Page 28 of Stuffed

He’d left me in charge of looking after his daughter and his wife and I’d ended up sleeping with his daughter and knocking her up. Bro-code dictates that you talk to a guy before doing something like that, but I’d been helpless against Autumn’s unbelievable charms.

When I saw him step out of the gate and wave, I took a deep breath and readied myself for what was certainly going to be the most awkward conversation of my entire life.

“Jim!” he cried out, ignoring my handshake and pulling me in for a big bear hug. “How the hell are ya, buddy!?”

“Good, man,” I smiled as he attempted to crush my ribs. “Surprised to see you this soon.”

“Yeah, I finished up early and wanted to get the hell back to the States,” he replied, letting go of me. “Thanks for getting me this late. I didn’t want to wake Michelle. I didn’t wake you, did I?”

Nah, I had just finished plugging your daughter when you called!

“Nope,” I smiled. “Just…lounging around!”

“Well, I need me a goddamn American cheeseburger before we head home,” he said. “How about we head over to Tammy’s?”

“You got it,” I nodded. “I’m a bit hungry too.”

We shot the shit as we waited at baggage claim. He told me all about the project and how much of a pain in the ass the whole thing had been but how he’d managed to whip the local workers into shape and get them back on schedule.

He told me about drinking Guinness at the pubs, listening to Irish music, and walking around Dublin. He showed me photos of the beautiful Irish countryside. But all I could think of, all the way from the airport to Tammy’s diner when we took our seat by the window, was how the hell I was going to start the conversation with him and how he was going to take it.

“So,” he said as he took a slurp of his milkshake. “How is she?”

Shit.

“Oh, Michelle’s doing great,” I joked. “Missin’ you for sure though.”

“Autumn,” he replied. “How’s my baby girl doing?”

“She’s good,” I nodded. “Real good.”

“That’s it?” he asked. “No news or anything? She hardly even answers my e-mails these days and I haven’t been able to pry out much from her. She seeing anybody?”

“Worried about those frat boys?” I joked as the waitress came over with our food.

“Here it is, fellas,” she said with a serious Southern accent. “Best dang burgers and fries this side of Austin.”

“Thanks,” I smiled, stuffing my face with fries as I thought about how to break the news to my friend.

“It’s okay, Jim,” he said. I stopped chewing and looked up to see him grinning. “I know.”

“Hmm?”

“I know,” he repeated. “About you and Autumn.”

Holy shit!

I sat up and pretended like I didn’t know what he was talking about.

“What are you talking about?”

“Relax, man,” he said, leaning over and patting me on the arm. “I’m fine with it.”

“You are?”

“Are you kidding? Of course I am! If there’s any man I would trust to look after and care for my daughter, it’d be you.”

I was stunned.

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