StacyDinner started like any other.We met at a little Italian place halfway between our apartments—neutral territory, linen napkins, fake candles in glass jars. Tommy was already seated when I arrived, leaning back in the booth like he didn’t have a care in the world.He smiled when he saw me. Easy. Relaxed.Too relaxed.“Hey, old man,” he said, standing to clap me on the shoulder. “Long time.”I smiled back. “Long time.”We ordered drinks. Water for me. Beer for him. The server didn’t even ask for his ID—charm, confidence, or maybe just a habit. Tommy had always been good at pretending to belong.“So,” I said once the server left. “How’ve things been?”“Oh, great,” he replied, reaching for the bread basket. “Work’s good. Beth’s great. We actually moved in together.”My pulse ticked.“Oh really?” I asked, keeping my tone light. “That’s a big step.”“Yeah, well… it just kind of happened. I was over at her place all the time anyway. It made sense, y’know? Nothing really changed.”I no
Last Updated : 2025-12-15 Read more