Page 82 of The Falcon and the Foe

“Fun.” I slid a thumb under his chin but felt him tense under my touch. Even though we had that hot moment in the car, something had shifted in Cal since I punched out that kayaking creep. There was a slight dim to his outward smile.

“All right.” Cal clapped his hands. “Let’s Jenga!”

* * *

Fun eventually wentout the window.

It had started as a friendly game of Jenga. The four of us chatted about our kids and jobs and town gossip as we stacked. But at some point, we noticed that the game kept going. The rickety tower rose and rose, dwarfing everything around it. The longer it stood, the more serious we got, ceasing chitchat and pulling blocks with deliberate care. The other patrons took notice and crowded around, compounding the pressure. Buzz, the shortest of our quartet, had to stand on a chair to place new blocks on top. We wanted to win, but we also knew that the four of us were in this together, bonded by this instantly legendary game.

Cal rolled his neck and stretched out his arms before he approached the tower.

“The center block, tenth row from the top,” I whispered to him. “I felt it on my last turn. It’s loose.”

“Copy that.” He squeezed my hand for support.

The tower had an unnerving tilt. Just looking at it sent my anxiety to unhealthy levels.

“Good luck,” Leo called out in an attempt to mindfuck.

“Leo, what are you doing?” I called back. I couldn’t believe I was on a first-name, shit-talking basis with the mayor. This day...

“I just wanted to wish my good friend Calvin good luck. My thoughts and prayers are with him.” He put his hand over his heart for the final, sinister touch.

“Don’t listen to him,” I said.

“Leo, I would take you a lot more seriously if your fly wasn’t open.”

Leo blushed beet red and checked his zipper.

“Made you look.” Even under immense stress, Cal maintained his sense of humor.

He circled the tower once before coming around to the block I’d pointed out. He gave it a tap. It nudged out of its spot. He pressed his finger harder. My heart was in my throat as it slid to freedom and flopped into his cradling hand. The tower gave a slight shake, sending gasps through the crowd. Cal’s arms shook as he raised the block to the top level, placing it so quietly on top that only the hum from the TVs above the bar could be heard.

I pulled him into a hug when he returned to our side, the scent of the woods still in his hair.

“Okay, Buzzy, you’re up,” Cal said.

Leo turned to his teammate. “Buzz, you got this.”

Buzz yawned, to everyone’s surprise.

“Why are you yawning?”

“I’m good, I’m good. Anne had a hard time sleeping last night.” Half-moons hung heavily under his eyes. His boyfriend Shane, a very attractive, younger, tattooed man, was at home with the baby.

“Don’t they make baby Ambien?” Leo whipped around to the crowd. “That was a joke. That was a joke. I do not support giving babies or children any medication not explicitly prescribed by their pediatricians. The welfare of Sourwood’s children is one of my top priorities as mayor.” Back to Buzz. “Do you need a drink? Let’s get you something with caffeine. Mitch!”

“No. I’m good, I’m good. I just yawned. I’m one thousand percent fine.”

“Good, cause all you need to do is take one block. One little block, then the newbie will make this thing topple on his turn, and we can all go home.”

I laughed at my nickname. And that he thought I’d really drop the ball.

“The Newbie is kicking your ass right now,” Cal said.

Leo held out an arm to silence him. “The tower is still standing, and thus no ass has been kicked.”

“It’s standing for now…” I said.

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