“I did not—”
Luke gave him a disparaging look. “You want someone to make you bacon in the morning, then you’d best learn that no matter who starts the argument, you were wrong and you need to apologize.”
Saks groaned. “That sounds really, really bad. Like no guy ever is in the right. Like they all have our dicks wrapped around their little finger.”
“Look at it this way. They have to deal with us. Have you looked at yourself in the morning? Smelled yourself?”
“I’d rather not.”
“And yet they would. See. Right there, instant grace.”
“Grace? You’re not getting religious on me, are you, Luke?”
“Dammit, Saks, don’t you get it? We speak the same language, walk on the same planet, but they navigate life a lot differently than us. We get up, take a shower, and go to work. Once a month we pay our bills. A few times a week we hang out with our buddies, watch a game, drink some beer, talk shit. And we think we’ve got it all covered.”
It sounded about right to Saks. Except, apparently, Luke wasn’t finished.
“Women? They wake up and immediately their lives are a hundred times more complicated. They take care of people, of things, or making sure everything is in place so people around them are happy. Honestly, when I think of everything Emily does, it blows me away. It makes me want to be a better husband and father. And here I am, babysitting your grown ass while my wife is at home with her head over the toilet.”
Saks sat up as a revelation hit him. “Shit. I get it now.”
“Good. Uh, what did you get?”
“She wasn’t angry with me. Chrissy got pissed because there was no way she could please everyone.”
“Well, that’s an insight.”
“I’m such an idiot.”
“Another brilliant insight.”
“Shut up. I mean, who thinks like that?”
“Women.”
“Well, how am I supposed to know that?”
“You’ve got a mother and a sister and you never noticed?”
“Give me a break. Until Emily came into your life, you were as clueless as I apparently am.”
“True,” said Luke, chuckling. “You’re right. I’m the last person to give advice on someone’s love life. I lucked out with Em and that’s a fact. Until then, I couldn’t make a real connection with a woman, and not from a lack of trying on their part. And I have no idea what you and this chick—”
“Chrissy. Her name’s Chrissy.”
“Yeah, Chrissy. I don’t know what you have going with her, but if you care enough to figure out what she’s feeling you’ve got something special there. And maybe it’s worth trying to keep.”
“Yeah,” groaned Saks.
“Okay, then. I’ve got to make it home then the shop before it opens. Oakie should be here soon.”
“Thanks, Luke.”
The door shut behind Luke and Saks was alone. He hated it. For the first time in his life he felt the emptiness of his apartment and his life. Bikes were cool, the club was great, but what existed for Saks, Anthony Parks, the man? Yeah, he wanted what Luke had, his own family, his own home. But he’d never found the woman he wanted that with until he met Chrissy.
How could he make things right between them?
He thumbed through his phone list until he came up with a certain cousin who owned a flower shop. Saks called the number despite how early it was. Don would be awake and in the shop. “Hey, Don, it’s Anthony.”