CJ showed up right before nine. When Ricky had said he’d be leaving me with CJ and Wallace, I’d thought he meant informally. But no, there was an actual handoff. He made it as casual as possible—“You guys keep Liv entertained while I’m gone?”—but it was a clear message for everyone to hear. Then Ricky took my beer can and murmured to CJ, “Get her something from the cabinet, and don’t let her tell you she’s fine with beer.”

“What’ll you have?” CJ asked when Ricky was gone.

“Tequila?”

“Got it. How about entertainment? You’re not going to want to spend the next hour talking to two old coots, so pick your poison. Darts, poker, pool . . .”

“I’m okay at poker. Better at darts. I think I’ve played pool twice in my life, and both times I was drunk. It didn’t help my aim. I would love to learn someday, but I won’t make you give lessons.”

“Happy to. Your choice, then.” He motioned at the dartboard. “Play to your strengths. Or learn something new and risk making a fool of yourself.”

“Well, if you put it that way . . .” I walked over and picked up a pool cue.

CJ grinned. Wallace only shook his head.

“You rack them up. I’ll get the drinks.” CJ glanced at me. “You know how to rack them up?”

“Nine balls and a convenient triangle to place them in.”

“Good girl.” He walked to the bar and held up two bottles for me to choose from. When I did, he said, “You like power over price tag, huh, Livy?”

“It’s Liv,” Wallace rumbled, his first words since Ricky had left.

I shrugged. “Liv, Livy, Olivia . . . whatever works.”

“How about Eden?” said a voice from across the room.

We all turned. The guy who’d spoken sat at one of the tables, with Lily on his knee. He wasn’t anyone I’d noticed before—maybe late twenties, making him one of the younger guys in the room. Dark-haired. Smirking.

“What’d you say?” CJ delivered my tequila shot and kept walking, advancing on the guy.

“I asked if she ever goes by Eden. Valid question.”

Lily snickered. She stopped at dual looks—one from CJ and one from her mother—and she slid off the guy’s lap.

“Yeah?” CJ said. “Here’s a valid question. What the fuck is your name? ’Cause I don’t think you’ve been here long enough for me to remember it. Which means you haven’t been here long enough to open your mouth. Especially if you’re going to ask stupid, invalid questions.”

The guy lifted his hands. “Sorry. I was just teasing the girl.”