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“Kiersten and Cami all but booted me out for the opportunity to spend time with Tommy.”
“What’s the story there?” Dane puts in. He dries a highball glass with a crisp white towel.
“What story where?” I toss back and take a sip. The whiskey heats a path down my throat, warming the ice in my gut from the phone call.
“You. Tommy. The divorce.”
I lean back and crook an elbow on the gleaming bar. Do I chalk it up to talk or use it as an opportunity to come clean to my friends?
At my reluctance, Dane persists. “People talk, man. Supposedly, Nora’s moved in with her boss, and there’s talk about them transferring to a branch in Florida.”
“News to me,” I mutter, noting that it isn’t unwelcome. None of her decisions in this have been forced or influenced by me. She’s made her choices of her own damn free will.
“Where’d you hear that?” Law asks.
“Her boss’s secretary was in the other day with some girlfriends. She couldn’t keep Nora’s name out of her mouth. Or yours.” Dane smirks at me.
“Fuck off.”
Dane chuckles. Nathan eyes me critically.
“You did mention needing my real estate agent’s name. I don’t get that.” He drinks quickly from his beer. “The two of you shared that big fucking house, which I get probably wasn’t too hard not to see each other with the size of that thing, but the second she moves out, you sell.”
“I wasn’t living there.” The truth spills past the gates with startling ease.
“You what?” Law pauses with his highball glass near his mouth. “Where were you living then?”
I’ve put this conversation off for long enough. “When I couldn’t find a warm bed to occupy, I slept at the truck stop.”
“You’re shitting me,” Nathan grits out. “I had two fucking houses!”
“Me too,” Law adds.
“One was being built,” I mutter to Law. “And you were busy with your new family.”
Nathan shakes his head at my lame excuse. “We’re your friends. That’s crap.”
“Yeah.” I roll my glass between my palms and study the dark grains of wood running the length of the bar. “Wouldn’t have met Evie, though.”
“You’re not saying…” Nathan lets the thought trail off.
“Yep. Met her there too. We developed a fast friendship sharing meals and sleeping in our cars next to each other.”
Law sips his drink and smacks his lips together. “You ever let Cami and Kiersten know that, and they’re going to go ballistic on your ass.”
“I don’t intend on it, and you shouldn’t say anything either. Evie’s embarrassed to let anyone know.”
Nathan pushes his empty bottle toward Dane. “How’s she doing, by the way?”
“I haven’t spoken to her yet. She wants space, and I intend to give it to her.”
Law snorts. “When Cami took off on me, I had to wait fourteen years to get her back.”
“Helpful,” I grunt. Dane grabs the bottle of whiskey and angles it above my empty glass. “Thanks.”
“No problem.” Dane swaps the bottle in his hand with another glass that needs drying. “Do you really think she’s coming back?”
“I fucking hope so. My attorney said until the divorce decree is finalized, it’s not a good idea to leave the state for any period of time. Taking Tommy along could be considered kidnapping, and leaving him with a babysitter could be abandonment. If Nora found out, I wouldn’t put it past her to try to fuck me over one last time.”
