Page 110 of Best Friends for Never

As if she can feel my eyes on her, she glances my way, and her smile grows even wider.

She waves me over, but I point to the bar.

Whiskey sour?I mouth.

She nods enthusiastically, and I laugh. It’s clear from the glassy look in her eyes that she’s already had one, maybe even two.

“I’m grabbing a drink, Gran. Want anything?”

“A whiskey neat, please.”

“You got it. Meet you over there.”

“And some jojos!” she calls after me, and I nod to let her know I heard her.

When I approach the bar, Garth dips his head at me, and I relax against it, knowing it’ll be a minute before he gets to me.

I look back at the crowd, still in awe of what Parker has accomplished.

I shouldn’t be surprised. She used to run the set design team like a champion too.

“This is an impressive turnout.”

I grit my teeth and look to my right. “Figs.”

“It’s Leonard,” he tells me with a sneer.

I ignore him. “I’m surprised to see you here. Even more surprised you’re praising Parker’s efforts.”

“I don’t dislike Parker if that’s what you’re getting at.”

“Could have fooled me.”

“I don’t. I just don’t like that this town is wasting its time and money on something so ... so ... so asinine.”

“You don’t like theater?”

“I don’t believe it’s something this town needs. The Goodman Theater never sold out a show in its existence. Aren’t there far better things we could build on the land that would bring revenue to this town?”

“Sure, but this town does well enough on its own. Can’t we have something fun?”

“We can, but it shouldn’t start with that silly little project your girlfriend is working on.”

“It’s not silly.”

He snorts. “It is. And it’s going to fail. Mark my words.”

I push off the bar to my full height and step toward him. “It won’t fail.”

“You would say that. After all, it’s named after you.”

“It won’t fail,” I repeat slowly this time, so maybe he gets it.

“That’s what Parker claims too. She’s just too—”

“If I were you, I would choose my next words very carefully,Figs.” Another step, so close I can smell his aftershave. “Because if you so much as utter one more bad word about Parker, I’m going to make sure you never write another article in this town again.”

“You don’t have that power.”

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