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“You can come in now,” I say, unable to smother my smile.
“We would’ve gone somewhere, but neither of us had shoes,” Lee says repentantly, gesturing to his socks and Jamie’s bare feet. “And Jackie boy forgot to put on a shirt again.”
Jack glances at me. “Everything okay?”
I nod. “Good. We worked it all out.”
We trudge back inside, where Dad greets the guys with narrowed eyes. Then he sighs and sticks out his hand. “I’m Gunner,” he says.
Lee stares at him. “Oh, we know.”
Jamie’s the first to shake his hand, followed by Jack, then Lee. After the introductions, Dad purses his lips for a moment before extending an olive branch.
“I thought I might treat us all to dinner.”
“I’m game,” Jamie says instantly. He’s always hungry.
Lee checks his watch. “I think Molly’s is still serving food.”
“Or I can get us a table at Soho House,” Dad suggests.
“Right.” An excited Lee snatches his coat off the hook on the wall. “Let’s go.”
“Wait,” Jamie says. “I need to change my shirt.” He smacks Jack’s arm. “You need to put one on. Something clean, please. Don’t embarrass us.”
“What’s Soho House?” I pipe up.
Lee and Jamie both shoot me a glare like I should be ashamed for asking.
“Somewhere we can get a bite without too much attention,” Dad says. “You’ll like it, kiddo. They do a great grilled cheese.”
A dumbfounded Lee gawks at him. “It’s an A-list only members club for actors and musicians and the like,” he explains to me. “Very swank.”
I sigh. “Dad, you don’t have to make a fuss— ”
Before I can even finish, Lee smothers me with his hand over my face. “She’s delirious. Please, make a fuss.”
“Abbs,” Jamie shouts from upstairs. “Can you steam my shirt?”
“Look what you’ve done,” I tell my father. “I hope they have a midnight menu.”
Our late-night dinner is not nearly as awkward as I expect, even with Dad asking the guys a mountain of questions. I suspect he wants to feel them out, give them the business or whatever, but by the time we’re ready to head home, the four of them have become fast friends.
“Abbs, we’re off,” Lee says when I return from the ladies’ room. “Dad is tired.”
“Really? You’re on a dad-name basis with him now?”
“Let me have this, Abigail,” he hisses in my ear. “Give me asuperstar for a second father, and I’ll forgive you for hiding all your romances from me.”
“Deal.”
We exchange a grin, and I loop my arms around Lee in a tight hug. Emotion floods my chest as it occurs to me how much I’ve come to value his friendship. Today was brutal, tonight even worse. My heart still aches from my goodbye with Nate, yet one hug from Lee Clarke soothes some of that sting.
“What was that for?” he demands when I release him.
“Just an I-really-appreciate-our-friendship hug.”
“Right then.” He’s rolling his eyes but at the same time beaming.
