Most shook their heads. Greg grinned and rubbed his hands together. “This is gonna be good.”
“Okay. So you know how when you get hot dogs, they’re all smushed together in a pack of eight? And the plastic is pulled tight over each of the hot dogs?”
Graham started to grin slowly.
Kara sat back and waved a hand as if she were telling a classy joke in a cocktail lounge. “His penis looks sort of like that in his skin tight leggings when he does Downward Dog.”
Marianne burst out laughing, and Reagan gasped, eyes wide. “No!”
“Yes,” Kara said solemnly, taking a sip of her water. “I wish not, but very true. I’ve actually considered having Marianne make one of her famous pamphlets about the importance of wearing clothes that breathe during yoga, so he stops wearing those pants.”
“I’ll do it,” Marianne said with a gasp. “I’ll do it, just for you.”
“What’s so funny, Mom?” Zach called out from the corner.
“Nothing!” she answered quickly, waving him off to keep him from coming closer. “You’re doing great!”
Zach ignored that and ran closer to the group, scooping up a hot dog and taking a bite. Marianne burst out laughing, managed to squeeze out, “I’m gonna pee my pants!” and ran inside. The door slammed shut behind her.
“You should get a dog, you know,” Zach told Graham around a mouthful.
“Zach, manners.”
He shot his mother a chagrined look, swallowed, then said it again. “You should get a dog.”
“Why’s that? I’ve got you coming over here often enough to run around the backyard and eat my food. What do I need a dog for?”
Zach snorted and kicked the soccer ball into the back corner, sitting down beside him. Kara looked anxious, as if she didn’t want her son to be a bother. To ease her mind, he slung an arm over Zach’s chair.
“You need a dog ’cause you’ve got a backyard and you live alone. No mom or whatever to say no. Why wouldn’t you have one?”
“I’m gone a lot,” Graham reminded him. “Especially with practice. Probably better if I wait on that.”
“I’d come take care of him for you.” Looking to his mother, Zach continued. “Couldn’t I? I’m responsible.”
Graham glanced at Kara, who had a stricken look on her face. “Bud, it’s just not the time for a pet right now.”
The toes of Zach’s tennis shoes scuffed the concrete pad of the patio. “Yeah. Okay.”
“Hey, Zach, could you run back out to the car and see if I left my sweater?” Kara rubbed her upper arms and shivered. “I’m getting a little cold.”
“Sure.” With a shrug, Zach held out his hands for the keys she dug from her purse and took off.
“I’m sorry,” she said to him softly after her son let the door bang on his way in. “He’s been asking for a dog since, I don’t know . . . he could say the word ‘dog.’ I said we couldn’t because we don’t have a yard, and you do, so . . .” She lifted her hands in silent confusion. “I guess he assumes anyone with a yard should have one.”
“It’s fine. Really. He’s a boy, of course he wants a dog. I’m not offended.” And if he thought for one minute Kara would let the boy claim ownership when he couldn’t care for it, he’d go out to the pound tomorrow and pick up the ugliest son of a bitch mutt he could find. He loved dogs, too. But without someone around to care for the animal when he was gone, it wasn’t fair to the animal.
“You didn’t have a sweater in the car, Mom. But I found this sweatshirt on the couch so, here.” Zach thrust the oversized red-and-gold hoodie into Kara’s lap. She stared at it, a little horrified. “You said you were cold. Put it on.”
“Zach, you can’t just take people’s things without asking.” She glanced between the three men. “I’m sorry, whoever he stole this from.”
Graham bit the inside of his lip to keep from smiling. He knew for sure she’d sent Zach to the car just to get him out of earshot. Now he’d have some fun with it. “It’s mine, and you can wear it.”
“Oh, I couldn’t.” Her eyes narrowed, and her lips drew into a firm line. If she could have poked him with her fork, she would have. “Here.”
“I insist. As my guest, it’s my job to make sure you’re comfortable. Let me.” Torturing her—and himself just a little—he stood and took the sweatshirt, holding it over her head. “Arms up.”
His friends watched on with amusement, and Reagan’s eyes twinkled as Kara sighed with resignation and lifted her arms. He wiggled until the sleeves were in place, then stuck her head through it and let the material drift down. His fingertips skimmed the silky underside of her arms before dropping away.