Page 136 of Lavender Lake
“Maybe you should’ve waited to tell her,” Hadley said.
“Clobber her right before she gets back on a plane to New York?” I shook my head. “This way she can be pissed at me for a few days, we’ll have your bachelorette party, and then your wedding, and by the time she goes home, she’ll be mellowed. Or sedated.”
“Yeah, you’re right,” Hadley allowed. “I guess there wasn’t a good time to tell her.”
We waved goodbye to Gracie and headed out of Sweet Teeth which had started to get busy again.
Hadley and Poet headed for the truck on the other side of the street. “See you in a bit?” Hadley asked.
“Depends how long it takes to wrangle Wyn,” I quipped.
I walked down Silver Street toward the Copper Mule. The front door was unlocked and I went inside. The main lights were on, which illuminated the scarred wooden floor.
Wyn sat at the bar, leaning over her drink and sucking on a straw.
“I knew I’d find you here.” I took the stool next to her. “How’d you get Wade to serve you?”
“I told him I was best friends with you and Hadley. Youaretown royalty, after all.”
“Hmm. I think it has more to do with the fact that Wade and Hadley dated in high school. That has a certain cachet.”
She gestured to her drink. “Want a sip?”
“All good, thanks.”
The scent of tomato juice made me queasy, so I started to breathe through my mouth.
“I’ve actually never been in here during the day. It loses its appeal, I think,” I said as I looked around.
“What’s that smell?”
“Paprika,” I explained. “They make their own BBQ here.”
“I think I’ll like this place at night,” she said.
“Hey,” I said, patting her thigh. “Talk to me.”
“There’s something you’re not telling me.”
My heart tripped with nerves. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, there’s something going on with you.” Her eyes scanned me from the top of my head down to my boots. “I’ve never seen you this way.”
“What way?”
“Relaxed.”
“Relaxed?”
“Yeah. You’re chaos wrapped in frenetic energy. You’re the human equivalent of amphetamines. And here you are. Chill. That’sveryunlike you.”
I laughed. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do with that.”
Wade came out of the back, a box of liquor in his arms. “Hey, Salem.”
“Hi Wade. Thanks for serving Wyn.”
“No sweat. Get you something?”
