“No, I wouldn’t. You can drop me off here.”
“I’m not going to drop you off in the middle of nowhere. I’ll drop you off at the bar. I wouldn’t want to see him if I were you either. I think I wanted…”
“What? What did you want?”
He paused for long seconds. “Your company.”
Those words sat heavily in the car. But he knew his father didn’t like me. His father had been clear with him and with me.
His phone rang again. It was his father. “Hi, Dad. LaRue said you’re not feeling well.”
“I’ve had better damn days,” he wheezed. “She is fat and stupid. Where are you?”
“I’m near town, but I’m driving back out to get you and take you to the hospital.”
“I’m not going to the hospital. Doctors don’t know nothing. Fancy degrees and they couldn’t find their own brain unless you tapped them on the head. Go and get that girl.”
Logan stiffened, his eyes narrowing. His father was such a disagreeable man.
“What girl, Dad?”
“Bellini. Go and get her and bring her here.”
“I’m with Bellini now.”
“You are? What the hell?” He paused as if thinking things through. “Bring her.”
I shook my head.
“No, Dad. She doesn’t want to come, and I don’t want you around her. We are both aware that you don’t like her.”
“Can she hear me?”
“Yes.”
“Bellini.” His voice was clipped, demanding.
“Yes?”
“How are you?”
“Fine.”
“Come out with Logan and see me. I don’t have much time left, and I’d like to see you again.”
“I’m afraid I can’t. I’m busy.”
“Busy? Doing what?”
“I’m pouring myself a vodka tonic.”
“You don’t drink.”
“I will start drinking if I have to visit you.”
“Your manners are poor, as usual.”
“Do not talk to her like that, Dad,” Logan snapped, that very rare temper flashing. “You talk to her with respect, or I’m hanging up.”
