Page 78 of Doughn't Let Me Go

I give her a look, and she gives me what she thinks is an innocent grin.

Meddler.

“Actually, we’re here celebrating—”

“A new deal!” Dory interrupts. “Porter signed a new deal today.”

I look over at her, and she shakes her head almost imperceptibly.

She doesn’t want people to know it’s her birthday—noted.

“Well, it’s not official just yet, but we’re signing next week.”

“And the multimillionaire becomes the billionaire.” Winston grins. “I can’t wait to see what you buy me next year on your birthday.”

Drunk Porter is also very free with his money. He doesn’t like receiving gifts, but he loves giving them. Which is why he bought all his friends a slew of really dumb shit last year, like matching silk pajamas they all wore on Christmas morning and fancy figurines of their animal counterparts, each decorated with hand-set Swarovski crystals. The cheapest one cost me five grand, and I’m fairly certain Foster’s using his squid as a paperweight. They’re stupid and tacky, but I know all the guys secretly love them.

We’ve all grown tight over the last year I’ve known them, like family. Even when I was still living in California, they’d check in frequently. It was like the moment Foster introduced me to them, I became part of their little group. Knowing they have my back was a big part of why I decided to go ahead with this experimental move out here.

“Well, we’ll let you get back to your celebration.” Drew turns to Doris. “Let’s get lunch together sometime. We can do a little playdate with Kyrie. ShelovesRiker, and we can catch up. I don’t miss our old apartment building, but I do miss having you so close.”

Dory grins. “That sounds good.”

We tell them bye and return to our meal.

“I—”

“Why—”

She laughs nervously. “Sorry, you go first.”

“Why don’t you want them to know it’s your birthday?”

Dory lifts a shoulder. “I don’t know. I just…” She glances up at me shyly. “They’d want to stay.”

And I don’t want them to.

It’s unsaid but heard loud and clear.

I give her a single nod. “Okay.”

We chew our food for a bit, enjoying the quiet.

“So, before I showed up, what were you planning to do here all night?” I nod toward the book that’s been moved to the end of the table. “Read my favorite book?”

“The Outsidersis your favorite?”

“Why do you sound surprised?” I lean forward. “Did you not think I know how to read?”

She laughs. “No, no. I don’t know.” She waves a hand. “I just thought you read like…you know…boring stuff.”

“Because I’m old?”

Another burst of laughter.

God, I love seeing her laugh.

“No, Porter, not because you’re old. But you are, just for the record.”

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