Page 51 of Worth the Want
“Not to pile it on, but—whatareyou doing out tonight?”
I sigh. “Is it that insane that I would be at AJ’s?” Cecily sets our glasses in front of us, and I take a sip.
He chuckles. “No, but I have to admit the timing is a little suspicious.” He shrugs.
“Suspicious?”
“Listen, I don’t know the whole story, but from what I could gather from the women—your new tenant mentioned shewould be here—tonight—and you haven’t been out with us or responded to the group chat invites until tonight.”
“How would you know? You left the group chat months ago.”
“Yeah, because as happy as I am for Rhett and Winnie, I didn’t need to see one more innuendo about my best friend and my sister,” he explains. “I only know this information because it was a topic of conversation before you got here.” Of course it was. No one can stay out of anyone’s business around here.
“My siblings are annoying.”
“Are they wrong though?” he asks before walking away and back to the table. I stay on my stool a couple of moments longer. I’m not usually someone people talk about, and I can’t say I care for it much. People may have had a few things to say when I moved back to town and a few months later had a child, but my family really rallied around me then, keeping me away from too much of the idle gossip.
“Hey, Knox,” Cora greets me, coming to sit beside me. Then to Cecily she asks, “Can I get a glass of white and a rum and Coke?”
“Cora. How are you?” I ask, trying to be polite. I forgot she said she would be here tonight.
“Good. You know, it’s good to see you out and about. I hear we have Indiana to thank for that,” she says pointedly.
“Just decided to get out of the house.”She doesn’t need to know that Indie played a role in that decision.
“Right. Well, whatever the reason. I’m glad you’re here. It feels like we haven’t hung out in forever.” She places her hand on my shoulder as she speaks. I’m assuming she meansforeverliterally because we have never hung out.
“Excuse me.” Indie’s voice is soft as she reaches in to grab a drink sitting on a napkin beside Cora.
“I’ll just take the rum and Coke. Thanks for ordering it for me, Cora,” she says, backing away.
“No problem,” she tells Indie, lightly rubbing my arm.What the hell is that about?
“Hey,” I blurt, trying to catch Indie’s eye. For what I’m not sure, I just know I want her attention.
“Hi,” she says back, eyes directed at the hand on my shoulder. She pinches her lips together, gives me a nod and turns to walk back to the table. I shrug out from under Cora’s hand, moving to stand.
“Good talking to you, Cora.”
“Yeah, sure.” Her smile is forced, but she takes the hint, slipping off her bar stool to leave. I’m thinking of something to say to Indie when Alder plops into a stool beside me, tossing an arm over my shoulder.
“We’re taking shots, and one has your name on it.”
“No, it doesn’t.”
“Oh, come on. When was the last time you took a shot, old man?”
“I don’t take shots anymore, and you’ll stop taking them soon enough,” I tell him.
“I’m going to become a dad—not lame, big brother.” He laughs at his own joke.
“Ha-ha. You’ll see. One day, maybe not so far in the future, you’re going to take a shot, and it’s going to wreck you.”
“Don’t curse me, old one.” He hisses, crossing his fingers in front of his face.
“Enough, idiot.”
“Do you not want Indiana to know your age?” he stage whispers. At that, I let the eye roll I’ve been fighting go.
