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Mom gives me a smile that’s pained. “Men really are pigs, huh?”
I smile back softly and sigh. “Not all men.”
An image of Warren flashes through my brain and I lean my head back against the chair, thinking through every scenario I can think of to make things right with him again.
One way or another.
Chapter Fifty-Seven
“She’s mad but she’s magic.
There’s no lie in her fire.”
-Charles Bukowski
Warren
“Game night!” Derek chants, running into the room with cases of beer under his arms. “Game niiiight!” Derek yells, holding the last note, and everyone chuckles.
Enzo is putting snacks out with help from April while the guys pick a game, debating between Monopoly and Chutes and Ladders.
“Who in their right mind would play Chutes and Ladders?” Archer asks Chris who sighs dramatically.
“It’s a classic, man!”
“It’s boring as hell,” Garrett replies from his seat in the corner where he sips a beer.
“You’re boring as hell,” Chris snaps, grabbing the board game out of Archer’s hands.
Garrett opens his mouth as if to reply but then shuts his mouth and shrugs.
A knock sounds at the door and I get up to get it, for a moment—just one—my heart thumps in hopes that it’s Jane, that she took my text yesterday as some sort of invitation.
But given that she was out of the office today and never replied, I don’t let my hopes get too high.
Sure enough, when I open the door, it’s Mike.
Ever since he came that first night, it’s become a regular thing, all us guys have just adopted him into our group and believe it or not, he and Chris get along the best.
We gather around and start playing Chutes and Ladders, much to Chris’s enjoyment and I take the time to dig into the food and drinks while catching up with everyone. With everyone working all the time—most of us at odd hours to make ends meet—it’s not easy to get together often.
“How’re things at the shop?” I ask Garrett.
“Slow,” he responds. “I’m thinking of moving on to other things.”
“Like what?”
He shrugs. “Maybe make of go of some web designing. I don’t know. So many people do it that it’s saturated.”
“Web design?” I quirk a brow. “You know how to make a site?”
“Sites are easy,” he replies.
“I might have some work for you,” I say, giving him my full attention. “Freddie insists I get a site going.”
“I can help with that.” He nods and we launch into conversation about it, what it needs and how it should be set up.
We mostly ignore the game, given how boring it really is, and make a game ourselves, renaming it. “Vapid and Wearisome,” I quip.
