AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Where’d you see her?” Holt asked around a bite of pizza.
“Paths of Purpose,” she returned casually. She dropped her half-eaten slice of pizza into the box on Patrick’s lap and moved to the liquor cabinet. After a moment, she produced a bottle of Glenlivet and a pack of plastic cups stored on the bottom shelf.
Marlow delivered a round of drinks to each of us and set the bottle on the coffee table.
“Thank you, love,” Patrick said. Did he think he was being charming? Because no way was she going to fall for his shit.
She smacked him on the back of the head. “Give it up with the love crap.” Marlow snatched the cup she’d just given him out of his hand and drained it.
Patrick held his head and looked dumbfounded. “What the hell?”
“Exactly.”
“Did she say anything about me?” I asked, earning sympathetic looks from all around.
“Good job, Marlow. We’d finally stopped talking about this shit, and now you bring it up again,” Holt said.
To everyone else, it probably sounded like a complaint, but I saw it for exactly what it was. His way of trying to help me forget.
“She didn’t say a word. Now what happened?”
“She’s married,” Holt, Patrick, and Dad said in unison.
Marlow paused mid-chew, and her eyes flashed with concern. “Oh.” She didn’t say anything for a minute as she poured herself another drink. When Patrick reached for the bottle, she set it back on the table.
He grabbed it and topped off her cup. “You need to loosen up.”
“You have no idea—”
“I know exactly,” he cut her off and to my surprise, she didn’t argue, gulping down more whisky.
“Do Baker and Trish volunteer at Paths every day?” she asked, forehead wrinkled.
“How the hell would I know what Baker does?” Holt asked far too quickly. We all looked at him, and he hid behind another piece of pizza.
“I don’t think so. Trish has her food truck.”
“Both of them were there having breakfast this morning before eight.”
“What’s so weird about that?” I asked. Bright Side had gone to the shelter after our fight. I’d gone to the bar. No contest as to who was taking it better.
“They just both seemed familiar. At home.” She chewed on her lip, attempting to piece together clues that may or may not mean anything.
“Has Mrs. Quinn said anything?” I glanced at Dad, who shrugged.
“Audrey and I don’t discuss the specifics of Paths.”
“What do you discuss?” Holt winked. “Or is there much talking going on at all?”
“I raised you better than to speak about women in such a way,” Dad said.
“Oh come on, Dad. Have you wooed her yet?” Holt pressed.
Even Marlow leaned forward in interest. “I spent most of the day with her. I like her.” Four mouths dropped open. “What?”
“You don’t like anybody.”
She shrugged. “So?” The doorbell rang, and Patrick popped up to answer like this were his own place. “That’smyson.”
