Page 77 of Broken Grump

“Care for a glass of whiskey?” I offer.

Sam’s jaw drops. “Seriously?” She then checks her strappy leather watch and says, “It’s only three.”

I shrug. “It’s five o’clock somewhere, right?”

My friend sits down on the couch and leans her arm over the back of it.

“Wow. I like this new Addie.”

Pouring two glasses for both of us, I join her and sip on mine.

“We were at Hayden’s. Just now. That’s where we were, and that’s where Luna was swimming.” I’m saying it in such a way that it feels like I’m confessing to a murder or something.

Sam chuckles. “Well, okay. None of that is a crime, babe.”

I take a deep breath in and out. “I know that. Of course, I know that. It’s just—”

“Just what?”

“He asked me out on a date. Arealdate.” I’m not sure why I emphasized it the same way he did, but it felt poignant at the moment.

She gasps and puts her glass down on the side table next to the sofa.

“But I haven’t given him an answer yet.”

Her hands reach over and engulf mine. “Addie, why?”

I swallow a mixture of my own spit and liquor. “I don’t know. It’s scary.”

“Well, of course it is. Dating in and of itself is scary. But think of the ultimate pay-off you could get here!”

We both hear the shower upstairs turns on.

“You could all be a family,” she whispers.

Or I could destroy any hope we ever had of becoming that.

All the stress is making me have heart palpitations, and I rub at my chest.

“Come on, Adds. What do you say? It’s just one night. I think it could be fun.”

I look at her out of the corner of my eyes. “Why are you so for this? Like you’ve brought up many times, you don’t know the guy.”

“I don’t need to. Well, yes. Eventually, I’ll need to meet him. Especially if you two boneheads decide to run away and elope in Vegas or something.”

I chuckle. “Vegas? Yeah, right. I’m thinking the Caribbean or something fancy like that might be much more up his alley.”

“Tomato tomahto. But that isn’t the focus here.”

I know she’s right.

“Come on. Just give it a chance. I’ll handle everything here, and I’ll watch Luna.”

My head tilts to the side. “Are you sure?”I can’t even believe I’m considering this.

“Of course. Besides, I told you. I missed my girls. Well, despite the fact that I talk to you on the phone all the time.”

“Okay, okay.” Point taken. I’d be annoyed if I wasn’t so touched that she liked my kid so much. Not that I could blame her. She is pretty freaking cool.

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