AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Well, it’s April first, which is National Trombone Players Day, so we figured a steakhouse was an appropriate place to celebrate,” I say.
Asher smirks at me. “It also marks the ending of the Spanish Civil War, and if that’s not a reason to celebrate, I’m not sure what is.”
I keep my face smooth at his words, but in all honesty, that was a pretty good one.
Our server just looks at us like we’re a couple of weirdos, which we are. It’s fine. “Oh, I get it. April fools!” she says.
“No, these two jackasses are just playing a game to see who can get the other one to laugh first,” Dad says. He rolls his eyes.
“That’s not what we’re doing,” I say solemnly.
“Yeah, Dad. Civil wars are not laughing matters,” Asher says just as solemnly as me.
I guess I’ve got my work cut out for me.
We each order our signature drinks—Hendricks for me, a beer for Asher, and whiskey for Dad—and I peruse the menu as I try to come up with something to make my brother laugh.
To that end, I get up, head to the host stand, and let her know we’re actually here tonight celebrating our dad’s birthday, and if she could be so kind as to find a way to really embarrass him, I’d be forever in her debt.
Usually I flirt my way to getting what I want, but tonight…I don’t. Instead, I simply ask a favor, and I hope she’ll do it. If she doesn’t, that’s cool. If she does, great. But I’m not in the mood to flirt when I can’t get Ava Fucking Maxwell out of my goddamn mind.
Speaking of which, the second I sit back down, Asher glances at me. “So, Ava Maxwell, huh?”
“Fuck off,” I mutter.
His brows shoot up. “Ooh, seems like a touchy subject. Think I’ll press on that nerve just a little more. Are you really doing your best friend’s little sister?”
“Not that it’s any of your business, yes, I’m seeing Ava.”
“I remember little Ava Maxwell,” he murmurs. “She wasn’t so little by the time I went home between my sophomore and junior years of college.”
“Yeah? You saw her back then?” I ask.
“I banged one of her friends. Ava was more the innocent type who didn’t have a clue what was going on in the Taco Bell parking lot on Friday nights.” He shrugs. “Not that I wouldn’t have taken a shot at her, if you know what I mean.”
“Yeah, well, she wouldn’t have taken one with you.”
He holds up both hands. “My-oh-my, we’re getting awfully defensive over the new girlfriend.”
“She had a thing for me back then,” I admit. “She wouldn’t have blown her chances on the likes of you.”
“The likes of you? Who the fuck talks like that?” he asks.
Dad just watches us like we’re in some sort of tennis match. I can’t tell if he’s impressed or embarrassed.
“The brother of the guy wearing velour to a steakhouse,” I say dryly. That gets a laugh out of Dad.
The server delivers our drinks along with a basket of bread, and I snatch the first piece of bread after we order. The three of us make small talk about the voluntary minicamp that’s just three weeks away. It’s voluntary, but since Asher was out for a year and I’m new to the team, we’ll both be there.
I continue my quest to make Asher laugh first after our food is delivered. I pick up the bottle of ketchup sitting on the table, make a space between my steak and my vegetables, and start squeezing the bottle.
“What do you need ketchup for?” Dad asks.
“My veggies.” I keep squeezing, and I catch Asher watching me as a pool of ketchup forms on my plate.
He keeps watching me as the pool spills over the side of my plate and onto the tablecloth.
He glances up, sees me watching him with intensity as I keep squeezing the bottle, and he bursts into laughter. “Fine, you win, you win,” he says, and I start to laugh, too.
