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He raises his glass as if accepting my point, and sips. I shouldn’t have snapped, but goddamn Angie brought my mind back to Alice. I just haven’t shaken it off yet.
‘Speaking of busy,’ Drew begins. ‘I thought we were going to find some time to talk about your franchising the gym?’
I have thought about franchising the gym. Years ago, all I wanted was to be a successful businessman. To make something of myself. To make money for my family, enough to win back Alice. Now…
‘What’s the point? One gym keeps me busy enough. And I have enough money saved to put Cady through college.’
‘You’ve got the best gym in the city, Brooks, and a hell of a reputation to go with it. You’ve wanted to expand for as long as I can remember. I think now is a great time. I can e-mail you some documents, some things to think about.’
I drag my hands roughly across my face. ‘Yeah, send them across. I’ll take a look.’ I drain the liquor in my glass and plant the empty down, too hard.
‘All right, buddy, what’s going on?’
I sigh as I look at Drew, the man who knows me better than anyone, and I cave. ‘Alice is pregnant.’
Drew offers no response other than to hold up two fingers to Jennie, who carries a bottle over to refill our glasses.
‘I don’t know,’ I continue. ‘On some level, I guess I’ve always thought we would end up together. She’s had two failed marriages. She’s older now. It’s not like her parents control her the way they used to. But a kid? I mean, that’s… she’s not going to leave this one.’
I raise my chin to Jennie, who flashes me a coy smile. Then I take a gulp from my freshly topped-off glass.
‘I know how long it’s been. I know we were kids when we had Cady. It’s just still…’
Drew pats my shoulder as he finishes my sentence. ‘A punch in the gut. I can finally understand it, buddy. I thought I’d lost Becky once and it wrecked me. I just hope you don’t stop yourself from ever finding someone. Don’t hold on to it so long you let it ruin your life.’
I laugh. A short, harsh sound.
‘Like another eighteen years?’
* * *
At 1.30a.m. and five or six whiskies later, I’m standing outside the bar with my back propped against a yellow cab. A mild liquor fog has settled in my mind. Enough to blunt the turmoil of my own thoughts about Alice and her baby. Not enough to stop them completely. I stayed for another drink, or two, after Drew left, and then I flagged the cab when I noticed Jennie packing up for the night.
She finally appears through the double doors to the bar, stepping onto the sidewalk with a short leather jacket covering her little black dress.
She’s laughing with two others who were working behind the bar tonight. Before she sees me, I hit send on the text I’ve already typed.
I watch a pouty smile appear on her lips as she takes out her cell phone and reads my words:
Your place or mine?
She lifts her head and looks left, then right, where our eyes connect. I open the cab door and she whispers something to the girl she’s with before coming to me.
‘Well, my eyes are open now, and it looks like you want a cheap fling.’
I raise my hand to her neck and move my face within an inch of hers. ‘First, I don’t think you’re cheap. I think you’re hot and looking for a good time tonight. Second, yes, I do want a fling. One night to show you how a man should treat a woman. Nothing more.’
Her eyes seem to grow heavier; then she bites her lip and slips into the back of the cab.
Third, tonight, I could really use a distraction.
2
BROOKS
It’s a little after five in the morning when Jennie leaves. I close the door behind her with no intention of seeing her again. It was fun, hot, a distraction. Nothing more.
I slump down on the sofa, naked but for my shorts. My abs are decorated with scratch marks from Jennie’s nails. I lie back and stretch my arms above my head. I’ll try to catch a few hours’ sleep before I get ready to pick up Cady for breakfast.
