Naughty Neighbor - Lauren Runow Page 0,73
for dinner, and there’s plenty of leftovers.”
“No, thanks. I’m good.” I keep my tone even. I don’t want to ruin anyone’s day with my melodrama. “Who else is here?”
“Just me, Wayne, and Penelope. She’s heading out tomorrow. We’re all like a bunch of ships passing in the night. It’s amazing we can keep track of who’s coming and going.” She laughs as I follow her into the kitchen. “I thought you had to be at the shop.”
“I was. I worked today and then drove here.”
She washes her hands in the sink. “Everything okay at your apartment?”
Grabbing a beer from the refrigerator, I pop the top and wonder if I should share my bullshit with her. “I’m just looking for some space.”
“Damn it,” she says with a huff.
“What?”
“You broke up,” she states, looking genuinely disappointed. “I really liked this one. She’s not like some of the princesses you’ve brought around. Lacey was so down-to-earth.”
So down-to-earth, yet she refuses to let her heart out of her concrete chest.
“Well, we had a disagreement, and for the record, her best friend is on my side, so I know I did nothing wrong.”
“What does she think you did?”
“Told her I loved her.” I take a swig and watch my sister’s mouth form an O in understanding.
I’m drinking, and Milène is still making that face as Wayne comes in.
“What’s up, brother?” he says. We slap hands, and then Wayne grabs a beer from the fridge. “What brings you here tonight?”
“He and Lacey broke up.”
Wayne looks at his wife, confused. “They were just here, banging in the hot tub.”
“Wayne!” she chastises, and I have to laugh.
“Didn’t think anyone heard that,” I say with a grin, recalling that night. It’s amazing how my relationship with Lacey went from that to this.
Wayne laughs. “Just us. Our window is right above the hot tub. This one”—he points to his wife—“wanted the window open to get the lake breeze. She got that and a few moans.”
While my relationship with my sister is really good, this is a little too intimate, even for me. “Lucky for you, you won’t be hearing any more of that. She and I are through.”
Wayne raises a shoulder. “No big deal. You probably have another woman lined up already.”
“He told her he loved her,” Milène explains, but Wayne doesn’t seem affected.
“Shit happens. The guy knows half of Chicago. I’m sure he can get laid pretty easily and forget her.” Wayne’s words do not appear to be going over well with Milène.
I interject before she yells at him, “The guy’s right. In fact, I should make it a point and bring as many women as possible home with me, so I can walk past her door and let her see just how desirable I am to other women.”
Wayne lifts his beer to cheers me. “That’s a horrible idea, but I will support it.” We tap the necks of our bottles and then take a drink. With his mouth hidden behind the bottle, he mumbles toward me, “I’m only saying it’s horrible because my wife is standing right there.”
Milène crumples a napkin and throws it at his head. “You’re a fool.”
The two bicker, which turns into some funny jabs at each other. That’s the way they are. They fight like an old married couple yet still laugh like they did when they first started dating.
“Come on, Jake. We’re going out.” Wayne puts his bottle on the counter and starts walking out of the kitchen. He talks over his shoulder, “Honey, don’t wait up. I’m doing my brother-in-law duty and getting this guy out of his slump.”
“I’m not in a slump, but I’ll come out.” I toss my empty bottle in the recycling bin and follow him out the front door.
“Don’t drink and drive,” Milène calls out to us. “Take an Uber home if you must. We’ll get the car in the morning.”
He turns back and gives his wife a kiss good-bye, thanking her for being the best, which is all just to butter her up because she really is a great wife to him. The guy lives a pretty carefree life.
We get to the bar, and it’s slightly packed. The music is blaring, and the drinks are flowing. Wayne and I take a seat at the bar and order draft beers.
We shoot the shit for the most part. Last week’s football game. Yesterday’s baseball game. He tells me he saw Hamilton on the television, and we talk about history for a while.
“So, you’re really hung up on this girl?”