“Uh, Wilmington, North Carolina.”
Vic pursed his lips. “Never heard of it. What brings you to Rose Hill, Virginia?”
“Nothing really.”
“Most people don’t drive hundreds of miles for nothing.”
“Road trip?”
“You don’t sound too sure.”
“I—”
“Never mind. You don’t owe me an explanation.” Vic smiled.
“I ran into some trouble. Had to leave to keep from winding up in a bad situation.”
It must have come out sounding like the truth because Vic nodded. “I’ve been there.” He took the shot and missed.
“What about you? Where are you from?” Luca stepped up to the table.
“Florida.”
“You’re a long way from home.” Luca had imagined people from the sunshine state all tan. Vic was as pale as a guy could get without being a sheet of paper.
“Not far enough according to my family.” He shook his head. “Sorry, don’t mean to ruin the mood.”
“It’s okay.”
Vic jerked his chin at the table. “Still your turn.”
Luca missed, and Vic took over.
“My parents caught me blowing the pool boy.”
It was wrong, but Luca laughed. “I’m sorry, that was rude of me.”
Vic laughed too. “It’s okay. It was kinda funny. Should have seen my mother’s face. I think it was the first time she had a genuine expression. And I swear my dad was just plain out jealous when he found out.” Vic missed the ball. “While you take your turn, you want me to go grab a couple of beers?”
“Not quite twenty-one yet.”
“I won’t say anything if you don’t.”
Would Luca like beer? Only one way to find out. “Sure.”
“Wait here, I’ll be right back.”
Luca took his shot and missed. Three men stood over at the next table, two had girls hanging off their arm, the third seemed more interested in nursing his beer despite the interest of a couple of passersby.
His gaze met Luca’s and he winked.
Luca picked up the square of chalk and ground it against the tip of the cue. Vic returned with two bottles of beer. “Here you go.”
Luca took it.
Vic drank. “Go ahead. I promise I didn’t spike it.”
Luca took a sip and promptly spit it right back out. Most of it made it into the bottle, the rest ran down the sides and over his hand. “Sorry, I wasn’t expecting it to taste like that.”