Absolutely, Positively

scrambled to their feet. A shout went up at the nearby tables.

    “Son-of-a-bitch.” Leon waved one crutch with enthusiasm.

    “Oh, shit,” Raleigh said. “This is gonna be one fun bachelor party, ain't it?”

    Harry seized his beer bottle before it hit the floor. He held it the way he would have held a knife. He caught Josh's eye. “Front door,” he ordered. “Now.”

    “Right.” Josh glanced at the makeshift weapon Harry held and grabbed his own bottle. He started to back toward the door.

    Gilford looked outraged. An expression of surprise crossed Parker's face. Harry shoved both of them toward the front door.

    He didn't see who threw the first punch, but he saw Leon swing a crutch in response. The man with the oily ponytail doubled over with a choked gasp.

    In the end it didn't matter who started the fray. The result was entirely predictable by all the known laws of science. The tavern erupted into a free-for-all. Screams, shouts, and curses rang out. The band turned up the volume in a desperate attempt to drown out the crowd.

    Intent on getting his relatives to the safety of the limo, Harry moved quickly. He ducked the swinging fist of one of the denim-clad men and came up under the blow to plant a solid punch into a bulging stomach.

    The man staggered backward. An expression of astonishment lit his beefy face. Before he could recover, Harry grabbed Parker by the shoulder and launched him in the general direction of the door.

    His grandfather, however, was concentrating on other matters.

    “No-good hooligan.” Parker swung a bottle of Skid Road at one of the three men who had initiated the scene. The bottle shattered on the man's shoulder, eliciting a growl of outrage.

    Harry hauled Parker out of harm's way.

    Josh and Brandon looked at Harry for direction.

    “Josh, take charge of Raleigh,” Harry ordered. “Brandon, get Gilford and Parker out of here. I'll handle Leon.”

    “Right.” Brandon took hold of Parker and started toward the door.

    Josh seized Raleigh's arm. “Let's get outa here, cuz. Party's over.”

    “Ah, shoot. The fun was just startin',” Raleigh complained. But he allowed himself to be dragged toward the door.

    Harry grasped Leon's collar just as his uncle was winding up for another swing of his crutch.

    “What the hell?” Leon scowled at him. “Leggo. I've got business to attend to.”

    “This is my party,” Harry said as he hustled Leon toward the door. “And I'm ready to leave.”

    “You never were any fun, boy,” Leon said as Harry hauled him out into the night. “That's your whole problem in life. You don't know how to enjoy yourself.”

    Harry ignored him. He did a quick head count as everyone piled into the waiting limousine. There was a brief, awkward moment when Leon's crutch got caught on the door frame, but Harry got the door closed just as the fight spilled out into the parking lot.

    “Looks like we're all here.” Harry caught the limo driver's eyes in the rearview mirror. “Let's go.”

    The driver already had the engine running. “My pleasure, sir.”

    The big car's tires kicked up a storm of gravel as the limousine roared out of the tavern parking lot. Somewhere in the distance sirens wailed, but the limousine was safely on its way.

    For a few minutes no one said a thing. The subdued lights in the plush passenger compartment revealed a selection of interesting expressions as everyone looked at everyone else.

    Then Leon chuckled and held up several bottles of Skid Road that he had somehow managed to liberate on the way out the door. “Anyone want another round?”

    “Hell, yes,” Raleigh said. “Give me one of those, Uncle Leon. I need it.”

    “Personally, I could use something stronger,” Parker muttered.

    Josh grinned and began to rummage around in the limousine's tiny bar. “I do believe there is a bottle of whiskey here, Mr. Stratton. Yep, here we are.” He held up a bottle.

    “Thank God.” Parker watched Josh pour the whiskey. “I haven't been in a situation like that since I was in the Marines.”

    Leon looked at him with sudden interest. “You were in the Marines?”

    “Yes, I was.” Parker took the whiskey from Josh.

    “Well, I'll be damned. So was I.” Leon stuck out his hand.

    Parker hesitated, and then he shook Leon's hand.

    Harry was aware of a curious new mood settling on the small crowd in the back of the limousine. He was not certain what it was, but it felt good.

    Brandon looked at