Page 109 of Bourbon and Lies

Hadley chimes in, “Did you want us to skip the syrup too, Atticus?

“Atticus?”

“Is that what happens when you hit your forties? You stop adding fun to pancakes and start repeating what people say?” She looks around the table, with Griz laughing at the head.

Griz cups his ear. “Say that again?”

That gains a laugh from everyone at the table except Ace.

Hadley swats at the air in front of her. “Anyway, I have some fun news.” She looks around. “I just hired a resident burlesque dancer.”

“For what?”

Hadley looks at Lincoln like he’s an idiot for asking. Sarcastically, she says, “For invigorating conversations.” She rolls her eyes. “For Midnight Proof, obviously. I want more than just the jazz band for entertainment. It’s such a good idea. Laney’s idea, actually.”

My wife smiles at her.

“Plus, she’s a total smokeshow now. I kind of have a crush on her.” She waves that off. “Anyway, I’m sure you’ll see her around.”

Hadley’s eyes widen as she leans over the table to see where Lily and Lark have gone. I follow her line of sight, and both girls are on the couch, already engrossed in something on their tablets. She whisper-shouts, pointing at Lincoln, “You will not, I repeat, will not take my new girl for a whirl.”

He sits back with a smirk. “Seriously, Hads?”

She looks around at me, Ace, then Griz. “Your slut-astic escapades are not coming anywhere near Midnight Proof. Do I make myself clear? She needs a good ol’ small town welcome, not HPV as a welcome present.”

“First of all, fuck you. I’m not giving anyone HPV.”

“As far as you know . . .”

The two of them are like a variety show, always have been, and sometimes I do wonder if she’s really our sister with the amount of grief she dishes to Linc and Ace.

“Wait what do you mean ‘she’s a smokeshow now?’ Is she from Fiasco?” Linc asks.

She crosses her arms, giving him a glare.“No. I should have never mentioned this.” She points at him. “We’re not talking about her because I don’t want to hear how she has to quit because you’re not calling her back or how you need to know which nights she’s working to avoid coming in or some dumb shit.” Chugging his water, he slams the glass down, slightly out of breath.

“Are you okay?” Ace asks her hesitantly.

She rolls her eyes at him. “Yeah, Daddy, just fine.”

“Jesus Christ,” he huffs out as Lark calls for him.

“Uncle Ace, the Wi-Fi isn’t working,” she croons from the next room.

Hadley leans across the table and smiles. “It’s like a drug. I can’t help myself with him. It’s like the how-much-can-I-make-Ace-uncomfortable Olympics.”

“Gold medal work, Hads,” Linc says.

She salutes him. “Seriously, though, hands off the new girl. You bourbon boys and fresh meat...”

Laney leans her head on my shoulder and squeezes my knee. “Was that the appeal?” She wiggles her eyebrows. “Fresh meat?”

I kiss her lips. “I hadn’t had any meat for years before you showed up. It was all you, baby.”

She smiles up at me.

“You two are so cute, I think I was just smiling at you both for no reason,” Hadley says. “Now my face hurts.”

“Calm down, Hadley Jean. Your time will come. Don’t get your knickers in a bunch.” Griz smiles at her over his bourbon.

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