Page 41 of Mr. July

She led us to a sunroom in the back. An oversized fan hung from the center of the dormered ceiling, a table was set to the side buffet style, decorated with orchids. I presented Bunny with my gifts. Her eyes glowed with pleasure as introductions were made. Hunter and I had arrived just in time for dinner. The ladies insisted on serving us and wouldn’t hear otherwise. Bunny came around with her first pitcher of pineapple rum coladas. Hunter declared they were so good he wanted the whole pitcher. When she made him one, he accused her of trying to “peer pressure” him into staying for the card game.

She replied after we had shown up, they decided to scratch bridge for strip poker. We all had hearty laughs. I was having such a good time—I had almost forgot this was a recon mission.

“We’re out of ice.”

“Here, let me.” I took the bucket from Barbara’s hands and went to find Bunny’s kitchen. My feet slowed as I approached the fridge. I placed the bucket on the counter, lifting a hand to the picture smack in the top center of the door. A Duke magnet held it firm.

She was… something else.

A golden goddess. It seemed as if the sun shone right through her or maybe her wholesomeness radiated the light. As if it shined from her, not the sun. Surely this couldn’t be Ryan. Maybe this was a niece or a different granddaughter. My finger traced the curve of her cheek. I wanted to feel like she did in this photo. Even if it was only for a second. She was carefree. Smiling from her soul. Small freckles dotted her sun-kissed skin. Her lips had a natural pout. She was lean, but with muscles not from denying herself meals. There wasn’t anything fake about her. I was tempted to pluck the photo and stuff it into my back pocket. I snapped a picture of it instead. I could now stare at Ms. Ryan Hill whenever I wanted, and she—none the wiser. Smirking, I opened the freezer to fill the ice bucket.

“Chase? You get lost?” Bunny scurried in.

“No ma’am. I’m almost done.”

She gently touched my forearm. “Thank you for surprising us tonight. You’ve given them so much more than a card game ever could. Betty lost her husband a few months back. I haven’t seen her smile or laugh in ages. And Claire’s cancer just came back. Hunter flirting with her has taken her mind off things.”

“Well, maybe I’ll make this a weekly thing before Hunter and I go out… tomcatting. By the way, nice calendar.” I winked.

“I needed something to write all my doctor appointments on.” She rattled off from behind me.

“That makes perfect sense.”

Hunter and I ended up staying past ten. As we played cards, the ladies entertained us with stories of days gone by. The men they loved and lost. Everyone’s story was different, unique in its own way as lives always are. Betty told us of a fling she had at Woodstock when she was seventeen. She had actually been there. Claire told of a soldier she loved who was lost in Vietnam, but she kept his letters still. Bunny opened up about her late husband, saying she just knew from the start he was her destiny. Then they started talking about kids and grandkids giving me the perfect opportunity. “How many do you have Bun?”

“Two children, two grandsons and one granddaughter. I like her the best, but I’ll never admit it to a soul outside this room.”

“What about you two? Any women claim a piece of your heart?”

“I never kiss and tell,” Hunter replied smoothly. I shot him a hard look, letting him know I haven’t forgotten about his lips on Char’s.

“Well, there is someone,” I teased. “But she says I’m too young for her.”

“Oh you,” Bunny swatted my arm.

“I had a nice time. Thank you very much.” I helped Bunny clean up. After a round of goodbyes, the ladies walked us out,

“Where to?” I asked Hunter, figuring he’d say Roxy the club on Cicada and 8th.

“Home. I’m beat. I have a date with the gym in the morning. It’s almost June. I need to be in my best beach shape for the shore.”

“I’ll join you.”

“I enjoyed myself tonight. More than I have in a longtime. I know you think I’m just your dickhead, clown best friend… with a better body and more money—but tonight made me wish for things. A life like those ladies had. Full of joys and sorrows but in the middle packed with love. Family. Kids. A home. My ex just wasn’t the one. We missed that thing… that spark that turns into the flame of a lifetime.”

I raked a hand through my hair. “I’ve felt that for the past year or so. I buried myself into work, then the shore house. With those two things eating my time, I didn’t have any nights like this one, staring me in the face that time is going by.”

“This summer, bro. Let’s make a pact, right here, right now. We’ll lockdown our dream ladies by fall. For real. No more ‘tomcatting’ around.”

“Delete your dating apps,” I challenged.

He took out his phone, swiped then tapped a few times. “Done.”

I lifted my shoulders. “I deleted mine a few weeks ago. My last hookup made me feel…empty the next day.”

“Seven a.m. gym then juice.” He tapped the roof of my car as I pulled out. I hated the stupid green organic juices he made me chug after our monster workouts. But after eating three helpings of Bunny’s pineapple soy BBQ ribs, my abs would need the detox.

After I got home, I took a shower, relaxing in my lounge pants. Phone in hand, I got into bed and stared at my pirated picture.

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