Page 51 of Save the Date
“Meghan’s my little sister,” Jack said. “Wait until I tell her you thought I was with her, like with her.”
Cara narrowed her eyes. “You’re telling me you have a sister? She wasn’t at Ryan and Torie’s wedding. I know, because she’s so striking, I would have noticed her.”
“She was still in school. She just finished a semester abroad in Scotland,” Jack said, amused. “Had finals the week of the wedding.”
“I see,” Cara said, looking around to try to spy the girl again.
“Also?” He lowered his voice conspiratorially. “Meghan and Torie aren’t what you would call best friends.”
“Do I dare ask what you’re doing here tonight?” Cara asked. He’d followed her to the table and was standing by her side, obviously not in a hurry to leave.
“You want a beer?” he asked, deflecting her question. He snapped his fingers. “No. Wait. You drink wine. Pinot, right?”
“Riiight. But I was just leaving.”
“Why? The night’s young.”
“But I’m not. Remember? I stayed longer than I planned as it is. I’ve got to be back here in the morning to clear out the flowers and things, and then I’ve got an early appointment over in South Carolina. Besides, since I’ve already owned up to being a geezer, I gotta tell you, this music is giving me a headache.”
He smiled. “Grab your purse and follow me.”
Bert was dancing with the bride. She managed to catch his eye and gave him a signal indicating her exit.
She followed Jack as he threaded his way through the swirl of thrashing dancers out the door and onto the street outside.
It was cooler there, and a cluster of partygoers stood around on the sidewalk, smoking and talking quietly.
“Better?”
She nodded.
“What about that drink?” he asked.
“What about your little sister?”
He shrugged. “Meghan won’t mind. She didn’t want to show up at Maya’s wedding without a date, but now that the party’s revved up, she’ll never miss me.”
“So she’s a friend of Maya’s? Or Jared’s?”
“Both. Maya used to babysit her. And Jared used to work for Ryan and me.”
Cara shrugged. It was only nine o’clock. “Where did you have in mind?”
“How about Doyle’s? It’s just down the block. We can walk if you want.”
“All right,” she agreed.
***
Doyle’s Pub was a fairly new place, near the DeSoto Hilton on Liberty Street.. It was busy, but the hostess led them to a booth in the far reaches of the room and a waitress came and took their drink orders.
Sliding onto the bench opposite hers, Jack looked around the room appreciatively. “I remember when this was the old Shamrock Shop. My grandmother always bought all her birthday cards here.” He pointed to the far wall, where the bar was located. “And that was the candy counter. All the St. Vincent’s girls would come in here to buy candy and Cokes after school. Which meant the BC guys showed up too. It was a happening place.”
“Still happening,” Cara said, looking around. “I know they’ve been open at least a year, but this is actually the first time I’ve been in.”
“Did you ever come in here, back in the day? Where’d you go to high school?”
“Not here,” Cara said. “I’m an Air Force brat. I went to six different schools between elementary and high school, but I finished up in Columbus, Ohio.”
