nodding and stroking his hair. “Yeah.” Closing my eyes, I say on a sad groan, “I can’t believe I have to go to work soon. I wish the girls weren’t gone. More than anything I want to stay here with you tonight.” And I mean that. It’s Christmas Eve, what was I thinking?
He puts his forehead to mine, still resting inside me, pulling up the blanket around me to keep me warm. “I’ll be there with you.”
I don’t argue, but I know at some point tonight I will send him home to eat a good meal and come back to get me at closing time. Sitting at a bar, even my bar, from six o’clock to after two in the morning will just be too boring for him, as much as he would debate that. I don’t want to debate it, but Bobby will be working, and Mark’s in New York now. His friends from work have other plans, I’m sure. So he’d be stuck watching me for all that time, and that’s just silly. At least here, he can watch T.V.
He separates to reach for his pants and check the time on his phone. Pulling my skirt down and the blankets tighter, I watch him read it and come up with a smile. “We’ve got two hours. Let’s order some take out.”
Before I even think about it, I’m blurting, “Garlic bread?” with excitement.
“You’re craving garlic bread? Alright, let’s see who’s open and serving Italian.” Typing into his phone, he says offhandedly, “We should go to Italy sometime.” I give him a look and he chuckles. “Spain?”
Nestling my lower back against the support-cushion again, I say on a contented smile, “Spain sounds wonderful.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Brendan
When do I start getting tired of looking at her? I hope never.
“Manny, since my wife won’t get me another beer, would you?”
Annie hears me from where she’s standing down the bar, wiping her wet hands on a long, black skirt, her halter (that I shouldn’t have told her to wear; she looks way too sexy) is nearly bursting at the seams from our baby and those amazing breasts he’s brought with him. Rolling her bright blue eyes, she calls over with fake annoyance, “I reserve the right to refuse service to people who don’t understand the allure of a dinner at home. You know, with vegetables or something.”
“Guinness has a lot of vitamins and minerals in it,” I argue with mock-seriousness. She casts her eyes away with a shake of her head, her long hair swaying in a high ponytail. She’s trying to get rid of me. She’s tried everything. Even the tactic where she exclaimed how boring it must be to stare at her. I just married the girl a few months ago.
Staring at her is all I want to do. Especially tonight.
“Stop looking at me like I’m dinner and go get some! You’re starving!” To the couple sitting at the bar in front of her, she says, without even a hint of humor, “That’s my brother. He’s got a thing for me.”
They look over, wondering if she’s kidding. I laugh it off, “Nice! Nice tactic, honey.”
She grins and leans forward to tell them, “I’m just kidding. He’s my shrink.”
I hold up my ring finger with my elbow firmly planted on the bar counter. “Can you believe she married her shrink?” They smile awkwardly, clearly not knowing what to believe. Turning my attention to Manny as he sets down a chilled pint glass, I throw up my hands. “Now there’s a friend!”
“Sorry Boss,” he shrugs as she glares at him like he’s dead meat. Manny makes a rounded motion in front of his stomach as soon as she looks away, shaking his head as I grin and take a sip.
“Don’t let her see you do that. She’s a little sensitive lately. And today she finally blamed me for her condition. It has begun.”
With guy-to-guy mockery, he sings, “You guys are so cute.”
“Since Mark’s not here, I’ll tell you: Shut it.” Manny laughs and leaves as my wife returns. In passing, she swats his shoulder and he grabs it, pretending like that hurt. With another roll of her eyes, she looks from him to me with pursed lips.
To avoid her, I take another sip, wiping my lips as I look around the room. The conversation is so loud, you can’t even hear the holiday music well enough to discern who’s playing. “Busy tonight. You’d think these people would all be home for the holidays. I mean,