Page 58 of Square Deal

Bridget raised an eyebrow. “Chase said you weren’t home Saturday night.”

“The wedding ran late. He must’ve missed me.”

“He said your car wasn’t there Sunday night either,” Bridget mused as she dropped a cherry and an orange slice into an old-fashioned and slid it my way. “What’s going on with you, HJ?”

“Just trying something new,” I said before taking a sip. My lipstick left a print on the rim of the glass, and it made me think of the way it smudged all over Isaac’s cock while it was in my mouth.

“Something or someone?” Bridget asked, resting her elbows on the bar. “Because if you’re seeing someone, there’s no reason to hide it.”

Before I could respond, Steve barreled through the door and plopped down on the barstool beside me.

“Hey, you,” I said. “How’s paternity leave?”

Steve rubbed the heels of his hands against his eyes. “I love that girl, but she’s driving me up the fuckin’ wall,” he groaned.

Bridget offered a compassionate smile. “Is Aly still not sleeping well?”

Steve looked up at her. The bags under his eyes answered that question. “Not the baby,” he said. “Erica.”

Bridget went to pour him a beer, but Steve just shook his head. “If I have any alcohol, I’ll fall asleep sitting up.”

“What’s going on with Erica?” I asked. I had dropped off dinner for the two of them before I went to work on Friday. Things seemed good.

“The hormones.” He shook his head and looked up at the ceiling. “You think the hormones are badduringpregnancy? Buckle up, buttercup—it’s a whole fuckin’ rollercoaster after the baby’s born. One minute she’s happy. The next minute she’s crying. Then right after that, she’s yelling at me because I didn’t wash the rice before I put it in the rice cooker. I mean, who the fuck washes rice?”

Bridget and I giggled, and Steve shot us dirty looks.

“I’m so fuckin’ tired, y’all,” he groaned.

Bridget put her hand on Steve’s arm. “It’s okay to love someone and also admit that things are difficult. Just give her some time. Erica’s probably feeling just as out of whack as you do.”

A wry smile twitched beneath his beard. “How ‘bout some coffee.”

“That, I can do,” she said, waltzing back to the kitchen.

As soon as Bridget was gone, Steve turned to me. “You bringing someone to poker night tonight?”

I drained the rest of my glass. “Why would I have someone to bring?”

He chuckled. “You’re a shitty liar, Han.”

I plucked the cherry out of the empty glass and popped it in my mouth. “Do I even want to know what the rumor mill’s churning out these days?”

Bridget swung by and dropped off a cup of the sludge they brewed in the back before running off to check on a few more tables.

“Just remember—plus-ones have to have an invite to poker night,” he said.

I rolled my eyes. “You tell your boy that? Pretty sure he left here the other night with some girl Mel works with at the hospital.”

Steve chuckled. “Chase knows he can’t bring someone unless we all agree.”

There was a method to our poker night madness. Getting an invite was an official decree that you were in the club. When Maddie got together with Luca, we started a group text message without her where we discussed whether Luca would get an invitation. It was an easy yes.

When Erica moved into Maddie’s old houseboat, Maddie told us straight up that there would be no debating it—Erica was getting an invitation, and she volunteered Steve to give her a ride. Maddie had an uncanny ability for matchmaking. It was scary how she knew Steve and Erica would be the perfect match for each other.

Bridget had dated Kyle Kingsley longer than Maddie and Luca had been together, but not once had Bee ever asked if he could come. Probably because she knew the answer would be a resoundinghell no.

I was curious if Chase would ask to bring Layla—the nurse he met here a few nights ago.

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