"Maybe Ryan's going to ask him for your hand."

"You're an idiot," I said.

He playfully slapped my a.s.s and said, "You love it."

I punched his shoulder as hard as I could but recognized that I wasn't as offended as I probably should have been. He was harmless-always had been.

"Ow!" Miller yelled, then turned to Lion and Mich.e.l.le and said, "Shea dumped me for Ryan. But it's all good. I get it. I'd dump me for Ryan, too. I mean, gym teacher-or pro quarterback?"

Mich.e.l.le laughed, and I could tell she was into him.

"We broke up because you're an idiot. End of story." I smiled, and he grinned back at me.

"It's cool," he said. "I'm not really the marrying kind."

Mich.e.l.le got into the fray after that, trying to psychoa.n.a.lyze him and, thereby, all bachelors, while I ordered shots of Jack-with beers for chasers. It occurred to me as I started a tab that it wasn't the wisest decision to tie one on the night before meeting my boyfriend's parents, but I was already impaired enough to come up with a handful of rationalizations.

So I kept going, drinking, laughing, playing pool, even dancing, feeling merrier by the minute, full of goodwill toward all, even background players and characters two degrees removed. We all had Walker in common, in one way or another, a point I made over a boisterous, heartfelt toast.

"Do you realize," I began, feeling much more profound than the words that escaped my lips, "that we all either come from this town or now live in this town?"

"Whoa," Miller said, mocking me. "That is quite an observation. Since we're all getting s.h.i.tfaced in this s.h.i.t box of a town."

"It's not a s.h.i.t box," I said. "It's about to be the home of the best team in college football coached by the most amazing, incredible ..."

"Aw, please!" Miller shouted over me. "Here we go again!"

"What?" I said, wobbling a little as I looked up at him.

"The hero worship. f.u.c.k. It never ends."

"Shut up," I said.

But Miller was as drunk as I was and kept shouting, pontificating to his audience. "Coach Carr! That's who she's really in love with. Not me. Not Ryan. But Coach Cliiiiive Carr."

Mich.e.l.le gave Miller an incredulous snort and said, "That's Lucy's dad. Her best friend's dad."

"So?"

"He's way too old for her," Mich.e.l.le added.

"Shea doesn't mind," Miller said, shaking his head. Then he pointed at me and said, "See? Look at her. Look at her face."

Whatever had been on my face, I instantly changed to an exaggerated scowl.

"She's in love with Lucy's old man. Always has been. Always will be. I saw them in here one night together." He looked at me and said, "You gonna deny that?"

"We were working," I said. "I'm a reporter. He coaches the team I cover. We have a working relationship."

"The h.e.l.l."

I denied it again, as strenuously as I could, but, in my impaired state, a small part of me loved what Miller was saying about us. So the next words out of my mouth were "You know what? I'm going to call him now and tell him what you're saying about him."

Then I walked across the bar and out the door. The crisp night nearly knocked some sense into me, but not enough, apparently, because I dialed Coach's number.

"Que pasa?" he said, his voice chipper.

"I'm at the Third Rail," I announced. "You should come over."

He laughed and said, "You know I can't do that."

"Why not?" I said. "You did it before."

"That was a Monday night. That was an exception. Probably shouldn't have done it that night."

"But I want to see you," I said.

"I want to see you, too," he said. Plain as that.

Shocked, I said, "Well, then. Come over."

"I can't."

"Then I'll come over there," I said, staring up at the sky. "Do you know there's a full moon tonight?"

"It's not full. Not quite," he said. "How much have you had to drink?"

"A few ..."

"Then you can't drive."

"I'm not. I wouldn't. I'm going to take a cab. To your house."

"No. You can't do that. People will talk."

"And why would they talk? Nothing's going on. Is there?" my voice rose in a flirting, leading lilt.

He laughed and said, "Okay, girl. Stay put. I'm coming to get you."

"I'm ready," I said. "Come and get me."

"I'll be there in ten. Go around to the Monroe Street side ... and be careful."

"What about my car?" I said.

"You can get it tomorrow."

"Okay."

"Stay put."

"Okay ... Coach?"

"Yeah, girl?"

"Hurry," I whispered.

Ten minutes later, long enough for me to say goodbye to my friends and lie about calling a cab, Coach pulled onto Monroe, slowed, stopped, and waited for me to open the pa.s.senger door. I climbed in, leaned over to pat his arm, and gave him a big, silly grin.

He smiled back at me but then said, "So, tell me the truth. How much did you really have to drink?"

"A few," I said, putting on my seat belt. "A lot."

He shook his head. "I wish you wouldn't do that. I've told you before-you should always be in control."

"I am in control."

He glanced over at me and said, "Oh? You sure about that?"

"Very sure about that," I said, suddenly remembering my credit card, still at the bar. I texted Miller and said, My tab's still running. Have one on me!!

He wrote back right away. Will order a round for the whole bar. Cheers!

"What an a.s.s," I slurred, smiling.

"Who's that?"

"Miller," I said. "But nah ... he's not so bad."

"No," Coach said. "He's not so bad. Just wasn't right for you."

"Who is?" I said coyly.

He smiled but didn't answer. When we got to the stoplight on Jefferson, he turned on the radio, found Rascal Flatts singing "These Days," and started drumming on the steering wheel. When the light turned green, he went straight instead of turning right toward his house.

"Where are you going?" I asked him.

"I'm taking you home."

"But I wanted to go to your house."

Coach shook his head. "You need to sleep. Besides, we all know what happened last time you came over."

"What happened?"

"Lucy," he said. "Remember?"

"Did you get an earful, too?" I said.

"Oh, yeah. I was interrogated."

"What did you tell her?"

Coach cracked a smile, glanced at me sideways, and said, "You really are quite the little reporter, aren't you?"

"I'm not little," I said, puffing out my chest and running my hands through my hair to make it fuller. "I'm ... statuesque."

He grinned. "That you are," he said, glancing down at my legs before returning his eyes to the road.

I reached over and turned up the radio as Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley's "Remind Me" came on, announcing how much I loved the song, then joining in, despite my terrible singing voice. "If you still love me, don't just a.s.sume I know!"

A few seconds later, we pulled in to my complex. "Which unit are you?"

I pointed straight ahead. "That one."

He parked in a guest spot but let the song end before he turned the ignition off, staring straight ahead, his face serious. Then he got out of the car, came around to my door, and opened it. Still sitting, I looked up at him, our eyes locking. "What?" I asked, without moving, just staring.

He reached down, took my hand, and gently pulled me out of the seat.

"I don't think Luce would like this very much either," I said.

"Me giving you a safe ride home?"

"No. You taking me by the hand."

"She'd understand that it's for your own drunk good," he said, leading me over to the cement path lined with trodden-down white and purple pansies.

"I'm meeting Ryan's parents tomorrow," I offered, out of the blue. "And he's meeting mine."

"And you'll be hungover."

"Worth it."

"How do you figure?"

"Because you're here," I said. "Holding my hand."

He smiled but dropped my hand, moving his arm around my waist, guiding me toward the open-air staircase, then up two flights to my door. I fumbled in my purse for my keys, found them, and slowly unlocked the door. Then I walked in, holding the door open, hoping he'd follow me. He did, and, before he could change his mind, I closed it behind him, then dead-bolted it. Amused, he shook his head, then peered around my dark living room, his eyes resting on the framed article he'd given me, leaning on my mantel.

"Looks good," he said.

"I love it," I said.

"I'm glad."

"I love that it's from you."

Coach nodded. "Good. Now go to bed." He pointed down the dark hall toward my bedroom.