Page 71 of Tied Over

“Cargo pants just make sense,” I told him. “And the hoodie keeps you warm, but not too warm, and the leather jacket by itself in a Chicago winter would be no help at all.”

“That’s all reasonable,” he agreed. “But that’s not the point.”

“Please tell me what is.”

“That this is what I’m wearing.”

It hit me then. “Oh, you’re going to the party. Good. I’m glad. Have fun, and I’ll—”

“No,” he said, stopping me. “The party is here.”

“Whaddya mean the party is here?”

“The DuPonts, who were throwing the party, had an emergency, so it was moved here.”

“What kind of emergency?”

“Their oldest grandson, Flipper, he—”

“Flipper?” There was no way to let that one go. “Like the dolphin?”

“Yes. Just like the dolphin,” he said without a glimmer of mirth.

“Okay. Go on.”

“Flipper,” he repeated, glaring at me, “drove their speedboat into their pool.”

It took me a second. I’d just woken up, after all. “Sorry?”

“I guess he drove it onto the grass slope toward the lakefront and then into the infinity pool.”

“Huh.”

“Yeah.”

“Drunk?”

“Oh yes.”

“How old?”

“Seventeen.”

“Jesus.”

He shrugged. “I see rehab in his future, but anyway, because of that, the DuPonts asked if the party could be moved here, and Hayden’s parents agreed.”

“Okay.”

“The kids are all downstairs where they were last night and—”

“Oh, so I need to go and watch—”

“No, there are parents down there who had no desire to be at this party, like Angie and Josette, Shae, Keith, Meredith—you get the idea.”

“Got it. Is there food out there?”

“Yes, there’s—again, not the point. I’m here telling you this so you don’t come stumbling out in your jeans.”