I heard his heavy footsteps in the hall before he poked his head into the doorway. He glanced around the room and his eyes settled on the pile of flattened boxes I’d sworn to fill before sundown. “Working hard?”
“Sorry,” I set down the photo album I’d gotten lost in and shrugged, “I guess I got distracted.”
“What are you looking at?”
“Just old pictures. He must’ve held onto this crap for... forty years at least. Check this out.” I held out a photo. “Recognize him?”
“Holy shit! No wonder you haven’t gotten anything done.” He leaned out of the way to dodge the arm I swung at him and I scoffed.
“C’mon Gracie Lou,” he looked around the room again before reaching out a hand to help me up. I stood and fell against him, following his eyes and admitting my fault with a subtle nod.
“You may have a point. How’s the bedroom looking? And the den?”
“Really?” I looked up at him and noticed the sweat gathering under the collar of his t-shirt. He wrapped an arm around me and I grimaced at the smell of all his hard work, trying to wriggle out of his grasp and breathe through my mouth. “You need a shower.”
“I need to eat. I’m starving babes- and there’s nothing in your dad’s kitchen.”
“Do we have any more snacks from the trip down to tide you over?” He grinned sheepishly and shook his head. “Don’t know what I expected, travelling with an actual moose. Why don’t you go take a shower and I’ll pick something up? Are you in the mood for anything?”
“You’re the local, anything good nearby?”
“I’ll see what I can do.”
He started upstairs and I grabbed my purse, slipping out into the cool air. The sun had started setting and the scrape of dried leaves along the pavement was the only sound to hear. The start of fall in the city always brought back memories of my father walking me to school, calling my name loudly as I serpentined ahead, jumping on every dead leaf I could find.
The memory brought a warmth to me that I hadn’t felt in quite a while and I smiled as I turned the corner. The patio of the bistro was littered with people couples sitting around the fire pit and sipping their drinks. Something about it felt so familiar and pushing the door open felt like coming home, especially when Jack called my name from behind the bar.
“Well I’ll be damned! Is that little Gracie I see?” He slung the rag he’d been drying glasses with over his shoulder and shot me a grin, wiping his hands on his apron before stepping onto the restaurant floor. I skipped over and pulled him into a tight hug, savoring his signature scent of cigars and Old Spice. His stubble scraped my cheek as he kissed me before stepping back, leaning against the mahogany trim of the bar. “How the hell are ya sweetheart?”
“Can’t complain Jack. How’s Marie? How are the kids?”
“Grown and out of the house, that’s all that matters. And Marie’s doing well. She’s retiring this year.”
“Really?” He nodded and rolled his eyes dramatically.
“Can you imagine her retired? Nothing but time on her hands? She keeps talking about starting a garden to grow our own food.”
“Our backyard is barely three feet across, Gracie. We’ll starve in a month.” He threw an arm around my shoulder and pulled me to a stool, leaning on his elbow as I dropped onto it. “Enough about us, how are you? Heard you’re up in Philly now? How’s that treating you?”
“Actually, I’m in Pittsburgh and uh, it’s going well.”
“Good to hear! How’s the fiance?” He must’ve seen shock pass my face because he reached for my left hand, studying the ring on my finger. “You think I wouldn’t notice this rock on your finger? I could see it from H Street.”
“I’m kidding, I’m kidding. Someone told me about the engagement. Congratulations sweetheart. I hear he’s a heck of a guy.”
I smiled at the mention of Jamie and felt a blush warm my cheeks, curiosity nagging at the back of my mind. I ignored it and turned my attention back to Jack. “He’s incredible.”
“And he’s a hockey player? Your father must be cursing you from the grave. I can only imagine.” Jack threw his arms up and laughed a hearty belly laugh, shaking his head after a minute. “I’m real sorry about Cal. I know I told you at the funeral but his presence is definitely missed around here.”
“Thank you Jack, I appreciate it. You have to know how much he loved you. Like a brother.”
“He only used that line to get out of trouble, Gracie.” He waved me off and chuckled, slipping back to his post. I leaned out to reach for a menu but he stopped me, nodding towards the back of the restaurant. “Your friend is already back there.”
“Yeah, the uh- the guy you used to come in with all the time. You know- tall, dark hair?” He frowned as I stared at him and raised an eyebrow. “You’re not meeting someone here?”
“I was gonna order takeout. I’ve been telling my fiance about your burgers since we met but-”
“Never you mind then. What can I get started for you?”
He jotted my order down on a notepad and nodded, sliding a beer in front of me before disappearing into the kitchen. I took a sip and swallowed hard before standing. My interest piqued, I started towards the back of the restaurant. My stomach tightened with every step and I switched my beer to the other hand, pressing my cold palm against the skin of my cheek as I turned the corner.
His eyes were trained on the television and an untouched meal sat in front of him, one hand wrapped around a tumbler of what I assumed to be Scotch. I took in his overgrown beard and wrinkled shirt before stepping forward, setting my beer down on the other side of the table and sliding into the booth.
