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“How’s it look?”
“Beautiful.” She got Caleb out of the backseat, then followed Milo into the house. He dropped his bag next to the door and went straight to the parlor.
He stopped in the doorway. “Damn.”
Wilda came up next to him. “It’s great, Milo.”
He went into the room and approached the table, then circled it, running his hand along the green felt. Wilda handed him a cue.
“Take the first shot.”
He repositioned the rack of balls, then set the cue ball at the other end of the table. He took a breath, then sent the white ball rolling toward the others. It hit with a crack, and the balls flew around the table, bouncing off the sides, with two dropping into the corner pockets.
“I need to up my game. This table is better than I am.”
He knelt and eyed the top of the table. “I don’t know if I’ve ever played on a perfectly level table.”
“They spent some time making sure it was perfect.”
Milo stood and lined up another shot, sinking a solid ball. “I may never leave this room.”
Caleb ran in, and Wilda intercepted him as he headed directly for the table. “Hold up. This isn't for little boys to play on, or even touch. This is Milo’s very expensive table.” She picked him up. “Watch him hit the ball.”
Milo made another shot, and Caleb clapped. “Again!”
After clearing the table of all the balls, Milo set the cue down. “I’m in heaven. The guys are going to go crazy over this.”
He spotted the chairs by the window. “The furniture got here, too?”
“You just noticed?”
“I was mesmerized by this beautiful table.” He went to a chair and sat down. “Comfy.”
Wilda put Caleb down, and he ran to the other chair, then looked at Milo.
“The chair you can touch.”
Caleb climbed onto the chair and leaned back.
Wilda shook her head. “Look at you two guys hanging out in the man cave.”
“I never thought of myself as a man cave kind of guy, but now…”
“It suits you. It’s a very sophisticated man cave.”
“So neon bar signs and a calendar with scantily clad women are out?”
“Maybe one tasteful sign behind the bar. But no calendar.”
He looked around the room. “I need a dartboard in here.”
Wilda put her hands on her hips. “You are not going to throw darts at my newly painted walls.”
Milo laughed. “How bad a dart player do you think I am?” He held up a hand. “We will protect the wall.”
“You could get the safe darts that…” He cocked his head, and she added, “Never mind. We’ll make this room off-limits to Caleb. Is there anything else you want in here?”
He thought for a moment. “Pool, poker, darts, a bar. What more could a man want?”
