10. Chapter 10
Chapter 10
“Long time no see, man,” Evan said as he held the door open, his smile wide.
“I’ve missed you, too,” David returned, accepting the good-natured jab as he stepped inside the apartment, which had once been the attic of the old Victorian house until it was converted into a living space.
“I didn’t say I missed you. I said ‘long time no see’.”
“I can read between the lines, Dick.”
“Jesus Christ. Have I told you lately how much I hate that fucking nickname?” Evan asked, closing the door. “My entire family is actually calling me that, now, including my mom. Oh, and my nieces and nephew call me ‘Uncle Dick’, now.”
David grinned. “Sorry.”
“Fuck you. You’re not sorry. It’s going to end up on my headstone, I just know it.”
Evan pointed toward the living room, indicating David should make himself at home, then disappeared down the hall.
Still grinning, David wandered into the living room. It was a fairly large space with intricately detailed crown moldings and a stunning parquet floor partially covered by a white, seventies-style shag rug that gave the room a retro vibe. This vibe was reinforced by the couch David parked his ass on, a ten-foot long monster of bottle-green velvet and comfortable as fuck. It had deep cushions, a low, tufted back and rolled arms, and probably could’ve comfortably sat half a dozen people, if Evan was ever inclined to invite that many people over.
A pair of chairs were arranged directly across from the couch that looked like they’d either once belonged in Buckingham Palace or a brothel. They had high, throne-like backs, with elaborately carved legs and arm rests painted a shiny gold, with the seat cushions upholstered in a busy pattern of pink, red, and purple flowers.
The coffee table situated in the middle appeared to have been made by someone with questionable woodworking skills in a dark room, before being tossed in a dumpster, which is where David suspected Evan had rescued it from. David thought it was the ugliest thing he’d ever seen, but he never had to be concerned with using a coaster and he could put his feet up on it with zero worries of being chastised.
Evan appeared and handed a beer and a glass to David, then took a seat on the couch a few feet away. He then proceeded to lean back and put his feet up on the coffee table, his heavy boots probably leaving a new dent on the already scarred surface.
“So, what’s been keeping you so busy?” Evan asked, taking a long drink of his Corona and focusing his dark brown eyes on David. “Little Man?”
David carefully poured the Hazed she was crazy enough to be exactly his type. However, David wasn’t going to touch that with a ten-foot pole. Jules could neuter a man before he even knew his balls were gone, and David didn’t want that for Evan.
“I actually thought about calling her. She’d given me a business card,” Evan went on. “But when I finally decided I was going to do it, all but the winning business card from April had gotten tossed, so I couldn’t. And she hasn’t come in the bar since—not when I’ve been working, anyway. And believe me, if she had come in, I would’ve known. This woman made the hair on my arms stand up. Not to mention, you know, my dick.”
“Well, if it’s meant to be, you’ll see her again,” David said, sounding like a cheesy inspirational poster come to life.
“Thanks.” Evan tipped his beer and took a long drink. “You’re a total douche.”