“Hell, yeah, and thanks. I’ll crack it open later. Will Neil be here the rest of the week?”
“Yes,” Drew’s dad said.
“I’ll make sure there’s plenty of food, then. How do you feel about quinoa and kale casserole?” It was obvious by Owen’s grin he was teasing a little, but Neil looked horrified.
“Dad. He’s joking,” Drew said. “If you’d make some stuff that’s friendly for a guy who likes entrees like spaghetti and meat and potatoes, I’ll eat the chickified stuff. I’m going to need a little extra bulk on Sunday, that’s for sure.”
“Dallas?” Owen said.
“Shit, yeah, and their offensive line is a nightmare these days.”
“You’ll kick their asses,” Owen said. “Watching their QB sit on the turf and cry at Sharks Stadium is one of my favorite memories.”
“That was excellent, wasn’t it?” Drew got up from the table and crossed to the island, feeling around for his wallet. “If you’re making more stuff for Dad, I need to spot you some cash for the ingredients.”
“I’ll bill you. Don’t worry about it.” Owen grinned at Neil. “By the time I get done with you, you’ll be eating ceviche and Thai coconut curry.”
“Ceviche,” his dad said in a low voice. The food alone might scare him right back to Wisconsin.
“Would you also be willing to bill me for a couple of decent six-packs when you make a store run?” Drew said.
“I can do that.” Owen poured a slick of extra-virgin olive oil into his frying pan. “You must have gotten ambushed in the grocery store again.”
“Yeah. It was two hours before I made it out of there, especially since Tom Reed was one aisle over loading up a cart with ice cream and avocados for his pregnant wife. I’m ordering stuff from Amazon Fresh now, but I have to sign for the beer myself—”
“I can handle it, D. Don’t worry about it.”
Owen gently laid two pieces of tilapia in the frying pan and turned the heat down a bit as he stirred the beans and the rice. He’d already put the tortillas in the oven to warm and was pulling more items out of his bag to construct the mango salsa and the additional taco filling. Drew could assemble a few dishes and feed himself, but nothing like this.
“Hey, Dad, why don’t you go relax? Dinner will be ready in twenty minutes or so. Your stuff’s in one of the rooms upstairs, right?”
His dad shoved himself out of the dining room chair and got to his feet. “Good idea. I took the room next door to yours, by the way.” He walked into the family room, sat down on the couch, and clicked the TV on.
Drew patted his pocket to make sure his phone was still in there, and he said to Owen in a low voice, “I’ll be back in fifteen minutes or so.”
“Great.” Owen went back to making their delicious looking and smelling dinner, and Drew ducked into the small office he kept in the little bonus room off of the kitchen, shutting the door behind him. He punched in the contact for his parents’ number.
His mom answered on the second ring. “Hi, honey.”
“Mom, are you going to be up later? I’m about to have dinner with Dad, and I’d like to hear your side of what’s going on.”
His mother sighed. “There isn’t a lot to tell. I’ve wanted to go back to work for a while. You kids are all grown and gone. The grandkids are only here on the weekends. It’s not like I had a lot to do, and your dad’s gone all day. I wanted something for myself,” she said. “Your dad is acting like I’ve run off with another man. I don’t get what his problem is. He doesn’t talk to me before he works overtime or on the weekends.”
“He’s hurt because he thinks he’s not getting the same dinners and attention these days.”
“That’s not true. I’m just not hovering over him twenty-four hours a day anymore. It’s good for him. I keep encouraging him to go fishing, or take those buddies of his up on their poker invites every Friday night. I’d like to go see my friends too, but he doesn’t like ‘chick flicks’ and book clubs. Plus, his doctor told me if he doesn’t cool it on the red meat and fried stuff, he’s going to have to go on cholesterol drugs. I don’t want that to happen.” She let out another sigh. “I love him more than anyone else in the world. I’ve loved him for thirty-six years, and I’ll love him until I die, but honey, he needs to realize that I need a life.”
“He said you made pulled pork for him.”
“And coleslaw, and made sure the buns were toasted the way he likes them, and I made a peach pie too.”