“Oh. Well, bud, he’s kinda got plans. We could come down after, if you want. If I can come, that is.”
“Well, sure, Dillon! You know you’re welcome here, man. I just… Shit, if I have one more person cry on me today, I might have a conniption.”
“Oh, man. Hey, man. Why don’t you call Hank? He’s down there right now, visiting that sister of his, huh?” Dillon knew Hank and AJ were buds, and that would give AJ some man time.
Coke glanced back at him, gaze curious.
AJ hooted. “Oh, God. That’s a good idea! Hank can get Bax out of his funk. You heard anything about Sam?”
“Yeah. Yeah, he’s still in Reno, but he’s getting better every day.”
“Cool. Cool. Shit, Daisy’s screaming. Tell Gramps hey, wouldja?”
“I will. Bye, man.” He hung up and handed the phone back to Coke before unlocking the truck. “AJ says hi, babe. Hank is gonna go stay with him a bit.”
“Hey? Everything okay?” Coke climbed in, pocketing his phone.
“Yep. I mean, he’s worried about Missy and Jase, but I think he just needs some man time.” Albert’s, here they come.
“Ah.” Coke grinned. “Onion rings now?”
The hopeful tone made him wiggly. Coke sounded younger every time Dillon intercepted a call.
“You know it, babe.” Hot coffee. Pie. Uhn. He headed to Albert’s, grinning when the little chrome diner came into view.
“That seems like a good diner, sort of like Katy’s place near the Gardners’.”
“Yeah? You’ll have to take me. I bet Katy isn’t half Portuguese and half Lebanese.” Albert was a well-loved local anomaly.
“Lebanese? No shit? Your guy dofeijoada?”
“Uh. I have no idea. You’d have to ask him.” Man, Coke knew the weirdest shit. He’d bet that Balta had madefeijoadafor him.
“I love that stuff. One time, oh, shit, five, six years ago, Beau and Balta and Steel Flanagan had a cook-off—gumbo,feiojada, and chicken and dumplings. Jesus, it was good.”
“Oh, yum.” Steel cooked? Who knew? Oh, God, Albert’s smelled good.
Coke nodded. “Was. Oh, man. I’m starving.”
“Me, too.” All of a sudden. Bang. His stomach growled loudly.
Someone who looked vaguely familiar greeted them at the front. God knew it was probably the daughter of someone he went to high school with.
“Two?”
Dillon wanted to snark, but he smiled instead. Were there more than two of them? Lord. “Yes, honey, and I’d like by the window, please.”
Coke’s smile was warm and the little girl beamed. “Sure! Come on.”
“This is his first winter up here.” Yeah. She was a doll, and Dillon felt like a bitch. Good thing he’d kept it to himself.
“Oh, God. Snow sucks, man. I hate it. I’m heading to LA as soon as I graduate.”
“Can we get some coffee, hon?” He wasn’t going to snarl.
“God, yes. Please. I’m chilled.” Coke settled right in, seeming like he belonged.
Dillon had to smile.Look at that man. When the waitress left, he leaned over and whispered, “Love you, babe.”
