“No. If someone were missing, that’s a very different conversation. He’d have called, not texted, and we’d already be on the move.” I lean over and kiss her. “I’m gonna take a walk over to check on things.”
I shoot C a text to give him a heads up that I’m coming. He doesn’t respond, which tells me he wants me to come. If not, he’d have texted back that we’d talk when I got to the castle in the morning for work.
I dress and give Laurelyn one more kiss, then go downstairs and punch in the security code to let myself out. Admiring the landscaping, I cut through my enclosed garden to unlock the gate that leads to C’s.
When I get to the castle, I let myself in and follow the light to the game room where C’s shooting pool. He’s got a drink and goes to pour me one.
“Nah, just Coke for me.”
“Why’s that?”
“Not drinking tonight.”
“At her request?”
“Of course not,” I say with a smile.
When he gives me a questioning look, I come clean. “I overheard her talking to Kathleen. She mentioned that she misses coffee and red wine. Laurel never complains to me about being pregnant, not even when she feels sick. I decided I don’t want her to taste liquor when she kisses me, so I quit drinking until the baby’s born.”
“Did you tell her?”
“No, but I imagine she’ll notice eventually.”
“You’re a whole new man. Going home for dinner every night. Quit drinking. What’s next? New age music?”
I smirk.“No. She doesn’t like it.”
“Hmm.”
“I only do things that will score points with her. I like to be popular with my wife.”
“And that’s something you think you need to work at?”
“It is. I like things a certain way, and I’m pretty demanding, C. So I try to charm her the rest of the time. Plus, I figure I’ve only got her to myself for a few more months. I’m trying to make the most of our time before I’ve gotta share.”
“You like being married?”
He sounds skeptical, which makes me want to shut the conversation down. But in case he’s thinking of doing it himself, I go with the truth. “Yeah, I love it.”
“From where I’m standing, it sounds like a job.”
“One hundred,” I say, flashing a smile. “I’ve got that first anniversary performance review in a year. I plan to nail it.”
C tosses his head back and laughs. “Marriage, Trick style.”
I shrug with a smile.
C racks the balls on the table and hands me a cue. “How many days since you had a drink?
“Today is eight.”
“Surprised I didn’t notice.” As he chalks the tip of his cue, he looks me over. “Tough?”
“The first couple days I thought about caving in. Like any substance you use a lot, you want it out of habit. But then it gets easier, especially when there’s other, better stuff to think about. Like how great your wife looks topless.”
The balls scatter as the cue ball strikes them, and a stripe drops in. C works the table, dropping a couple more before the cue ball bounces off the side in a misplaced shot.
“Where’s Zoe? The New York apartment?”
