Page 90 of Sapphire Sunset

“Good to see you too, Pop.”

“Has it always been this pink?” the man grumbled.

“They didn’t paint the outside during the renovation. You’venever been here?”

“No, you never brought me here,” his dad said.

It sounded like an accusation.

Because it was.

Before Logan could respond, Jed Frye, all six foot five andthree hundred pounds of him, was pumping Logan’s arm and introducing his newgirlfriend, Linda, a mature silver-haired beauty, who’d gotten a nice blowoutfor the evening. Her silver and white floral print midi dress had billowysleeves and rhinestones studded through the flowers across the chest. She gaveLogan a nervous smile as they were introduced. But the way she kept studyingChip suggested she was somewhat relieved she wouldn’t have to deal with thescrutiny of being the group’s new addition now that Logan’s dad was beingornery.

Petey DiGiovanni stepped forward next, the Laurel to Jed’sHardy, about the size of Connor, with thick glasses and a spray of salt andpepper hair tumbling from underneath the fisherman’s hat he never went anywherewithout. Both guys had been his dad’s friends since they were practically teenagers.Guys he’d run with, done construction gigs with, drunk way too much Wild Turkeywith until they all came to their senses. Now both men worked low-stress jobsfor Chip’s Kicks that allowed them to live lives with the pace of retirement.And their shared history meant they knew to ignore the old man when he actedlike a grouch.

Chip turned to watch the valet drive off with Jed’s car, asif he thought the guy might be stealing it. Then, as if nobody had introducedthemselves to Logan or even spoken, he said, “You’d bring me to the employeeChristmas party, but it was never here, and when I asked you why not, you’d saywho wants to go to a holiday party at the place they work every day.”

“Is that really how I sounded?” Logan asked. “In thisconversation I don’t remember having?”

“Someone’skindahungry,” Jed saidunder his breath.

“Orcrungry,asI tell my kids,” Linda offered. Then, nervously, she extended a hand in Chip’s direction.“Not that you’re being childish, Chip.”

“Don’t feel bad, Linda,” Logan said. “He’s totally beingchildish.”

Jed patted her on the back. Linda’s smile became a grimace asshe looked at her feet.

“I’m not hungry because I already ate,” Chip said.

“Seriously?” This pissed Logan off. “You ate before your bigdinner? They’re knocking themselves out in the kitchen for you.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t know what kind of food they have atthis place. It’s probably all snails on a bed of baby blankets or something.”

Logan turned to Chip’s crew. “Do me a favor, folks. Followme but walk like ten or twelve steps back.”

All three of them nodded, relieved to be distanced fromtheir friend’s sour mood, if only for a few seconds.

As they entered the lobby, Logan’s arm firmly wrapped aroundhis father’s upper back, Chip flinched at every sudden movement, studying eachpassing guest as if he thought they might throw paint on him. When he saw thelobby wasn’t filled with couture-clad swimsuit models and their wealthy Europeanhusbands but harried evacuees and their children and pets, he seemed to relax alittle. But just a little.

“What’s going on with you, Pop?” Logan asked.

“I don’t know. Being here’s weird,” Chip said.

“Why?” Logan asked.

“This has always been your world,” Chip grumbled.

“Since when is my world not your world?” Logan asked.

“Since you never brought me here,” Chip answered.

“You never asked to come here.”

“Because it didn’t seem like mykindaplace.”

“Which means you didn’t want to come,” Logan said.

“No, it means I thought I’d feel out of place if I came, andI do, all right?”

---