Page 79 of The Lost Book of First Loves

She listened to them joke and harass each other with easy familiarity, feeling the odd person out. They didn’t so much exclude her as talk around her about people she didn’t know.

She felt out of place and wondered what had compelled her to agree to the date with Clint in the first place. And why had he asked her?

The self-doubt annoyed her. She was a funny, smart, well-read woman. She had plenty to offer Clint or any man.

“What time is the band supposed to start?” she asked during a break in the conversation, earning a slightly surprised look from Clint, as if he had forgotten her presence.

He looked at his watch. “About fifteen more minutes. As soon as Deb brings our drinks, we should probably head upstairs and find a table.”

Her question seemed to have reminded them all she was there.

“What are you up to these days, Ali?” Smitty asked. She was surprised to see his interest appeared genuine.

“I finished law school a few months ago and I’m here for the summer helping my grandma at the bookstore while I study for the bar.”

They all looked impressed. “Wow. Are you going to be one of those hotshot prosecutors like I watch onLaw & Order?” Tank asked.

She wasn’t sure she wanted to go into criminal law. Family law interested her more, probably because that was what her mother had practiced.

“I haven’t decided yet. What about you guys?”

Tank told her he was driving a truck for a box store in Jackson Hole, and Smitty was an electrician who worked for his father.

“Any wives or kids in the picture?”

“Not me,” Tank said.

Smitty looked down at his drink. “I’m divorced. One kid. A boy. Cody. He’s three. Want to see a picture?”

“Um. Sure,” she said.

He pulled out his phone and she saw his screensaver was an adorable towheaded little boy wearing big boots and a cowboy hat that was three sizes too big.

“Cute,” she said. “He looks like you.”

“Yeah. Poor kid. My wife moved to Idaho Falls so I only see him once a month. It sucks.”

“I’m sorry. That must be tough.” She didn’t bother to point out that Idaho Falls probably needed electricians, as well.

“My divorce lawyer was shit. I should hire you to help me get a better custody arrangement.”

“I haven’t passed the bar so I can’t practice right now. But when I do, I’ll let you know.”

Deb brought their drinks then. “Am I adding to your tab?” she asked Clint in a resigned sort of tone.

“Yeah. If you don’t mind, Deb. I’ll catch up with you. Paul knows I’m good for it.”

She didn’t reply, but Ali thought she saw her mouth tighten slightly. “Make sure you do.”

Ali almost offered to cover their drinks, but the moment seemed awkward enough that she didn’t want to make things worse.

“We should probably head upstairs. You ready?”

“Sure,” she said, grabbing her pale ale.

“What about you guys?” he asked Tank and Smitty.

“Wouldn’t miss it,” they said.

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