“What—”
“Shush.” She tilts her head to the side and winks. She looks like she’s having a seizure. When I merely gaze at her in confusion, she speaks without moving her lips, “Suzie. Bar.”
I look over to the bar where Suzie is sitting next to a man. They seem to be having an animated discussion. As I watch, she giggles and reaches over to slap his arm. I blink. Maybe I do need to see a therapist because I’m seeing things. When my eyes focus once again, I realize I’m not seeing things. Suzie is indeed laughing and giggling with a man.
“Is she flirting?”
“Suzie’s version of flirting at least.”
My mouth drops open as they stand and walk off to the pool tables in the back corner of the pub. Suzie hip-checks the man, her hands flying as she continues to talk.
“Never thought I’d see the day Suzie managed to hip-check someone without falling over.”
“I know, right?” Hailey says as she watches them. “She’s talking, walking, and using her hands. It’s almost like Suzie pre-Toby.”
Now she has my attention. “Suzie pre-Toby? Surely, Suzie was always a klutz.” You can’t wake up one day and suddenly be the biggest klutz in the world.
“Nope. Don’t get me wrong, she’s always been a little klutzy. But the inability to walk without falling over? That’s a post-Toby occurrence.”
“How does getting your heart broken cause you to be klutzy?”
Hailey doesn’t answer my question and instead confesses, “I’ve been worried about her. With me getting married and now you having a man, I thought she’d lose her mind. Maybe things aren’t as bad as I thought.”
She’s worried about Suzie? Her worrying makes no sense. Suzie is the most happy-go-lucky person I’ve ever met. Why is Hailey worried? Before I have a chance to voice my confusion, Aiden and Ryker join us.
“You want to eat here or hit up the pizza place?” Aiden asks.
“Are you kidding? I’m not leaving until I see how Pops responds to the junk mail prank.”
“What if Pops doesn’t respond today?”
Hailey rolls her eyes. “Of course, he’s responding today. Why do you think he saved up all the mail order bride catalogs and newsletters from the Ferret Association of Connecticut?”
“There’s a Ferret Association of Connecticut? What do they talk about? How to tame your ferret?”
“It’s actually a non-profit with an extensive library about domestic ferrets.” When everyone stares at her, she shrugs. “What? Those magazines were laying around the living room. I was bored.”
She rubs her hands together as Pops walks out of the kitchen. “Here we go.”
“Who ordered the fried egg and fries?” When Wally raises his hand, Pops slams the plate in front of him before handing out plates of burgers to the other men.
“What’s going on?” I whisper.
“Wait for it.”
I watch as Wally cuts into the yolk with his fork. Instead of the yolk oozing goodness, it goes flying across the table. Wally glares at it before dipping his finger in the yolk. After he licks his finger, he lifts his head to glare at Pops who flips him off.
“Serves you right. I don’t need to order a bride in the mail. From the Ukraine no less.”
I’m confused. “What was on his plate?”
“Apple slices, yogurt, and a peach half.”
“Oh, that’s cruel,” Aiden says and Ryker nods in agreement.
“Hey! Some of those women were fine,” Sid yells across the room.
“What happened? Nurse Mary Ann kick you to the curb?” Pops asks.