Page 131 of Champagne Nights

“No. Not at all.”

“Did you check out that meeting again after you left the bar?” David asked.

“I was going to, but remember that girl, Paisley, I told you about?”

“Yeah.”

“She was sitting in her car, not too sure if she wanted to go in or not, so instead, we went and had coffee for three hours and talked.”

David turned his head and looked at me with a smile. “Seriously? How did it go?”

“It went great, man. She’s an amazing girl.”

“I’m getting the feeling that you might like her.”

“She’s beautiful, smart, and really nice. We have a lot in common and can relate to each other because of our circumstances. She gets me.”

“That’s great.” David smiled as he patted me on the back. “Are you going to see her again?”

“I gave her my number in case she ever wants to or needs to talk. So we’ll see if she calls.”

“You didn’t take her number?”

“Nah. I didn’t want to push things or make her uncomfortable.”

“Probably a good idea. I’m sure she’ll give you a call.”

We ran a total of five miles together, and then I headed home. It was strange to me the way I told David things. Maybe it was because sometimes it’s more comfortable talking to someone you barely know than telling your family and friends that you’re close to.

Brady pulled up as I was in the garage, sanding down one of the dining chairs.

“Hey, bro.” I smiled.

“Looking good, Ben,” he said as he ran his hand across the table I’d built.

“Thanks. What brings you by?”

“I had to get out of the house,” he said. “Linda and I had an argument about her spending habits again.”

I looked up at him and grinned. “You always have that argument.”

“I know. Maybe I wouldn’t care so much if she had a full-time job. But according to her, it’s not worth it with my work hours and trying to find daycare for Kara, and she barely makes anything working part-time.”

“That is true. Our hours and shifts are changing all the time.”

I continued sanding while he vented about his wife. He didn’t realize that he was lucky she was around to even argue with.

“You know, Brady, never take Linda for granted. Look at me and what happened. Life’s too short to be arguing about things. A lot of couples don’t realize that until it’s too late and they’re no longer there to argue with.”

“Dude, you’re a downer.”

I glanced up at him with a smirk. “I’m right, and you know it.”

He sighed. “Linda invited you over for dinner tomorrow night around six o’clock. She’s making your favorite: roast and garlic mashed potatoes.”

“Tell Linda I’ll be there.” I smiled.

He patted my shoulder, smiled, and went home. I finished one chair, and I wanted to build the last one before I stained it. It took me the entire day and into the evening to build it. I was just getting ready to jump into the shower to clean myself up when a text message came through from a number I didn’t recognize.

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