“Well, I guess so.”
“You guess so?” Jared pressed, “You got a hot date or something?”
“Not exactly.”
“We can do it another night.” I offered her an out.
“No, no, I’ll text them and tell them I’ll join them later.” She picked her phone and started tapping.
“Great! Where are we going?” Jared asked.
I looked over at Logan.
“Sports bar?”
Stephanie wrinkled her nose. “Too rowdy.”
“Okay….” Logan looked back to me.
“What about the Grill?” I suggested. “We’ll go early enough to have dinner, on me.”
“We’re in.” They all cheered.
“Good.” I nodded. Well at least this would keep my mind occupied for a while. Distract me from Kay for a few hours anyway.
◆◆◆
“Well, I’d better be going.” Stephanie announced after we had finished dinner and I had lost track of the beer tab I was running. It didn’t matter the team had been working hard and we needed to blow off some steam.
“Are you sure? Why not just tell your friends to meet us here?” Jared encouraged.
“Maybe next time.” Stephanie smiled. “You sure I can’t pay for something, Boss?”
“Absolutely, not. Go have fun with your friends and be careful!”
Stephanie waved and bounced out of the Grill.
“Come on man, it isn’t that bad.” Logan put his arm around Jared.
“What? I don’t care if she doesn’t know how to have fun.” Jared shook him off.
“Yeah okay, then you can buy the next round.” I said.
“Fine.” Jared waived over the waitress. “Another round and I’ll pay for this one.”
“You got it.” She gave him a sweet smile.
“Maybe she needs someone to walk her home tonight.” Logan nudged Jared.
“She’s not my type.”
“Oh?” Logan looked at me and laughed. “The young man has a type. Do enlighten us.”
The waitress returned. She was young with a complexion that said she spent her days at the beach. She had long dark hair in a braid and she clearly worked out.
“I like a woman with a lot of self-confidence.”
“Looks like she has plenty of confidence to me.” Logan said admiring the waitress’s Daisy Duke shorts and low-cut t-shirt.
“She’s trying too hard.” Jared said.
“What do you mean? She knows her customer base. This is a Navy town and a port city. It is full of drunk guys are going to tip a girl who shows a little more of herself. I bet she pulls in a couple of hundred a night.” I offered.
“So, you’re judging her based on her occupation?” Logan challenged.
“No, but I know I wouldn’t want my girlfriend being pawed by men every night.” Jared replied.
“What century were you born in?” Logan laughed.
“You want me to believe you’d let your girlfriend work in a business like this, showing off her chest so men will tip her?” Jared came back at Logan.
“I didn’t say that. I said I wouldn’t judge her for doing it. Maybe she is a single mom and needs all the money she can make. Maybe she hates this job, but it pays. Or maybe she is putting herself through college. My point is you can’t judge people based on their jobs.” Logan took a long pull from his beer.
Jared looked over at the waitress.
“Didn’t you ever have to work some crappy job to get by or were you born with a silver spoon in your mouth?” Logan was starting to get annoyed at Jared.
“Hey man, let it go.” I said before the two of them ended the evening throwing punches.
“Maybe you’re right, Logan. You’re still an ass.” Jared put the money for the round on the table. “See you Monday.” He got up and walked out.
I shook my head at Logan.
“What?” He gave me a wide-eyed stare.
“Why do you always have to push his buttons?”
“Because, he is a punk kid and he needs to be taken down a notch every once in a while.” Logan defended.
“He’s a good kid and he’s just young. He’ll get there one day. You just had a head start is all.”
Logan stared at the table. “I guess you’re right. I’m sorry.”
“Apologize to Jared on Monday.” I instructed.
“Yeah okay.”
It was nearly one in the morning when we finally left the Grill. I drove past the Kay’s house slowly. I didn’t stop. All the windows were dark. I went home and slept.
Chapter Thirteen
Kay
I managed to sleep in on Saturday morning. It was a wonderful feeling and I hadn’t indulged in such luxury in a long time. I ordered breakfast from room service and sat by the window and looked out over the city. DC had a beautiful skyline.
There was a knock at the door.
“Yes, come in!”
Eddie was wearing jeans and a button-down shirt. “Have you eaten?” I asked.
“Hours ago.” He smiled.
“Well, sit down and have some coffee.” I offered.
“What are we doing today?” He inquired.
“Well I thought it would be nice to go to the zoo. It is a nice sunny day.”
He looked at me with an impatient look.
“Well you don’t have to go, seriously. I am more than capable of getting myself to the zoo and back.”
“Like I’d let you go alone,” he huffed.
“Are you mothering me? May I remind you that I managed to get to Afghanistan and back without your help.” This was a reoccurring argument we had on a near weekly basis.
“May I remind you that, that little trip didn’t work out so well.”
I didn’t mind the reminder of my ‘experience’ I really don’t think the pandas are going to have RPG’s, do you?”
“Should I change into shorts?” Eddie ignored my comment.
“God no! You might want to wear short sleeves, though.” It was June in DC and I could already see the haze forming over the city from the heat, humidity and traffic.
He got up in a huff and went to change.
Eddie enjoyed the zoo even though he wouldn’t admit it. He even bought a stuffed animal for his granddaughter and a toy for his grandson.
Sherry loves panda’s so I bought her a panda necklace.
“What are you going to do tonight?” I asked Eddie on the way back to the hotel.
“Probably just sit in the car and wait for
