Page 58 of Tangled Up

“I think you should start dating again.” I lift the balls two at a time onto the green felt as he arranges them.

“Maybe, some day.” He rubs chalk on the end of his cue and leans forward to break. “I’ve got enough to deal with at work right now.”

“Take it from me, time gets away from you when you do that.” I watch as he takes solids, shooting three into pockets. “Don’t wait until you turn into Mr. C to get back out there.”

He finally misses one and cuts his eyes at me. “Thanks, bro. Speaking of, how’d it go at dinner last night?”

“It started out great. We were talking, and then it got tense again.”

“You told her about the accident?”

“No.” I lean forward to shoot and miss.

He points his cue at me. “You’re going down now.”

Stepping back, I watch as he shoots every remaining solid into the pockets, followed lastly by the eight ball.

“Lick it up.”

“Asshole.” But I’m glad to see he’s feeling better. “Best two out of three?”

“Sure.” He digs in his pocket for change, and I walk over to the bar to order a Yuengling for me.

He’s got them racked when I get back to the table. “You’re headed back to Tampa tomorrow?”

I lean forward to break, landing on stripes again. “Tomorrow or Monday. I haven’t decided.”

“Town’s having a harvest festival tomorrow. Stop by if you’re still around. Take a ride on the Ferris wheel.”

“You trying to give me ideas?” I miss the shot, and he’s up.

“Take it from a pro. Ladies love the Ferris wheel.” He quickly shoots the last of the solids into the pockets.

“I think you’re hustling me.”

“I’m giving you good advice. There’s a lot of old people in Eden. You could set up a pretty good practice in town.”

Resting my chin on my hands, I think about this. “It won’t matter if she’s in Pensacola.”

“Sounds like you’ve got your work cut out for you.”

“Wish me luck.”

“You don’t need luck.” He puts the cue on the rack. “But I need candy.”

CHAPTERSEVENTEEN

CARLY

Asalty breeze blows through the screen door at the back of Aunt Viv’s cottage, and I lean against the bar in the kitchen in my cutoffs and tank. Allison Krauss and Jimmy Page harmonize on my Spotify, and I’ve got Jessica on speakerphone.

“It’s too warm for Halloween.” Twisting my hair into a ponytail on top of my head, I use a paper witch mask to fan myself.

“Are you still getting trick or treaters?” My friend sounds like she’s eating candy.

“I think that was the last one. Wasn’t eight the cutoff time?”

“Yeah, but there’s always a few stragglers. Teenagers.” She hums the song fromA Nightmare Before Christmas. “Didn’t you just love the little Swift twins? They were so cute.”

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