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“Noted.” I adjust myself in my pants hoping she doesn’t notice. “I will let him know that we are good to go. He said 6:30 for dinner.”
“Got it,” she confirms. I simply offer her a smile and begin to leave her office. “Oh, and Marc?”
I turn my body back towards her. Her arms cross over her midsection, and her toe fiddles with the hem of the area rug in her office. “Yeah?”
“I just want to say thank you. For that. With Fred.”
“I told you, Avery. I got you.”
After I leave her office, I shoot off a text to Bill to let him know we are good for Friday.
But “good”is stretching it.
* * *
Moores bar is packed tonight. I don’t even know how long we have been coming here but we made it a point to get here every Wednesday to meet up for drinks mid-week. Sometimes it’s both of my brothers plus Logan and other times it’s just one or two of us. Basically whoever can make it, shows up.
They know us so well too, that our table tucked in the back corner is always ready for us despite how busy it is.
This week, Oliver is home from his birthday week, so he’s meeting Logan and me.
“Oliver.” I smack a hand on his back. “Happy belated Birthday. Long time no see. Where are you getting back from?”
“Thank you. I spent my birthday in Cali this year.” He laughs. “There’s nothing like that California sun, my brother.”
“I bet.” I nod.
“Don’t forget the waves and babes,” Logan adds.
Oliver lets out a low whistle. “You are not wrong, Logan.”
“Logan, aren’t you getting a bit old for that?” I ask.
“I’ve only been thirty for a month.” He laughs. “That hardly classifies me asold. Besides… aren’t you joining the thirty club at the end of the year?”
I shake my head at Logan before directing my attention back to Oliver. “How long are you in for?”
“Just a few days,” he shrugs. “I’m heading to the mountains next week. Somewhere in bumblefuck Montana I think. I have no desire to go there, but a backpacking company wants me to get some pictures in the mountains for my next blog post. They’re fully funding my boarding and the flight there and back.”
“That’s awesome, Oliver. You’ve got a good gig going.”
“I do love it. It’s exhausting, but I truly can’t complain because who else can say they get to travel for work like this?”
“Jealous as shit, dude.” Logan shakes his head. “You’re out traveling the world and I’m just trying not to get shot or punched in the face by drunk assholes.”
“Hopefully if you land that promotion to Chief, you won't have to worry about being in the streets anymore. You can sit pretty behind a desk instead.”
“From your mouth to God's ears.” He laughs. “How’s your thing going with Avery?”
I can’t help but groan.
“I don’t know, bro.” I take a sip of my whiskey. “It’s so hard to read her and figure out where this will go. Bill called me this morning and invited us to dinner at his house Friday night. Our first time getting together with them.”
“Technically,” Oliver states. “They have seen you together before.”
“Yeah, but in a crowded event where we could go off and do our own thing.” I shake my head at the memory of that night. “This time, it’s going to be just us two with him and his wife. Much more intimate setting.”
“How does Avery feel?” Logan asks.
