Free The Drifter by Kate Hoffmann Page A

months. And once they started walking and talking, the fun began.” Jack chuckled. “You wouldn’t believe half the stuff that comes out of their mouths.”
    Charlie took his shot and made it. Jack jogged over and took the same shot and missed. “That’s H,” Charlie said. “So is it true what they say? That your sex life goes to hell after you have kids?”
    “Things change,” Jack said. “But it stops being about the sex. That’s not really how we express our feelings for each other. At least, not exclusively. It’s about making a home and watching over each other. Helping each other through the rough times. Cleaning up the puke, taking out the garbage, snaking the drain in the kitchen sink. Those are the kind of things that Jenny loves. When I do those things, the sex gets even better.”
    “When did you know you were in love with her?” Charlie asked.
    “Man, you have it bad, don’t you?” Jack said. “I can hear it in your voice.”
    “No,” Charlie said. “I’m just curious, that’s all.”
    “When did I know I was in love with Jenny? We were playing softball. You were there, remember?She took a line drive to the face and went down. She was crying and her makeup was running down her face and her nose had swollen up to twice its size. She asked me if it looked bad and I couldn’t bring myself to tell her the truth. I told her she looked beautiful. And it was the truth. At that moment, she was the most beautiful woman in the world to me. She still is. That’s when I realized I had to marry her.”
    “I get that,” Charlie said. “I used to be into a woman’s looks. The hair, the boobs, the butt. It made a difference in the attraction I felt. But with Eve, I don’t really think about those things. She’s just…Eve. And she’s perfect exactly the way she is. In fact, I really like the imperfections.”
    “So what are you going to do about this girl?” Jack asked.
    “I don’t know. I guess I’m going to have to see where it all goes and then I’ll decide.”
    “Don’t let her get away,” Jack warned. “It’s the worst thing you can do. If she’s the one and you mess it up, Charlie, you’re going to regret it for the rest of your life.” He chuckled. “And just think, a few years from now you can have a couple of those.” He pointed to his kids. “Brenna, don’t eat sand. Garrett, why would you let her do that? Come over here, both of you.”
    Charlie watched as Jack tended to his children, wiping his daughter’s face clean with the hem of his T-shirt and gently scolding his son. In all the yearsCharlie had known Jack, he’d never once imagined him in the role of father. But Jack was good at it. He seemed to maintain a sense of humor, even when his children misbehaved. And it was apparent that his children adored him.
    “You know what would get rid of that nasty taste in your mouth, Brenna? Ice cream. I think we should go get some right now. In fact, I know a place where we can find the best ice cream sundaes in town.” Charlie reached out and took the little girl’s hand. “I know the lady who makes them.”
    “Where are we going?” Brenna asked.
    “A place not too far from here,” Charlie said. “The owner will make us whatever we want.” He glanced over at Jack. “I might as well introduce you.”
    “This is a first,” Jack said.
    “You’ll like her,” Charlie said. “And whatever you do, tell her you like her boots.”
    They drove downtown and parked a half block from the restaurant. The dining room had a scattering of guests and Charlie saw Eve sitting at the end of the bar, a bottle of wine open in front of her and a man he didn’t recognize.
    The guy wasn’t any older than Eve and was dressed in casual business attire, a freshly pressed shirt and trousers and a navy blazer. Charlie glanced down at his clothes, a T-shirt and a pair of cargo shorts. He thought about running home to change, but his curiosity got the better of him.
    The bartender