The Butcher Read Free Page A

so you can finally fire your weird cleaning lady. Think of the money you’d save. That could mean another food truck next year, my friend, maybe even another restaurant. How about that .”
    Matt sipped his beer, squeezing the plastic container so hard it warped. He didn’t care if his friend was a famous ex-quarterback and that people all around them were surreptitiously snapping pictures of him with their cell phones, he was seriously considering dumping his beer over the guy’s head. If it hadn’t cost nine bucks, he might have. “No. And I don’t want to talk about this with you anymore.”
    â€œI’m just saying, think about it. Everything in your life is falling into place. The food trucks are hot, the restaurant’s doing well, you’ve got those people from the Fresh Network calling, and now you’re moving into the big house. Don’t you want someone to share all that with?”
    â€œI already have someone to share all that with.”
    â€œElmo doesn’t count.”
    â€œHe would beg to differ.”
    â€œConsider how Sam feels.”
    â€œLet it go, Jase.”
    Jason sighed. “You’ve been with her for a long time. You haven’t asked her to marry you, which, okay, I get, because marriage doesn’t exactly appeal to me right now, either. But you don’t even want her to live with you? In that big-ass house? Have you stopped for a second to think that maybe you’re being a tiny bit of an asshole here? You gotta throw her a bone, man. Relationship Advice 101. You don’t give a little, they leave.”
    Matt said nothing.
    â€œIs it even an option at some point?”
    Matt scraped up the last bit of garlic from the bottom of his papercup, wishing his friend would shut up. “I don’t know. But don’t you fucking tell her that.”
    â€œWhy not? Why waste her time then, man? She’s paid her dues.”
    â€œShe knew the drill when we first hooked up.”
    â€œShe thought you’d come around.”
    Matt was a quiet for a moment. “I love her. She knows that. I don’t get why that’s never enough.” He thought about saying something else, but decided against it.
    Jason shook his head and took a long swig of beer. Belched loudly. The woman in front of them in the Russell Wilson jersey turned around and glared at them. Jason flashed her a grin and winked. It seemed totally obnoxious to Matt, but it worked; the woman’s dirty look melted into a smile.
    â€œOh my God, you’re Jason Sullivan,” she said.
    â€œYes, ma’am.”
    â€œCan I take a picture with you?”
    â€œOf course.”
    The woman handed her phone to Matt, who refrained from rolling his eyes even though he wanted to. This kind of thing happened all the time. He took their picture and the woman turned back around, squealing to her friend beside her.
    â€œSam’s a good girl,” Jason said, jumping right back into the conversation. “Just, you know, give it some more thought. All I’m asking. Not that I’ll ever get what she sees in you, anyway.”
    â€œShe’s with me because I’m a swell guy,” Matt said, his jaw tight. The crowd roared as the Seahawks made a first down. “And hey, I don’t see you putting a ring on Lily’s finger.”
    â€œIt’s Lilac, you asshole, and we’ve only been seeing each other for three months. Completely different thing.”
    â€œAnd Rachel?”
    â€œFling. Never destined to go anywhere.”
    â€œWhat about Susan?”
    â€œSuzanna. And she was already married. With two kids.”
    â€œShe was?” Matt couldn’t help but laugh. It was hard to stay mad at his friend. “I didn’t know that. Who’s the asshole now?”
    â€œYou are. Sam’s one of the good ones. And you’re going to fuck it up.”
    Instantly Matt’s face flushed, and he clenched his fist.