She did as I asked. Leaning forward, she whispered, “You’re impotent.”
I laughed. “What?”
Placing her hand over mine, she gave me her famous somber social worker,I’m-here-for-yougaze. “It’s okay to say it out loud. If you can’t perform, they have meds for that now.” She giggled, squeezing my hand. “I’m just kidding. What’s up?”
I shook my head. “You’re crazy as hell.”
“I’m so drunk right now,” she admitted. “This is what happens when the baby spends the night with Grandma. Drinks and lots of sex! Ha!” She clapped, cracking up at herself. “I’ll be back to normal tomorrow.”
Once again, I couldn’t help but laugh at her antics. I arched a brow. “If you’re notNormal Brooklyn, why am I talking to you right now?”
Her smile fell. “Good point.” Clearing her throat, she straightened in her seat. “Okay, I’ll pull myself together for this conversation. Go ahead.”
I waved a server over and asked her to bring a pitcher of water and food to sober my friend up.
“I just knew you were going to give us a show,” Brooklyn said.
“I wanted to.”
“For a long time.”
“Yeah.”
Brooklyn grinned. “I’m glad you’re finally admitting it.”
Shrugging, I told her, “It is what it is.” Seconds later, the server arrived with water and a plate of hummus, whole-wheat pita chips, and veggies.The Drunk Special. I pushed the plate toward Brooklyn. “Eat this.”
She dipped a piece of celery into the hummus and tasted it. Once she finished the stalk, she sat back. “I still don’t see the problem. Veronica was there, waiting for you. And you let her down. You letmedown.”
“And so was Laura.” I’d wanted to believe that I didn’t let Ronnie’s lips slip away because myfriendjust happened to enter the bar right when the clock struck midnight. But I couldn’t deny it’d played a role in the last minute decision to not kiss Ronnie the way I’dplannedto tonight.
Brooklyn glanced around the bar, presumably trying to find Laura in the crowd. Laura had disappeared up the stairs, heading to her apartment that I held vacant for her even though she rarely stayed in town longer than a month at a time. Basically, she used my shit as a luxury storage unit. And I let her.
“She’s upstairs,” I murmured.
“Whatever. But what does Laura have to do with Ronnie? She’s not your woman. And why do you let her come up in here and ruin shit all the time? It’s been that way since we were young.”
My off-and-on relationship with Laura exhausted the hell out of me on a daily basis. I spent a lot of timeandmoney taking care of her. At one point, I thought we’d be more than friends, but she was as selfish as I was loyal.
Still, I’d made sure she always had a place to stay or a spot in my bed when she wanted it. And, tonight, after disappearing for months, she’d walked into my damn bar like she owned it.
“I get it. Believe me.” I shifted in my seat. “But sheissomething to me. Which is why I have to nip that shit in the bud before I even bring Ronnie into my life like that.”
“Yeah. She’s at least three somethings.” Brooklyn held up three fingers. “A freeloading bitch, a nasty bitch, and a stupid bitch. I’m sure I can think of more, but you already know she ain’t shit. And you know I have no problem saying it to her face. I don’t give a fuck.”
I barked out a laugh. “Tell me how you really feel.”
“No doubt.”
My shoulders fell. “When I saw her come in, I couldn’t kiss Ronnie. I need to close that chapter before I make a move. Ronnie deserves that much.”
Brooklyn let out a string of curses. “Fine. I guess I understand. I just can’t stand Laura’s crusty ass. Yep, she’s a crusty bitch.”
I knew Brooklyn’s change of heart about Laura had everything to do with me. Years ago, it seemed inevitable that we’d end up together. Years of the back and forth between us, thewill-they-won’t-theyshit, had taken its toll on me, though. And Brooklyn had been there more than anyone else to witness the fallout.
“You’ve been good to that trifling bitch.” Brooklyn shook her head in disgust. “You’ve always deserved better. I just wish you’d realize that.”
“I know, Brooklyn. She won’t be here long.” She never was. But Laura would soon find out what it meant to not have me to fall back on anymore. “Once she sees the notice I left in her room, she’ll know it, too.”
