The woman’s eyes flare as she takes him in. Finally, she nods. Pops places a hand on the small of her back and escorts her to the hallway leading to his office.
As soon as they’re out of hearing range, Lenny, Barney, and Wally break into laughter.
“Ka-boom! I never thought I’d see the day the almighty Sid crashed and burned,” Lenny remarks as he wipes tears from his eyes.
“Even in the sandbox, the man could pick up women,” Wally agrees.
“Who knows if they were women, though? Anyone or thing could have been under those burkas,” Barney says and raises his hand toward me for a fist bump.
I oblige because no one is talking about me and Grayson or the numerous dates my mother wants to set me up on. Anything to get the attention off me, I’m down with.
“Fuckers,” Sid snarls before leaning over the bar and nabbing a bottle of whiskey.
Hailey’s gaze lingers on the hallway where her dad and the lady disappeared. “Do you think Pops likes her? Maybe he’ll finally get over my mother.”
Wally hangs an arm over her shoulders. “Kid, your pops got over your mom years ago.”
“Yeah, right. That’s why he’s never had a serious relationship since her.”
I bump her shoulder. “Maybe he did. Maybe he kept her his little secret.”
Hailey’s nose wrinkles. “Yuck. My pops doesn’t have dirty little secrets.”
“You don’t know everything about him.”
“I’m done with this conversation,” she announces. “Who wants to play pool?”
“I’m in.” Lenny looks at me. “As long as disaster isn’t playing. I think she broke one of Grayson’s ribs last time she played.”
Damn Grayson. I can’t believe the big jerk ghosted me. It’s been a week. He should be over his hissy fit by now. The annoying voice in my head – aka Adult Suzie – reminds me I hurt him bad and betrayed him. For once, Adult Suzie is wrong. I would never betray anyone. Not after what Toby did to me.