The Lonely Drop Read Online Free PDF Page B

only takes one.”
    He looks like he’s about to say more, but my phone rings. I check the caller ID, and it’s the Drop.
    “Sorry, I have to take this— Hello?”
    “Nick, it’s Jenny. I’m sorry to interrupt your date.”
    “It’s not a date, it’s dinner with a friend. What’s up?”
    “Daniel came by the house and he was all drunk and threatening. Miriam called the police, and he took off, but she’s scared he’s going to come back and try to take the kids. I’m not sure what to do— Miriam’s threatening to quit, and I need to go home and calm her down.”
    “Whoa, slow down, Jenny. Does Miriam have a car?”
    The noise she makes sounds affirmative, so I continue, “Give her directions to my place. You all can have a sleepover there. For God’s sake Jenny, tomorrow you are going to file for sole custody and a freaking restraining order. I’ll go meet her at the house and get them settled, then I’ll come take over at the bar. As soon as you leave the Drop, head to my house. Do not even think about going to your place alone, okay?”
    “Are you sure, Nick? You don’t need my drama.”
    “Jenny, you’re the most irreplaceable employee I have, and you’re my friend. Yes, I’m sure. And I’ve already got your drama since it affects the workplace. That’s not a judgment, sweetheart— Daniel is his own person, you aren’t responsible for his issues. But, let’s do what we can to get you out of this situation once and for all, okay?”
    “Thank you, Nick.” She sniffles into the phone.
    “You’re welcome. I’ll see you soon.”
    I hang up and turn to Kevin. He’s already procured our check from the waiter and paid it.
    “I’m sorry, I hate to cut the evening short—” I start to explain, but he holds up a hand.
    “No worries. Besides, now I get to see your house.”
    ****
    Miriam and the kids are sitting in Miriam’s car in my driveway when we pull in. I wave to the three of them, and they get out and follow me up the steps. Kevin gathers their bags from the trunk and joins us.
    Samantha, Jenny’s three-year-old daughter, wipes her nose on a sleeve and looks up at Kevin warily as I unlock the door and usher them inside. “Who are you?”
    “I’m Kevin. I’m Nick’s friend.”
    “Are you his boyfriend?” Blake, the six year old, asks. “Mom says he dates guys instead of girls.”
    “Um, no, I’m not his boyfriend.” Kevin glances over at me. “But I date guys instead of girls too.”
    Miriam, a pretty college student who has been watching the kids for Jenny since before she was divorced, herds them into the bathroom to brush their teeth before they can ask any more questions, leaving me standing in my kitchen with Kevin, who is looking around with curiosity.
    “Wow, this place is so… oh.” I look at his face to see him staring at a set of copper measuring cups sitting on the counter. They’d belonged to my grandmother, then my mother, and now me. They’d been a familiar sight in Mom’s kitchen.
    “I use them every day.” I pick up the tiniest one, the quarter-cup measure, and stroke a finger over the engraved measurement on the side. “It’s nice to see something of hers getting everyday use.”
    “She had me polish them once.” He comes and picks up the one-cup measure, mimicking my actions, stroking the engraving with his thumb. “We went to visit for Thanksgiving, remember? I had never washed up after Thanksgiving dinner before.”
    “That’s because you were a spoiled rich brat.”
    He laughs. “I hated being a spoiled rich brat. Which is such an entitled, shitty thing to say.”
    He sets the cup down, takes the small one from my hand, and sets it down next to his.
    “What are we doing, Nick?” he asks softly, not letting go of my hand. “I know this is going to be cut short tonight, and I understand why, but I need to know what this is.”
    I swallow hard, forcing myself to meet his gaze. He’s more vulnerable in this moment than I’ve ever seen