Grady cocked an eyebrow. Jesus. It was like his last visit all over again minus the peanut gallery. “You that hard up for conversation?”

Unperturbed by Grady’s clear back-off signals, Tucker pressed. “Looks like something’s bothering you. Sometimes it helps to talk.”

Grady snorted. He’d heard that practically his entire life, and he wasn’t doubting it. He’d even seen a military shrink a few times, but talking wasn’t his preferred state of being. “I’d rather be bare-ass naked and staked to an ant hill.”

Tucker laughed. “Aww, man. You sure know how to hurt a guy’s feelings.”

“Don’t you have a business to run?”

“I can sit a while.” Tucker looked around at the five other people in the bar taking up another two booths. “Slow day.”

Grady grimaced. “Lucky me.”

“I’m thinking about Christmas carol karaoke. Thoughts?”

If Grady had been asked to guess what would come out of Tucker’s mouth next, it would not have been Christmas karaoke. “I have no thoughts other than ugh.”

“Not something you’d come to the bar for?”

“Do I look like the kind of guy who enjoys karaoke? Of any type?”

Tucker regarded him for long moments. “Nope.” He shook his head slowly. “Can’t see you belting out ‘I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus.’”

“Right.” Grady nodded.

“You’re kind of antisocial—anyone ever tell you that?”

“It’s been said.”

Just then, the bar doors flung open, and for a split second, Grady could have kissed whoever the hell had chosen that moment to enter. Then he realized it was Arlo and Drew Carmichael and, spying Tucker, they both made a direct beeline for his booth.

Fucking awesome. The peanut gallery.

“This where the action’s at?” Arlo said.

Grady threw him a tight smile. “Apparently.”

“You want beers?” Tucker asked, finally shifting his ass out of the booth, and Grady dared to hope he’d be left in peace.

“We’ll have what he’s having,” Arlo said, speaking for both of them. And then he slid his ass into the booth, followed closely by Drew as Tucker left to get their beers.

“I hear congratulations are in order,” Drew said as he settled into the chair.

Drew had taken over his father’s funeral home business a few years back. He seemed like a nice-enough guy from the limited time Grady had spent in his company. He looked more like an old-fashioned Hollywood screen idol than a dude who drove a hearse around bumfuck nowhere. But apparently even he had heard the rumors about Grady and Suzanne.

And wasn’t that just dandy?

Grady raised his beer bottle and mumbled a “Thanks” before taking another swallow.