“Why the hell would my brothers go into a dive?”
“I asked them that. First thing I noticed was their expensive ostrich cowboy boots.”
I looked down at my own feet…shod in expensive ostrich cowboy boots. “I suppose we seem pretty pretentious to a guy like you.”
“A guy like me?”
I sighed. “Sorry. I didn’t mean any offense.”
“None taken. I’ve worked hard all my life. Never took a handout. And I make ends meet now, in retirement. I just miss my wife. She passed on some time ago.”
“Oh. I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Yeah. But we all got to go sometime, I guess.” He motioned to the waitress. “More coffee please.”
“It’s on me,” I said.
“Thanks. You Steels are generous.”
Generous? A shitty cup of coffee might set me back a couple of bucks. That was hardly generous.
“By the way,” he continued. “I don’t consider you pretentious. I don’t judge people. Hell, I’d wear boots like that if I could afford them.”
I looked down at my boots once more. These were my work boots. They were nearly trashed. I’d hate for him to see the six other pairs sitting in my walk-in closet.
“You live around here?” I asked.
“Not too far. The place I used to go—where I met your brothers—closed up last week. Some problem with their liquor license. It was a nice little bar and grill when I was younger, though that was some thirty years ago. Things change. Places change.”
“And people change,” I added.
“Yep, they do.” He took a drink from the steaming coffee the waitress had just filled. “Thanks for this, by the way.”
“No problem. What brings you to this place?”
“I’m seeing my doc over at the hospital for some routine stuff this morning, so I stumbled in here to wait. The bus only runs up here early in the morning, so I’ve got some time before my appointment.”
“Everything all right?”
“Yeah. Just routine stuff, like I said.” He took a drink and smiled. “Your brother with the funny name—Talon, I think—sent me a case of amazing bourbon called Peach Street.”
That piqued my interest. “Yeah? That’s his favorite.” If Talon had sent this old man a case of Peach Street, the guy had done something spectacular to earn it.
“It’s great stuff. So smooth. And the aroma.” Mike closed his eyes and inhaled. “Something special. I’m saving it. I only have a jigger every couple of days, as a treat.” He sighed. “I’m going to miss that old dive bar. Truth is, I get lonely. I like to get out, see people. Now that I’m retired and Melanie is gone, I don’t have a lot of human contact.”
“Melanie? Joe’s wife’s name is Melanie.”
“No kidding? He mentioned he knew a woman named Melanie, but I didn’t know she was someone special to him.”
“Yeah. She’s a psychotherapist. They just got married in Jamaica.”
“Good for him. And Talon?”
“He got married at the same time. Her name is Jade.”
“He told me he had a special lady in his life.”
Again, I wondered who the hell this man was and how he somehow had my brothers’ confidence.