attention.” Chase shoves his phone into his pocket. “Sorry, just had to work some stuff out with Bridget.”
“You orKen?” I ask, holding back my chuckle.
“Ken is actually a really nice guy. He’s in touch with his feelings and has impressive stamina.”
The waitress shows up with our shots. We disperse the liquor-filled glasses and raise them in a toast as Chase nudges me. “Dude, look to your left.”
I barely look, ready to take this shot. My hand freezes mid-throwback when I see her. Turning, she locks eyes with me, and her smile falters. She quickly regains her composure, slapping a fake ass smile on her face and pulling her friend toward the bar.
“All right. Cheers to another mini-Kip. Let’s hope he’s better at golf, less shitty with baseball facts, and somewhat skilled when it comes to football.” At Levi’s toast, I sling mine back, my eyes still aimed toward my nemesis.
“Another one,” I call out, slamming my shot glass on the table.
“Night’s still young, my friend,” Levi slaps me on the shoulder, but I shrug him off.
“Another.” I wave my hand to the waitress, signaling another round. Seeing Makayla brings back all the anger I've been trying to push down. How dare she judge me. How dare she assume anything about me or my life. She has no idea what I sacrificed—what I gave up because my dad thought he was invincible and died.
My mom needed me. I thought I was doing right by coming home, washing my future down the drain. My dad would have never wanted her to suffer alone. And I needed her as much as she needed me. That’s what I thought anyway. She was too messed up to acknowledge me. My existence. When he died, the rest of the world died. Nothing else mattered. And as much as I tried to be there, she didn’t want me. She just wanted him.
But damn, did my old man love what he did. He loved the thrill, the excitement. He loved saving people. He used to tell me, “Son, there are people who save and people who need to be saved. Every morning when I get up and go to work, I know I’m risking my life, but it makes my heart full. I’m saving families, lives, giving people second chances.”
That shit stuck with me.
