Connecticut. It’s so good. I can’t have any, but take a bottle home.” I poured her a glass and she watched the liquid fill the cup.
“Thank you, ” she said.
I sat down and waited for her to drink it. “Try it. It’s good.”
She eyed the cup but didn’t reach for it.
Mike snatched it then downed it in one gulp. “Damn, that is good.”
Cassandra smirked but didn’t say anything.
“That was for your girlfriend,” I said pointedly.
“What’s mine is hers.”
“But what’s hers is hers,” I jabbed.
“How’s the editing going?” Mike asked.
The sudden change of subject made me suspicious. “You never ask me about my job.”
“Because Sean talks about it. But he hasn’t brought it up lately since he’s been obsessed with getting you pregnant.”
That alleviated some of my doubt.
Sean turned to his mom. “How’s it going?”
“Good. Charlie loves running on the beach.”
“What the fuck?” Mike snapped. “Who the hell is Charlie? You’re already with someone else after you just divorced Dad?”
“Calm the hell down,” Sean snapped.
“It’s my dog,” she explained.
“Oh.” Mike actually had the grace to look embarrassed. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay,” she said. “I’m glad you’re protective of your father.”
“Girls have been throwing themselves at Dad,” Mike said. “It’s unbelievable. When we went out for drinks last month, two chicks threw their numbers at him—and they were twenty-five.”
Sean glared at him. Andrew’s face reddened in embarrassment. And Diane looked like she might throw up.
“Dad is a stud,” Mike continued. “I didn’t get as much tail as he did when I was single, and he’s twice my—ouch!” The table shook and Mike glared at Sean. “Stop kicking me!”
Sean kicked him again. “Just stop talking.”
“What?” he snapped.
Mike was a sweetheart, but he could sure be dense sometimes.
Andrew looked uncomfortable. “Just to clarify, I never went out with any of these women. They may have given me their number, but I threw them away.”
Diane nodded. “I know you well enough to make the assumption, Andrew.”
Phew. I’m glad that didn’t end badly.
“I’m glad.”
Silence fell on the table. We dug into our meal but it was still awkward.
“So, how did you guys get back together?” I asked. “You never told us.”
Mike chewed a big bite before he spoke. “We just talked it out and that was it.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Mike, you were insane. You wouldn’t listen to any one and see reason. And you just changed your mind? Like that?”
“Cassandra is a sweet talker when she wants to be.” He winked.
This wasn’t adding up. Mike seemed determined to move on without her. He was a completely different person, dark and broken. And overnight, he was back to normal. I couldn’t imagine Cassandra saying everything she already said and suddenly changing his mind. “You aren’t telling me something.”
His joking demeanor disappeared. He gave me a hard look. “You’re right. I’m not telling you something. But it’s private and I don’t want to share it with anyone. So back off.”
Wow, he meant business.
Sean gave him a fierce look. “Talk to my wife like that again and I’ll beat the shit out of you in front of your entire family.” The threat was genuine. It was clear in his eyes.
Mike opened his mouth to argue but Andrew cut him off. “Apologize.”
Mike’s mouth closed then he turned back to me. “I didn’t mean to be rude. I just know how you are. You’ll keep pushing until you get what you want.”
“I accept your apology.”
“I’m still punching you in the arm after dinner,” Sean threatened. “Be ready for it.”
“Your wife is going to miss your dick because I’m going to break it,” Mike countered.
“Boys,” Andrew said. “Knock it off.”
They both looked away from each other.
Andrew turned to Diane. “How’s the house?”
“Empty.”
He nodded. “What have
“Thank you, ” she said.
I sat down and waited for her to drink it. “Try it. It’s good.”
She eyed the cup but didn’t reach for it.
Mike snatched it then downed it in one gulp. “Damn, that is good.”
Cassandra smirked but didn’t say anything.
“That was for your girlfriend,” I said pointedly.
“What’s mine is hers.”
“But what’s hers is hers,” I jabbed.
“How’s the editing going?” Mike asked.
The sudden change of subject made me suspicious. “You never ask me about my job.”
“Because Sean talks about it. But he hasn’t brought it up lately since he’s been obsessed with getting you pregnant.”
That alleviated some of my doubt.
Sean turned to his mom. “How’s it going?”
“Good. Charlie loves running on the beach.”
“What the fuck?” Mike snapped. “Who the hell is Charlie? You’re already with someone else after you just divorced Dad?”
“Calm the hell down,” Sean snapped.
“It’s my dog,” she explained.
“Oh.” Mike actually had the grace to look embarrassed. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay,” she said. “I’m glad you’re protective of your father.”
“Girls have been throwing themselves at Dad,” Mike said. “It’s unbelievable. When we went out for drinks last month, two chicks threw their numbers at him—and they were twenty-five.”
Sean glared at him. Andrew’s face reddened in embarrassment. And Diane looked like she might throw up.
“Dad is a stud,” Mike continued. “I didn’t get as much tail as he did when I was single, and he’s twice my—ouch!” The table shook and Mike glared at Sean. “Stop kicking me!”
Sean kicked him again. “Just stop talking.”
“What?” he snapped.
Mike was a sweetheart, but he could sure be dense sometimes.
Andrew looked uncomfortable. “Just to clarify, I never went out with any of these women. They may have given me their number, but I threw them away.”
Diane nodded. “I know you well enough to make the assumption, Andrew.”
Phew. I’m glad that didn’t end badly.
“I’m glad.”
Silence fell on the table. We dug into our meal but it was still awkward.
“So, how did you guys get back together?” I asked. “You never told us.”
Mike chewed a big bite before he spoke. “We just talked it out and that was it.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Mike, you were insane. You wouldn’t listen to any one and see reason. And you just changed your mind? Like that?”
“Cassandra is a sweet talker when she wants to be.” He winked.
This wasn’t adding up. Mike seemed determined to move on without her. He was a completely different person, dark and broken. And overnight, he was back to normal. I couldn’t imagine Cassandra saying everything she already said and suddenly changing his mind. “You aren’t telling me something.”
His joking demeanor disappeared. He gave me a hard look. “You’re right. I’m not telling you something. But it’s private and I don’t want to share it with anyone. So back off.”
Wow, he meant business.
Sean gave him a fierce look. “Talk to my wife like that again and I’ll beat the shit out of you in front of your entire family.” The threat was genuine. It was clear in his eyes.
Mike opened his mouth to argue but Andrew cut him off. “Apologize.”
Mike’s mouth closed then he turned back to me. “I didn’t mean to be rude. I just know how you are. You’ll keep pushing until you get what you want.”
“I accept your apology.”
“I’m still punching you in the arm after dinner,” Sean threatened. “Be ready for it.”
“Your wife is going to miss your dick because I’m going to break it,” Mike countered.
“Boys,” Andrew said. “Knock it off.”
They both looked away from each other.
Andrew turned to Diane. “How’s the house?”
“Empty.”
He nodded. “What have
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