Page 64 of Tickled Pink

Thad calls out to me from our room. I follow his voice, knowing that I should make an appearance on their call, at least.

“Hey,” I say as I enter the room.

Thad is sitting on the bed in a T-shirt and boxer shorts. He points his phone camera at me. “Say hi to Pheebs,” he says.

I smile. “Hello again, Phoebe.”

“Hi, Max.” She smiles back. “What are you guys doing tonight while I’m gone?”

I don’t answer.

“Oh, the same as we always did before, I guess,” Thad says, turning the phone back to him. “Grab some beers. A pizza. Watch a movie or something. Right, Max?”

I nod, recalling all the nights before Phoebe. All the times Thad would fly in on the red eye flight and crash on my couch.

But those days are long gone.

“Right,” I say. “Same as we always did.”

I enter the en suite bathroom, turning into the large closet the three of us share. Loosening my tie, I try not to listen to their conversation, but my ears perk to every word. Every laugh.

Thad bids her goodnight, and the room goes quiet.

“Max.”

I straighten up, hearing him in the doorway behind me. I didn’t notice him get off the bed.

I hang my tie on the rack. “Hey,” I say without turning around.

“Late night?”

“Yeah.”

I unbutton my shirt, then look over my shoulder. Thad is standing there. He’s just… standing there.

“What?” I ask.

“Come with me.”

He leaves the doorway.

“Thad?”

“Come with me,” he repeats, his voice carrying from the hall.

He reaches the stairs and heads down.

I finish changing my clothes into an old shirt and flannel pants before following him downstairs. The last thing I want to do is talk, but I have nowhere else to go.

I reach the kitchen and stop in the doorway.

Thad flashes a smile from a chair at the table. There’s a bottle of Jack Daniels next to him. Two shot glasses.

“Have a seat, buddy,” he says.

“Look, Thad. It’s really late.”

“It’s nine-thirty.”

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