Kate Hoffmann - The Drifter

Charlie shook his head. “I don’t know how you do it. It’s got to be overwhelming. You’re responsible for making sure they don’t both turn into a couple of losers.”

“You just do your best,” Jack said. “They’re good kids. Most of the time. Hell, look at you. You didn’t have a dad for most of your teenage years and you turned out all right.” Jack dribbled the ball, then took a jump shot. “Do you want to play some one-on-one or should we play HORSE?”

“I think we should stick to HORSE,” Charlie said. “I haven’t played basketball in a couple years. There aren’t a whole lot of courts at base camp.”

Jack tossed him the ball. “You start. For every one you miss, you get a letter and you have to answer a question.”

“A question about what?”

“It can be about anything. But you have to be completely honest.”

Charlie smiled as he remembered. It was the same way they’d played it when they were in college. It was so much easier to talk about sticky subjects when they had basketball to focus on. “All right.” He took a shot from the baseline and missed.

“How is it going with the girl? Eve, is that her name?” Jack asked.

“It’s going well. Really well. We spend every night together. The sex is incredible. She’s funny and smart and she’s an incredible cook, even though all she cooks is vegetables. I’m taking her camping tomorrow, so she might even like the outdoors.”

Jack took a shot from the top of the key and missed. Charlie scooped up the rebound and dribbled over to the right corner. “Your turn,” he said. “Were you there when your kids were born? I mean, did you see it all?”

“Sure,” Jack said. “It was pretty cool. I got to hold them right away and cut the cord. They were all slimy and red. They looked like hell. But they got a lot cuter after a few months. And once they started walking and talking, the fun began.” Jack chuckled. “You wouldn’t believe half the stuff that comes out of their mouths.”

Charlie took his shot and made it. Jack jogged over and took the same shot and missed. “That’s H,” Charlie said. “So is it true what they say? That your sex life goes to hell after you have kids?”

“Things change,” Jack said. “But it stops being about the sex. That’s not really how we express our feelings for each other. At least, not exclusively. It’s about making a home and watching over each other. Helping each other through the rough times. Cleaning up the puke, taking out the garbage, snaking the drain in the kitchen sink. Those are the kind of things that Jenny loves. When I do those things, the sex gets even better.”

“When did you know you were in love with her?” Charlie asked.

“Man, you have it bad, don’t you?” Jack said. “I can hear it in your voice.”

“No,” Charlie said. “I’m just curious, that’s all.”

“When did I know I was in love with Jenny? We were playing softball. You were there, remember? She took a line drive to the face and went down. She was crying and her makeup was running down her face and her nose had swollen up to twice its size. She asked me if it looked bad and I couldn’t bring myself to tell her the truth. I told her she looked beautiful. And it was the truth. At that moment, she was the most beautiful woman in the world to me. She still is. That’s when I realized I had to marry her.”

“I get that,” Charlie said. “I used to be into a woman’s looks. The hair, the boobs, the butt. It made a difference in the attraction I felt. But with Eve, I don’t really think about those things. She’s just…Eve. And she’s perfect exactly the way she is. In fact, I really like the imperfections.”

“So what are you going to do about this girl?” Jack asked.

“I don’t know. I guess I’m going to have to see where it all goes and then I’ll decide.”

“Don’t let her get away,” Jack warned. “It’s the worst thing you can do. If she’s the one and you mess it up, Charlie, you’re going to regret it for the rest of your life.” He chuckled. “And just think, a few years from now you can have a couple of those.” He pointed to his kids. “Brenna, don’t eat sand. Garrett, why would you let her do that? Come over here, both of you.”

Charlie watched as Jack tended to his children, wiping his daughter’s face clean with the hem of his T-shirt and gently scolding his son. In all the years Charlie had known Jack, he’d never once imagined him in the role of father. But Jack was good at it. He seemed to maintain a sense of humor, even when his children misbehaved. And it was apparent that his children adored him.

“You know what would get rid of that nasty taste in your mouth, Brenna? Ice cream. I think we should go get some right now. In fact, I know a place where we can find the best ice cream sundaes in town.” Charlie reached out and took the little girl’s hand. “I know the lady who makes them.”

“Where are we going?” Brenna asked.

“A place not too far from here,” Charlie said. “The owner will make us whatever we want.” He glanced over at Jack. “I might as well introduce you.”

“This is a first,” Jack said.

“You’ll like her,” Charlie said. “And whatever you do, tell her you like her boots.”

They drove downtown and parked a half block from the restaurant. The dining room had a scattering of guests and Charlie saw Eve sitting at the end of the bar, a bottle of wine open in front of her and a man he didn’t recognize.

The guy wasn’t any older than Eve and was dressed in casual business attire, a freshly pressed shirt and trousers and a navy blazer. Charlie glanced down at his clothes, a T-shirt and a pair of cargo shorts. He thought about running home to change, but his curiosity got the better of him.

The bartender recognized him and gave him a wave, then leaned over to Eve and informed her of his arrival. She turned and smiled, then slid off the bar stool to greet him. “Hi,” she said. “What are you doing here?”

“I promised these two an ice cream sundae,” he said, pointing to Garrett and Brenna. “Can you fix us up?”

“Sure,” she said.

“Hi,” Jack said, holding out his hand. “They be long to me. I’m Jack Finnegan and this is Garrett and Brenna. I’m an old friend of Charlie’s.”

“This is Eve,” Charlie said. “Eve Keller. Jack is my college roommate.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” she said. “You’re the first friend of Charlie’s I’ve met.”

“I could say the same for you,” Jack replied. “Charlie’s been telling me all about you.”

Her eyebrow went up and she glanced back and forth between the two of them. “Really?”

“About your cooking,” Jack said. “And…other things.”

“Well, why don’t I take the kids back into the kitchen and we’ll get started on the sundaes? You guys look like you could use something to drink. Kenny, get these boys a cold beer, would you? And finish up the wine order with Ed.”

Charlie watched as she escorted the kids through the bar and into the kitchen. Unlike him, she didn’t seem to be nervous around children.

“She’s nice,” Jack said.

“She is. And beautiful. And smart. And talented.” He looked over at Jack. “And I’d be a fool to let her go, wouldn’t I?”

“Yeah, you would. She runs a restaurant. You could have all the free food and beer you wanted. I should bring Jenny here for dinner. She’d like this place.”

“They only serve vegetables,” Charlie murmured, watching Eve through the open door of the kitchen.

“Jenny is crazy about salad. That’s all she ever eats. You two should come over for a barbeque some night this week.”

“Only if you barbeque vegetables,” Charlie said. “That’s all Eve eats.