Page 90 of How to Prevent a Fumble

Picking up the glass, she examines the amber liquid inside before stuffing her nose into the glass, taking a deep whiff.The moment she breathes in, her face twists in disgust and her shoulders slump. “God damn fancy restaurants,” she mutters with a frown.

And I’m confused. Really confused. “Is that not what you wanted?” I ask her.

“I haven’t had to deal with this issue in years because I’ve been, well, poor, but there are two very different kinds of amaretto sours. The good kind, and the expensive kind that people lie about enjoying.”

I can’t help but laugh, nearly spilling my own drink as her scowl narrows in on me. “What’s in the expensive version?”

“Bourbon, egg whites, and Satan himself,” she mutters, placing it back on the table.

I can’t help the howl of laughter that rips through me, all too aware of her steely gaze. “That’s so dramatic! What’s in the ones you like?”

“Amaretto, sweet and sour mix, and sprite,” she responds, her arms crossed right beneath her chest, her cleavage on full display for me.

If I didn’t know her better, I’d think she’s doing it on purpose.

“I think I can arrange for that,” I smile, waving over the waiter.

The man finishes with his table and makes his way over, shooting me a polite smile. “What can I get you, sir?”

“Can we order one more drink?”

“Was the one we made not up to standard?” he looks concerned, and I shake my head.

“No, but my girlfriend likes the simpler version, if you guys could make that?” Briar looks at me with a grateful smile, which is why I’m surprised when I say, “basically the kids version of an alcoholic beverage. Just, you know, with alcohol still.”

Her smile falters as her eyes narrow at me. The waiter smiles, nods, and heads off toward the bar.

“The children’s version?” she grits out.

I shrug. “Am I wrong?”

She thinks about it for a second before rolling her eyes sitting back in her chair.

“So what’s on the agenda for this week, Sunny?” I ask, picking at the basket of bread in the middle of the table.

She raises an eyebrow at me but otherwise doesn’t fight the pet name. “Well, I have to pick up some dry cleaning for you on Wednesday, which happens to be the same day Elara has a half-day at school.”

“Are you getting her?” I ask.

She shakes her head, her blonde hair swaying with the movement. “No, Heidi is. I have things to do, but I’ll be picking her up.”

“Is that okay with you?”

She thinks about this for a second. “Yes, it’s okay with me. I promise, Leo. She loves Heidi anyways. They’re like siblings I swear. The second Heidi comes over Elara asks her if she wants to hear the latest gossip. I don’t even know where she gets the gossip. She just has enough to talk to her about.”

I chuckle. It definitely sounds like her.

“You’re a good mom, you know that?”

Her brown eyes stare into mine, and I’m surprised to find trepidation in them as she bites her lip. “I’m not sure about that.”

Anger ripples through me as I watch her shrink before my eyes. “Why?”

She throws up her hands, but before she can answer, the waiter is back, handing her the drink. She takes it with a grateful smile and a shy thank you before taking a sip, her shoulders shimmying just slightly.

Putting her glass down, she sits back, her hands in her lap. “I was raised by two people who really didn’t care much about my brother and me. If I’m honest, I raised him half the time. I never wanted that for my kids. I was sofocused on doing everything right. Everything so perfect, that nothing could possibly go wrong.

“I found a man I thought would be good for me. He had money and could take care of me and our future kids, and he was nice,” her shoulders slump as her eyes roll, “but the biggest red flag should have been that my mother loved him. Absolutely adored the guy. She said he would show me some responsibility. Balance me out.”

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