“It’s not the fanciest place in town,” Deacon said when he and Max were seated in one of the booths. “But the food is good, if you like basics.”
“I grew up on basics,” Max replied, taking a menu from the holder at the end of the table.
Deacon did the same, joking that he knew it by heart but always hoped there’d be something new. By the time the waitress arrived, they’d decided what they wanted. She took their orders, including coffee for Max and a beer for Deacon.
When she left, Deacon said, “Not a beer drinker?”
Max shook his head. “I stopped drinking while I was still living with Tony. I guess, no, I know I was trying to set a good example for him. It didn’t work, and after what I went through with him, I lost any desire for alcohol in any form.”
“I can understand that. All right,
