I said, “I make sense. And I love you too.”
“Regional beers are awesome beers,” he said, taking another drink. “Now. Ryan. Speak.”
“He’s not a dog,” I grumbled. “Mostly.”
“It’s my bachelor party,” Ryan said. “Next door at the hotel.”
“Ah,” Dad said. “And how is that working out for you?”
“Okay, I guess,” he said, looking down at his hands. “I had to get out of there for a bit.”
“Uh-huh.”
I was annoyed, and I couldn’t quite figure out why. “Why wasn’t I invited?” I said, sounding sufficiently outraged.
Ryan snapped his gaze up to mine. “Would you have even gone?”
“Well, no. But still. Semantics. And rude.”
“I wanted to invite you,” Ryan said. “But I chickened out. It’s mostly just knights. Some army buddies.”
“That’s….” I didn’t know what that was. So I decided on “Weird.”
“You make me weird,” he grumbled.
“Were there strippers?” Dad asked sympathetically. “Strippers also make things weird.”
“My dad is a lightweight,” I explained.
“This much is true,” Dad said.
“So,” Ryan said, “pretty much like you, then.” I thought I saw the hint of a smile.
I rolled my eyes at him. “No. I can handle my booze.”
“I’ve seen you handle your booze. That’s not handling.”
“No reminiscing,” I warned him. “That’ll just make me leave faster.”
That almost smile disappeared. He looked away again. “Yeah,” he said quietly. “Okay.”
“Both of you shut up,” my dad said. “Because I’m about to lay some truth on you.”
“This is probably going to be awkward,” I told Ryan.
“I’m used to your family’s awkwardness,” he said and his knee touched mine briefly.
“So much foreplay,” my dad grumbled. “Okay. Truth time. You ready?”
“Bring it, Pops.”
“You,” Dad said, pointing at Ryan a little unsteadily, “are a fucking dick.”
“Whoa,” Ryan said.
“Dude,” I breathed. “That’s my dad.”
“And you,” Dad said, pointing at me, “are pretty damn awesome.”