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Mike “Finn” Finnegan had been our high school football team’s superstar and an all-around nice guy. I hadn’t been particularly close to him, though.
Will laughed. “Yep, he did. They’ve practically got a whole shrine to him at the high school, now. And yeah, itwasforever ago. Let’s face it, buddy. We’re getting old. Anyway, the reason I ask is because we still try to get together a couple of times a month—go out, have a couple of beers, nothing fancy—and I thought maybe, if you weren’t too busy, I’d make a few calls and try to get something going tonight.”
“Tonight?” I blinked, then exhaled. “Um, I don’t know. I, uh…”
I wasn’t surewhatI was going to say. I didn’t have anything else going on, of course, but was I ready for another blast from the past? Then again, I hadn’t really done anythingfunsince I’d been in Castle Falls, and those guys did know how to have a good time.
“What?” Will asked, eyebrows shooting up at my hesitation. “Don’t tell me you already have other plans. A hot date? You haven’t even been back in townthatlong, have you?”
“No, it’s not that. Not a date. I just…” I shrugged. I justwhat, exactly? I was scared? Nervous? These were guys that—for several years of my life—had been good friends, after all.
“Then stop trying to give me the run-around.” Will clapped me on the shoulder and steered me back out into the lobby. “I’m going to call the guys and let’s plan on meeting up at the bar down on Main Street around six-thirty. Okay? I know they’ll all be as excited to see you as I was.”
I turned to face Will and smiled reluctantly. How was I gonna say no tothat?
Fine. Okay. Whatever.
“Sure, that sounds good,” I said, finally. “Tell them I expect each of their asses to be there, though. No rain checks.”
“I’ll let them know,” Will said, grinning at me like he was genuinely looking forward to it. “And that goes for you, too, Brady. Six-thirty. You’d better be there.”
I nodded and gave a slight wave as I walked toward the door. “Oh, I’ll be there. Don’t worry about me.”
As I walked through the parking lot and climbed back into my truck, I still didn’t know if getting together with the guys was going to be a great idea or a trip down memory lane that I’d rather not take.
It would be a segue into memories of a happier time in my life, but whether that would make me nostalgic for the past or just more upset about the present was hard to tell. Either way, it was too late to worry too much about it. I’d just have to have an exit plan if things went south. No big deal.
Hopefully I was worrying about nothing. Hopefully it would be fun. It would certainly be nice to at least see the guys again after so long.
There was no denying that Will had been right about one thing, though.
I could definitely use a drink.
Chapter Twenty-One - Brady
Even though it had been a decade since I had hung out with my friends, and nearly as long since we’d tried to sneak into the downtown bar underage, I knew from the moment I walked in and saw the four of them together that I’d made the right decision to stop by for a drink.
As soon as Stu turned and called out my name, the other men stood up and swarmed me with a flurry of handshakes and hugs. It felt just like old times, and I wondered briefly what I’d ever been worried about.
Of course, things wouldn’t be awkward. These were myfriends.
And yeah, time had changed the way they all looked, and they’d no doubt matured as the years had passed, but in that moment, I felt just as safe and at ease with them as I had ten years before.
“Glad you could make it, buddy,” Will said, mirroring my wide grin as we all sat down again. “I hope you don’t mind, but my fiancé, Jamie, wanted to come, too.”
I looked around and shrugged. I hadn’t realized that Will was engaged, but I didn’t mind a little female company. It’s not like we were all going to get especially vulgar after only a couple of beers.
Probably.
Maybe.
“No, of course not,” I said. “I can’t wait to meet—”
Before I could finish my sentence, a woman with a smile as wide as Will’s walked up and set a pitcher of beer between the two of us.
“Beer for my boys,” the girl said, turning her attention from Will to me. “You must be Will’s friend from out of town. I’m Jamie. Will and the rest of the guys have told me so much about you.”
I opened my mouth to speak but could only nod as the woman shook my hand and sat down across from Will. They looked so perfect together. So happily matched.
