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“It happens.” Stupid thing to say, but I can’t think of anything else.
“It’s weird that he came up to you at a public place,” Gert continues. “I mean, wouldn’t he want to steer clear of his parole officer?”
“Depends on the parolee.”
“Wait!” Gert’s eyes dance. “Did you know he was your parolee when you met him at the bar? No, you couldn’t have. You hadn’t started your job yet.”
My cheeks go warm again.
“Oh, my God… Sav!”
“What?” I feign as much innocence as I can muster.
“He asked if he’d see you tonight. What is all this about?”
“I…”
“Oh my God,” she says again. “You’re seeing him, aren’t you?”
“Don’t be silly.” I look down and twirl some spaghetti on my fork. “He’s my parolee. That would be…unethical.”
“Right, but if you met him before… My God, Sav. An ex-con. Manslaughter charges.”
“Gert, with all due respect, you don’t know what you’re talking about.” Jordan approaches the table. “Jordy’s coming back, so can this, okay?”
“As long as you promise we’ll talk later.”
“Fine,” I grit out.
Jordan slides back into her chair. “Guess who’s got a hot date tomorrow?”
“From Austin?” I say.
“Silly, did you forget? Gert and I are staying for the weekend, and if things go well, maybe I won’t be at your place at all. You can have your bed back and Gert can take the couch.”
I don’t hate that idea.
“Tomorrow night is Saturday. He’s a waiter. Saturday’s a big night for restaurants.”
“It just so happens that he’s related to the owner, and he got the evening off. Just for me.”
Jordan’s getting all squirrelly. That’s how she is when she meets a new guy. Whatever. It’ll be a one-nighter if anything, as she lives in Austin and Giancarlo lives here. I don’t see Jordy as the type who can handle long distance.
Jordan takes a bite of her spaghetti and makes a face. “It’s cold, but it was totally worth it. In fact, he asked me to meet him tonight, after his shift ends at eleven.”
“Are you going to?” Gert asks.
“I haven’t decided yet. I told him we have to go to the hospital to see Ashley, and I didn’t know how long we’d be.”
“We certainly won’t be there until eleven,” I say dryly.
“True enough, but I didn’t want to appear overeager.”
“What will you do, then?” Gert asks.
“I’ll meet him, of course.” Jordan takes another bite of her dinner, chews, swallows.
Good. Maybe I’ll get my bed tonight too.
We talk about nothing in particular as we finish our dinners. Giancarlo comes by.
“Did you save room for dessert, ladies?” he asks.
“I’m pretty sure Jordan did,” Gert says, her eyes dancing again.
Classic Gert. She loves to embarrass Jordan. She doesn’t do it to me near as much. Thank God she didn’t do it when Falcon was here.
“I’m stuffed,” I say. Not true, since I couldn’t finish my dinner after the run-in with Falcon, but I’m antsy to get out of here and get to the hospital.
And not to see Ashley.
22
FALCON
Is it my imagination, or has some color come back into Raven’s cheeks?
Is it the transfusion of my stem cells?
Is it the baked ziti from Mario’s?
Most likely, it’s my damned imagination, but it’s good to see anyway.
Eagle finally made it to the hospital in the middle of Raven’s transplant. I need to get him alone and find out what trouble he’s gotten into, but he’s avoiding me like the plague.
Which means there’s something he doesn’t want to tell me.
I’m ready to yank him into the hallway and interrogate him, but I hold myself in check. The whole family is gathered in Raven’s room eating the Italian feast, and Raven looks better than she has since I got out, so I don’t want to disturb any of that.
Raven is happy, and that’s the main thing.
Eagle is as jovial as ever, joking and giving everyone seven shades of shit. I keep my eye on him, though, and when he leaves to hit the can, I follow him.
“Hey.” I grab his arm.
“Not now, Fal. I’ve got to piss.”
“Funny. So do I.” I walk beside him to the end of the hallway where the restrooms are located near the elevators.
“I don’t need a fucking audience,” he says.
“I don’t plan to watch.”
“Then stay out.”
“Why? Maybe I need to piss too.”
He huffs. “Fine.”
We enter the restroom, which, fortunately, appears empty except for the two of us. Most visitors probably use the bathrooms in the hospital rooms, plus, it’s after the dinner hour and most have probably left for the day.
Eagle unzips his fly and takes a spot at a urinal. I hit the one two away from his and take a piss.
“How the fuck do you do that?” Eagle asks.
“Do what? Piss?”
“Piss while I’m standing right here.”
I can’t help it. I laugh. A big belly laugh that feels strange because it’s been so long. “I’ve been pissing in front of other men for the last eight years. Shitting too. You get used to it.”
