Page 79 of Ancient Obsession

They looked at one another in surprise before bursting into laughter.

“She’s your mom, too!” Cody said.

“I know!” Dave felt warm all of a sudden and reached for his beer, only to find the glass empty.

“Need another?”

“I shouldn’t.”

“Maybe not. But do you want it?”

Dave hesitated then grinned. “Yeah.”

“There he is.” Cody leaned back, nearly spilling out of the chair as he struggled to pull his phone from his front pocket.

“Too much meatloaf.”

“Sorry, what?” He held his middle finger up behind an earlobe.

As Cody read the text he’d just received, Dave took in the bar. The Hollow Leg was small, but at that moment, it was stuffed full of love and happiness from their family and friends. Oliver, Robin, Demetrius, and Clarabell were on the small dance floor, moving and shaking to a Cher song. Lucia and her girlfriend, fellow sheriff’s deputy, Gayle, were out there as well. Tracey Mumm and Zenona were at the bar talking with Jugs and Agatha, glasses of beer in front of each of them. Oliver’s grandmother, Eileen, and Demetrius’s Aunt Amelia were talking and laughing with their live-in boyfriends, Dieter and Otis.

“All right, three more beers, coming up.” Cody stood.

“Just one!”

“Right. Three.” Cody flashed that disarming smile. “And a few surprises.”

“Surprises?” His hands pressed against the tabletop. “What are you planning?”

“Who, me?”

Dave reached for him as Cody headed toward the bar but missed. “No strippers. You hear me? No strippers!”

The music faded just in time for the word ‘strippers’ to ring out across the bar. He winced as his face went hot. Hell, his entire body.

“There’s going to be strippers? Hot damn!” Eileen said.

The whole bar laughed. Dave hid his burning face in his hands. Someone came up behind him, touching his shoulder as they sat beside him. He peeked through his fingers, saw it was Oliver, and dropped his hands.

“Hi.” Dave gave him a slow up and down. The smile on his face felt sly and mischievous. “You’re so hot.”

“Aw, thanks babe. Here, drink this.” Oliver pushed a glass toward him.

“Oh, thanks, but Cody’s getting me something.”

“Uh huh. Drink this first. You’ll thank me later.”

“It’s water, isn’t it?”

“That it is. Bottoms up.”

Dave drank half of the glass. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Having fun?”

“I am.”