Page 11 of Mine

I remembered that. All the times he’d made a passing criticism of Jeff that I’d laughed off when I shouldn’t have. “I wish I would have listened to you.”

“Well, hindsight is twenty-twenty. But it’s been two years?—”

“A year and a half,” I corrected.A long eighteen months.“He cheated on me and got the intern pregnant before our divorce, remember? And they kept it a secret. And I found out after everyone else knew.”

Now it was his turn to wrinkle his nose. “I genuinely thought you knew.”

“You thought I knew? And was just fine with it?” I hissed. “Really, Dan?”

He threw up his hands. “I don’t know what your kink is, honey. Cuckolding is a thing.”

“Oh mygod.” Irritation bubbled up as I clunked my beer on the table.

“Let’s forget about the bastard for tonight. Oh, look who it is, just in time,” Dan said lightly as Tommy approached us.

He’d been victorious. A couple of waitresses helped him bring over three cracked red leather barstools and three dirty martinis. Within a few minutes, the three of us were situated around the tiny table, chatting about anything but work. Dan showed me pictures of the new fur baby they’d just adopted, an older gray cat with a forever-grumpy expression on his cute little face. They’d named him Prince Albert.

“Why Prince Albert?” I asked as I popped an olive in my mouth.

Dan choked on his martini and Tommy burst out laughing. “Well, you know.”

I stared at them blankly.

Tommy put his arm around me and kissed my cheek. “I forget how innocent you are. Prudish Pepper is alive and well. ”

“I’m not innocent,” I protested.

“A Prince Albert is a type of cock piercing,” Dan said, giving his husband an all too knowing look.

“Oh.” My cheeks flamed and the two of them burst into laughter again. I couldn’t help but join them. “Why would you—why would you name your cat after a…piercing?”

“Acockpiercing?” Dan teased.

“Oh my god!” I exclaimed, bursting into a fit of giggles. I’d seen porn with men who had piercings before, but I didn’t know they had names. I didn’t say that though, already wanting to sink into the beer-stained floor.

We had tears in our eyes. Tommy threw his arm around me and kissed the top of my head. “Just like old times, remember? You’re still fun. You’re a vibrant star waiting to be snatched up by one lucky wisher.”

“I’m gonna feel like absolute shit in the morning,” I said. “And wake up alone, and childless, and…”

“Rich,” Dan finished. “Talented. Smart. Powerful. And much better off withoutJeff. Fuck that guy.”

“Damn,” I said.

He was right, though. It felt good to be out on a Friday night, despite my reservations. I released a long breath, more tension melting away. Maybe it was the alcohol, or the music, or the people—but I felt better than I had in a long time.

A ripple of energy rolled through the crowd as a shadow emerged on stage. The music playing overhead faded as a man walked up to the guitar, tall and muscled and commanding attention in a way that made my heart skip a beat.

I wasn’t the only one enchanted. The hush that followed as he picked up the guitar was soon replaced by cheers and a few whistles.

Tommy turned to look at me and smiled. “I’m gonna be sayingI told you sowhen we’re rolling in more money.”

“Let’s hear him first,” I said.

Dan winked and then we refocused onhim.

“Where’s his band? I thought you said there was a band,” I asked.

“Shush,” Tommy hissed.

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