Chapter 43

“Have you and he ever—”

“We’ve been around the block a few times. Why do you ask? It doesn’t bother you, does it?”

“Why should it? You know what a Pop-Tart I used to be.”

“You mean way back in the Dark Ages before last week?”

“I mean way back before we both had a sort of epiphany sitting in the swing on my front porch.”

“Touché. And speaking of the devil, here he comes.” Mickey nodded to his left.

Chris looked in the direction Mickey had nodded and spotted a rather attractive blond man approaching them. He was wearing a suit that fit him like a glove.

“He looks like a banker or a stockbroker,” Chris said.

“You’re on the money, he’s with Merrill Lynch.”

The guy walked up to Mickey and grabbed him in a bear hug. “Hi, Mickey,” he said, then he glanced in Chris’ direction. “And this is Chris, right? The one you’ve been pining after all these years?”

Mickey said, “Joe, Chris. Chris, Joe.”