Jet nodded. “It's important to know stuff like that about your… butcher. Like, is he married?”
“Nope. Totally available.”
“So I would be smart to buy meat here?”
“You wouldn't regret it,” I said.
“Good. I feel like steak tonight.”
Diesel slid a look at me. “Carnivore,” he whispered.
Jet directed her attention to Burlew. “What looks tasty?”
“Do you want to grill it, or broil it, or pan-fry it?” Burlew asked.
“I don't know. Something healthy.”
“I have a great recipe that I do with sirloin,” Burlew said. “I marinate it and then I broil it with vegetables.”
“That sounds terrific,” Jet said. “Maybe you could show me how to do it.”
“Sure,” Burlew said. “It's real easy. I could do it tonight if you want. And I'll bring the steak and stuff with me.”
Jet wrote her address on a scrap of butcher paper. “Come over whenever you're done with work. I'll get some wine.” And she left.
Diesel and I looked at Burlew.
“What the hell was that?” Diesel asked.
“I'm good when it comes to meat,” Burlew said.
It was twilight when we left the butcher shop. Streetlights were glowing behind swirling snow, and Trenton was looking cold but cozy.
“We're hot at this relationship shit,” Diesel said. “We do things all wrong, and it all turns out right.”
We drove back to Beaner's neighborhood and cruised several blocks. Diesel stopped in front of Ernie's, and I ran in to take a fast look. No Beaner in sight, so I returned to the car.
“It's too early,” Diesel said. “We should come back around eight.”
“We need to get to my parents' house anyway,” I told him. “I said we'd be there for dinner.”
“We?”
“I didn't want you to feel left out.”
“I remember your parents. They run a loony bin.”
“Okay. Fine. Drop me off at the door.”
“No way,” Diesel said. “I wouldn't miss this for anything.”
“We just have to make a fast stop at my apartment to get Bob.”
A half hour later, we opened my bathroom door, and Bob looked out at us, all droopy-eyed and drooling and panting.
He did some pathetic whimpering noises, opened his mouth, and said gak't And barfed up a roll of toilet paper.
“Better than a couch,” Diesel said.