Page 128 of The Single Dad

“That’s disgusting,” I declare. “The worst whiskey I have ever tasted.”

Cole looks at me, incredulous. “Oh, for the love of—”

Whatever else he has to say is drowned out by the laughter of his friends. Reed guffaws loudly, pounding on the table; Declan’s laughter is more subdued, but there’s a glimmer of amusement in his eyes.

“You know what, Cole?” Reed says, wiping away a fake tear from the corner of his eye. “I like this one.”

Cole’s reaction to that is mixed—he seems pleased, but his posture also stiffens defensively. I can imagine why. Reed is reacting to me the way someone might react to their friend’s new girlfriend.

It’s nice to fit in so well with Cole’s friends, though, even if he’s a little on edge. Personally, I don’t mind if they know. They’re close enough with Cole that it would have been harder to hide it than tell them upfront.

“Same here,” Declan adds, giving me a nod. “Maybe he’ll pick up on your taste.”

Under the table, Cole’s leg brushes against mine. I suppress a shiver.

He’s picked up on my taste, alright, I think to myself.

“Do you guys want to play out this hand, or start a new one?” Reed asks. “We could deal Riley in, now that she’s here.”

“Oh, that’s okay,” I say quickly. “I don’t really know how to play poker, and I don’t want to slow down your game with all the instructions.”

“It’s pretty simple, if you want us to teach you.” Cole folds his hand of cards together neatly.

“I’m good,” I assure him. “In fact, I was probably going to get some painting done now that Archie is asleep, if that’s okay.”

The corner of his mouth twitches into a half-smile, and for an instant, I know we’re both thinking about the masterpiece that now hangs above his fireplace. “No problem.”

I stand up from the table, taking my drink with me. Before I can leave the room, there’s a sudden buzzing sound—Cole’s phone is ringing. He frowns at it, as do the rest of us.

“Little late for a phone call,” Declan comments, raising an eyebrow.

He’s right. Cole is notoriously busy, as is everyone else in the room, and if there’s anything I’ve learned from being around him, it’s that there is no such thing as true “time off.” However, most calls come before seven in the evening, at the very latest.

That is, most calls that don’t involve an emergency.

Cole frowns and picks up the phone. “Hello?”

He’s silent for a few seconds. His expression changes, almost imperceptibly, but from the way his eyes widen and his jaw tightens, I can tell it’s something serious.

When he speaks again, his voice is clipped. “I see.”

He stands abruptly, holding up a hand to excuse himself, and paces into the foyer. I can hear his quiet voice as he talks to whoever’s on the other end of the line, but I can’t make out any of the questions.

Biting his lip, Reed looks up at me. “Do you know what that’s all about?”

I shrug. “No idea. It doesn’t seem good, though.”

“No, it does not,” he agrees.

After a couple of minutes, Cole re-enters the room. He looks haggard, exhausted, as if that one phone call lasted for several hours.

“What’s the news?” Declan asks, his brow furrowed.

Cole trudges back to the table, sinking down into his chair. He’s silent for a long moment. Then he says, “That was a doctor at Sinai.” He blinks, as if he’s trying to force a thought to settle into place. “My father’s dead.”

Declan lets out a long breath, and Reed mutters, almost to himself, “Oh, shit, man.”

I stand on the other side of the room, frozen in the doorway to the living room. I’m suddenly unsure whether I should give Cole his space or stay here for support. I opt to wait, just to see what he needs from me.

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