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Chapter 16

Aiden

Boys’ night out.

Who cares how old we get? Or how far away from each other life might take us?

As long as there are moments carved out of the insanity to drink, eat, and bullshit, then I’m happy.

I’ve already made a pit stop at Tase’s place, to find him easily persuaded to spend an evening at the steakhouse. I thought he’d be the one who needed the most convincing.

Normally he hoards his days off like a dragon with treasure. He doesn’t give them up to just anyone.

Then again, I’ve never beenjust anyone.

Back at the cabin, I find Gilli wading contentedly in the water a little ways down the shore, her pants hiked up to her mid thigh, and Soren with a black thunder cloud over his head.

He’s sitting on the couch, facing away from the lake, with his elbows on his knees and his hair still damp from a shower.

“Dinner tonight at Ruth’s,” I tell him in greeting. “Tase will join us there.”

I wait for him to answer and hear nothing. “Did you hear me?”

“I heard you. Dinner,” Soren repeats woodenly.

Ruth’s is a staple in town. The owner is an elderly German woman who must have taught her son the tricks of the trade. Once she got too old to keep manning the grill, he stepped up.

Now Ruth and her husband are only part-time residents of Holly Brook and the rest of the year they spend down in St. Augustine with their golf buddies, going on haunted tours of the city and enjoying the heat.

Or so the gossip mill states.

Rib eye steaks and liquor is a tradition for us boys, and as long as Ruth’s is in business, we’ll keep going.

Since Tase never left the town except for college, he’s always been there when Soren and I come for our yearly visits. Always ready to get down and dirty with his old friends.

I grab a shower too, then change into a nice pair of jeans and a black Henley. A few strokes of gel get the longer strands of hair on top of my head at just the right angle to make me look like an available single guy instead of a douchebag.

Hopefully.

Gilli seems keen on having the cabin to herself, promising to stay at home and handle her own dinner. I shove thoughts of the woman aside to focus on theboys.

We’ve never let a lady come between us before and I’m not allowing myself to stay distracted when there are other things to talk about.

A few minutes past six, I slide into the booth across from massive front windows giving us the best view in the house of the lake.

Laughter roars from somewhere in the rear of the restaurant. Ruth’s is the place where people gather to eat, to get drunk, to chill with friends and family.

The familiar scents of sizzling meat and butter perfume the air and my mouth starts to water.I want to enjoy it.

“I see you came back empty-handed today. Fish weren’t biting?” I ask Soren as the first round of shots arrives.

The three of us reach for the glasses at the same time and down them. The liquor scalds a path down to my stomach and I smack my lips, satisfied.

“No keepers,” Soren admitted. “Sorry if you’re disappointed.”

I shake my head. “Nah. I just figure it will be better if I’m the one who goes out to fish after this. You know. Someone withskill.”

“We both know the real reason he disappears the way he does. He wants to get shitfaced without us,” Tase adds, hiding his laugh. “Afraid we’re going to draw a dick on his face when he passes out.”