Chapter 90

Meeting Darian’s smile with one of his own, Stacy told him, “It’s my treat this time, remember?” 17

Stacy sat across the table from Darian at a corner booth at Denny’s. A sit-down breakfast cost a bit more than a drive-thru value meal, Darian pointed out, but Stacy wanted people around, old folks doing their crosswords at the counter, waitresses popping in every few minutes to refill drinks, kids screaming in the background…anything to keep his emotions in check. It surprised him, how close he had come to losing it in front of Darian earlier. Over something as stupid as this. Over Lamar. Sure, it’d been four years but it wasn’t all that. Nothing to cry about, Jesus

For long moments Stacy traced drops of condensation around the cool glass of water in front of him while his boss watched, waiting. The waitress came and went, with coffee for Darian and a tall glass of orange juice for Stacy. “Your food’s coming right up,” she told them, already walking away.