揌ow 抌out another round??Troy asks, hammering his empty glass down with a decisive clink.
揝ure,?I say, draining the last of my bourbon and liking how my brain fogs over.
He waves the waitress down and orders a couple shots of gold rum for both of us. No point in waiting for one to be gone to reorder when we抮e both in the mood to indulge.
揝o, tell me, man, now that it抯 just us… Is it going to be just you and Destiny forever??
I snort. 揝traight to the point, huh? Listen, I抦 either on the phone trying to convince a lit teacher my kid isn抰 the anti-christ or I抦 at work. I don抰 know how I抎 ever have time for anything else.?
揅抦on, Cole. Destiny seems way too chill to get in trouble.?
揑t抯 normal trouble, thank fuck. She uses her phone too much or talks during class, but it drives her English teacher crazy. Still, she has a four point oh. Unweighted. She landed a 1540 on her PSATs last fall梐 year earlier than most kids. I know I抦 lucky and I shouldn抰 bitch. Just wish she wasn抰 glued to her phone twenty-four seven.?
Troy laughs, his face as boyish and easygoing as I remember, despite the fact that he抯 started greying slightly at the temples. 揥elcome to the 2020s, bossman. Every kid on the planet stays glued to their phones梥o do most adults. That抯 nothing to sweat. She抯 turning out great. She抣l be out of the house soon, won抰 she??
揂 few more years, yeah. She was looking at Columbia or Cornell梤eally interested in seeing the other coast梪ntil this marine biology obsession cropped up recently.?
揕et her explore. You抮e only young once.?
揧eah, well, it抯 not like I have any choice. She抯 a smart cookie. I抎 planned on her working for me so she could take over the company someday. No sign she抯 interested, though. And maybe that抯 for the best.?I sigh. 揑 also don抰 think she抯 really found her calling yet, but that抯 another story.?
揝he still has time. Don抰 stress.?
Our shots arrive and Troy grabs one, holding it up for me. I take it with a friendly nod and toss it back.
I watch as he follows suit.
It抯 almost like old times, venting over booze with a close friend. A bizarre way to end a day where I feel like I抳e lived as someone else.
揝he has a couple years before she settles on a college. We抳e been joking about marine biology a lot lately. I hope she takes it seriously, though, because seals and dolphins are all she cares about besides her phone.?
揑f she likes her phone so much, she could make apps or be an influencer. Lots of fat stacks in that,?Troy says happily.
揑抣l have her in a submarine with the whales before I ever let my daughter be a TikTok sensation,?I snarl.
We clink glasses and down our second shots.
揑f she抯 off to school on her lonesome, and you抣l be alone in a few years,?he says quietly. 揧ou ever thought about finding another woman? I抦 just asking. Maybe the R & D chick??
Shit, we抮e back to this, again?
揑 told you, Troy, that抯 not happening,?I say harshly.
The fire in my blood isn抰 all booze. It tells me I抦 a filthy liar. It burns hotter every time I think of her.
揧eah, but棓
揝he抯 an employee,?I clip. As if I cared about that when I had my tongue down her throat earlier. 揂nd you抮e one, too.?
He pulls back, stricken, and I feel like shit.
There was a time when I told him everything, before the fucking sky shifted and the stars fell out of my world.
揕ook. I don抰 have time to get mixed up with relationshits. I抳e got my company, I抳e got my daughter, and that抯 enough. I抦 not sure why you don抰 get it when you抳e spent the last ten years banging Bali pool girls.?
Anyone else would take that as an insult. Troy just throws his head back and laughs, drunkenly pounding my shoulder.
揝till got it, you bastard. And so do I. This boy wasn抰 made to settle down.?His too-wide grin fades and he settles back in his seat with a heavy look. 揧ou, on the other hand… I just want you to be happy, Cole. That抯 all. Half your life is leaving and you抣l have a lot of free time on your hands. A long time ago梑efore the accident桰 remember when she made you happy. Maybe someone new could, too.?
I don抰 know if it抯 my mood or the drinks or this damn humid night.
As soon as he finishes, I glare across the table, my lip curling.
揟roy. Drop it.?
He holds a hand up. 揙kay, okay. Sorry, I didn抰 mean to take it that far. It抯 just…I know. I get it, man, everyone moves on in their own way.?
Moves on from fucking what?
He抯 described my dilemma without knowing it, though.
Is that what I抦 doing with Eliza? Giving in to temptation? Trying to prove to myself that the past is the past, over and done and buried like Aster抯 ashes.