"He said, 'Varga, that's enough.'" Heath laughed as he set his napkin down. "I saw the pain in Varga's eyes."
We ordered. The other ten seats were split between what looked like a law firm two-top planning the approach to a case and a handful of solo lunchers. Heath got the sundubu-jjigae—spicy tofu stew. Kieran had ordered it for him once without asking, and Heath said he ordered it for himself every time since.
I opted for the galbi, marinated short ribs.
"You couldn't get anything like this in Rhinelander," Heath said. "You couldn't get anything like this within a two-hour radius of Rhinelander."
The food came. Heath ate and watched the room between bites.
"Things good with you and Kieran?" I asked.
"Yeah," he said. "Great."
He focused straight ahead. "We like our place."
"I thought it was right when we helped you move in."
"Oh, yeah, and Kieran insisted we repaint the extra bedroom we use as an office. It's aquarium blue. I make fish faces at him every time we're in there together."
He didn't lower his voice or pick his words carefully. It was just information.
"Kieran and those whales," I said.
Heath laughed. "He knows all of them at the aquarium. He can pick Ansel out from across the tank by how he moves his fins. It's twice a week for Kieran. I think he shares meditation sessions with Ansel."
"And he's been taking courses on the side?"
Heath stopped eating. "He told you?"
"He had a textbook on the team bus in Columbus. There was a whale on the cover. I added two and two and came up with four."
"Yeah." He set his fork down. "Marine biology. It's—it's the passion thing."
"It's good for all of us to have something after."
"Yeah, and we have some things to sort out , but that's after the season. It's fine. There's time."
We both finished our food. Heath leaned back.
"You okay?"
"Fine," I said.
"Would you tell me?"
"Maybe not."
Heath nodded. "Pratt, ever the enigma."
I paid. Outside, we went our separate ways at the corner. Heath turned left toward his car, and I went right toward mine. He lifted one hand without looking back.
***
The knock came at one twenty-two am.
I was on the couch with my laptop, running clips of Nashville's power-play strategy.
Sully had Thai from Randolph in one hand. He started talking before he had his coat off. "The guy at table six tonight asked for a beer that was, quote, sophisticated but not trying too hard." He moved past me to the counter and set the bag down. "I gave him a PBR."
