But the weight of that decision hadn’t lifted the burden.
A night of shooting pool with Vince and Declan should be just the ticket. He looked forward to watching Dec and Vince spar.
As students filed out of the room, he felt a strong hand clutch his arm. Turning around, he found dead air.
He had to look way down.
“Gerald, I want to tell you how much I enjoy this class.” Agnes’ voice trembled slightly, though it always did. This time, the tone made him pause, his soles pressing into the ground, his body relaxing into being more present.
“Thank you.”
“You make it fun. An old woman like me needs more fun in her life.” Were her eyes filling with actual tears?
“Of course you do,” he said with compassion.
“So please, please don’t have Louise Johnson as your nude model for the next class. She may be young and have a tighter body than mine, but she’s no Declan McCormick.”
Sigh. “How do you know her name?” He was about to mention that Louise wasn’t young, but to a ninety-two-year-old woman, a seventy-eight year old must seem “young.”
“We’re both docents at the same museum. She farts a lot.”
“Agnes,” he said in a low warning voice.
“I’m just saying. We’ll need to wear charcoal face masks if you have that woman in here,” she continued. “Her doctor told her to cut out dairy, but nooooooo. Louise knows better!”
“I’m not having this conversation.”
“She’s so selfish,” Agnes grumbled. “Always thinking about herself.”
He saw Corrine pause at the doorway and look back.
“Are you lying about Louise again?” Corrine called out. “You’re just jealous Gerald didn’t ask you.”
“I’m not taking off my clothes to let a bunch of people have fantasies about my body.”
“Fantasies!” Corrine hooted. “More like nightmares. When people our age are naked, we look like human being candles all melted down.”
“It’s all beautiful, ladies,” he assured them.
They eyed him like predators. “When it’s tight and young and works well and balances out, it sure is, Gerald. But wait. Just wait.”
“I’m enjoying the journey just like you. One day at a time.”
“I’ll be a nude model!” Corrine piped up. “What’s it pay?”
“Twenty-five an hour. Plus you get a free class here at the arts center.”
“That’s it? Playboy models make tens of thousands!” Agnes grumbled.
“I’m not Hugh Hefner,” Gerald joked.
Fifty million dollars, a voice inside him whispered.
Huh. Maybe he was closer than he thought.
“Quit stalling. Marie’s still out here, just waiting for you.” Corrine caught Gerald’s eye. “I love a good catfight.”
“You’re my second, Corrine,” Agnes said as she caught up to her, grumbling. “If I need you to fight in my place, go for her eyes. She wears contacts. One good jab and...”
Gerald shut the door.
With relief.
Bzzz.
A text from Suzanne.
“Hey!” Declan called out from the dressing room. “We’re still shooting pool with your friend?”
“Yeah.”
“Cool.” Declan strode out into the classroom. Tonight, he’d shown up in casual clothes from the start.
Gerald looked at his phone.
Be there around ten. Maybe sooner. See you soon.
He grinned.
“I take it Suzanne’s coming, too?” Declan asked.
“How’d you guess?”
“The stupid lovesick grin on your face.”
“That’s how you looked the day you came out of that bagel shop when you met Shannon.” Gerald almost said sir again.
“Did I?” Declan assumed his stone face. “I thought I looked like this.”
“Not that day.”
They shared a smile.
Ten minutes later, they waited for a free pool table, drinking beers and riling each other up about who would beat whom.
Vince appeared.
Vince didn’t just walk into bars. Vince parted the Red Sea when he entered any establishment. Enormous, covered in tattoos and scars, and with the air of a convict who lords over all the prisoners and guards in a maximum security joint, Vince was invincible.
His parents got his name right.
“Hey,” Vince shouted. “G!”
Declan’s eyes flew wide open and he looked up.
Way up.
“Hold on. This is Vince? My brother’s personal trainer Vince?”
Vince reached for Declan’s hand and shook him like a rag doll. “Another McCormick bitch! Good to meet you, man. Boy, I see who has all the muscle in your family.” He eyed Declan and let out a low whistle.
Declan looked pleased.
“Not you,” Vince clarified. “Andrew’s a wuss, but he is bulking up.”
“First half of that is right,” Declan shot back. He puffed up like a peacock-cobra hybrid.
Vince held out his palms. “No offense, man. Just calling it like I see it.”
Considering Vince’s arms were the size of most men’s thighs, he really did walk the walk.
Eyes narrowing, Declan took Vince in. “You a pool shark like your buddy?”
He held up hands like bear paws. “Do these look like precision tools?”
Declan grinned. “Hope you brought enough to cover the drinks, because you’re losing.”
Gerald cleared his throat with meaning.
“I’m onto you,” Declan said. “You play innocent.”