about David’s upcoming wedding. The one thing they didn’t talk about was Abe’s sobriety. They didn’t need to. Having his friend here was enough.
Afterward, as they grabbed ice-cold bottles of water from the fridge in the little break area that featured a juice bar during the day, Abe leaned up against the nearest wall and said, “Sarah won’t let me move in.”
David swigged half his bottle before replying. “Can’t blame her, man.” He flipped a chair around, took a seat with his arms braced on the back. “You must’ve been hell to live with.”
Abe thought again of the day he’d thrown Sarah’s books in the pool, then the furniture. And that had been one of the tamer incidents. “Yeah.” He pressed the cold bottle to his forehead. “I just want to be there for her… and I want the chance to show her I’m not the man I once was.”
David ran his fingers through his sweat-damp hair. “I get it.” After wiping his face on a towel, he rubbed at his jaw, eyebrows drawn together over the golden brown of his eyes. “I guess you have to court her.”
“What?” Abe scowled at the man who’d been his friend since they were thirteen. “I can’t write memos.” No one but David and Thea knew what David had written in those magic memos, but they’d certainly worked. Which was why Abe was listening to advice that included the word “court”—because David was about to marry his girl, while Abe couldn’t even get his to trust him enough to give him a key.
“Abe, you were married to Sarah.” David raised an eyebrow. “If anyone knows what she likes and needs, it should be you.”
Abe thought of the books he’d sent her; he’d seen them neatly placed on her bookshelf. All except one, which was on a side table with a bookmark in it. He’d done okay there. She’d also enjoyed their dessert date. “Like we’re still dating?” The idea felt false to him. He and Sarah were far beyond anything superficial.
“Not dating—more like showing her that you pay attention to what’s important to her.” David finished off his water. “That doesn’t end after you’re in a relationship. It’s always.” A shit-eating smile. “I’m not admitting anything, but it’s possible I may still write Thea memos.”
Abe pointed at David, eyes narrowed. “You’re a disgrace to rock stars everywhere.”
“Do I look like I give a flying fuck?” Grinning, David put his drink bottle in the recycle bin, caught Abe’s when Abe lobbed it over, and did the same. “You going to shower here?”
“Nah. I had workout clothes in the car but nothing else. I’m going to head home to change.” Then he’d drive back over to Sarah’s.
“I’ll shower at home too.” As they walked out, David said, “Look, man, I know this is none of my business, but seems to me that Sarah never got the romantic stuff women like. You two hooked up, got married, and that was it.”
“Yeah, I know. I’m going to fix that.” He’d made up his mind to give Sarah what she needed this time around. “Thanks for tonight.” He held out his fist.
David bumped it and they went their separate ways.
HE WAS HALF EXPECTING SARAH’S HOME to be dark when he finally drove up, but the windows upstairs glowed with light and the gate opened seconds after he pushed the buzzer. The garage door began to lift up almost at the same time. He’d just finished parking beside her zippy red car when the internal access door opened, Sarah haloed by the light on the other side.
She was dressed in pajama shorts and a T-shirt, her hair loose and wild around her head. She looked all sleepy and soft.
Jogging up, he shut the door after nudging her inside and cupped her cheek. “You were asleep.” He nuzzled her.
Yawning, she kind of cuddled into him, her hands folded up against his chest. “I nodded off while I was reading.”
Abe loved holding her, wanted to do it all night. “Come on, let’s get to bed.”
She led him upstairs, crawling into bed and watching him with sleepy eyes as he stripped and dropped his clothes on top of his duffel.
“You want me to wear pj’s?” It was the first time that had come up—they were usually naked when they tumbled into bed.
A slow smile. “Do you even own pj’s?”
“No,” he admitted. “But I brought a pair of sweats.”
“I like you barefoot and bare to the skin.”
Grinning at the cheeky response, he got