章 68: Chapter 68: Last Chance to Change Your Mind

(An hour ago)

Luke arrived at the airport slightly hung over.  Should have known better than to go out drinking with Charlie, he thought.  The two men had barhopped for a while, finally landing at Luke’s favorite Manhattan pub, Paddy Reilly’s on the lower east side.  They’d been in luck and caught the Prodigals’ set at eleven.

Charlie had been in chat mode all evening.  “So tell me about the dame you were with when I called you that day,” he probed.

Luke rolled his eyes.  “Just some chick from a bar.  I don’t know.  What do you want me to say?”

“What you need is to find a nice girl, settle down,” Charlie slurred.  “Bella is a nice girl.”

“Bella?” Luke asked.

“Aw, dammit, I didn’t mean for you to know her name before you met her,” Charlie shook his head.  “Bourbon loosens my lips.”  He blew a raspberry for emphasis.

Luke had felt a flash of irritation at the notion of settling down.  “I’ve been married, and you saw how that turned out.”