Page 42 of Rebel Secrets
“You’ve been talking to my sister too much.”
“Rain says you spend too much time alone.”
“Well, that’s the one thing I won’t be doing for the time being.My roommate needs a place to stay for a while.He’ll be here in a few.”
“Oh yeah?That planned?”
“No.He’s younger.Only twenty-two.Said his plans fell through.”
“He have family?”
“Yeah, but he doesn’t talk about them much.Never met them, either.Guess he wasn’t planning to go home and whatever else he had lined up isn’t gonna happen.”
“Guess you will have a date to the wedding.”
“Jesus, everyone’s a comedian today.Dad said practically the same thing.”
Brian’s bark of laughter made me grin.“Don’t tell your sister that.She and Erin were doing some stupid online quiz about your perfect partner the other night, and one of the questions was something about your mate reminding you of your father.Man, I amnotlike your dad.I mean the Colonel’s a great guy, but… I ain’t him.”
“What’d Erin say about hers?”
Why the hell had I asked that question?It’s like my brain momentarily disconnected from sanity.I didn’t want to know what Erin said about her dad.None of my business.
“Not much.She never talks about anyone but her granddad.Never really thought about it before, but now I wonder if she even has parents.”
“She does.I don’t think they’re too happy she moved here.”
From outside, I heard tires on gravel and a mistuned engine.
“Hey, I gotta go.”I looked out the window.“Got company.”
“You wanna talk about it?”
Ian sat across from me at the Tea Room, pushing around the remains of his meal.The place wasn’t busy.Yet.But it was only six-thirty.The Wednesday night crowd would be here after eight.
The kid had been quiet through most of dinner, which wasn’t like him.I hadn’t pushed.I knew when I didn’t want to talk about something, people asking me what was wrong was a sure way to make me shut up.I’d been waiting for him to open up.Usually Ian couldn’t keep his mouth shut.Today, I couldn’t get him to open it.All I got now was a shrug, which made him look at least ten years younger.
I tried not to worry about that shrug, because that wasn’t me.I wasn’t the guy who patted the younger guys on the back and encouraged them to become their better selves.That was Rowdy’s job.I was the guy who bought them a beer and sat and listened when they wanted to bitch and complain before they moved on to someone like Rowdy who could tell them what to do.
“So that’s a no.Okay, I can deal with that.You wanna hear about my day weeding the garden beds or –”
“Hey, you must be Ian.I’m Rowdy.”
My brother stood by our table, welcoming grin on his face and hand outstretched.I couldn’t believe I hadn’t seen him coming, but I’d been so focused on Ian.The kid looked up at my brother, blinking.After a short hesitation, he took Rowdy’s hand.And since Rowdy missed nothing, he slid me a quick glance, his smile never dimming.
“Um, yeah, hi.”
“Nice to meet you.”Rowdy’s smile didn’t waver, even though I knew Rowdy had clocked about nine different things that seemed off about Ian.I could sometimes miss things that were right in front of my face, but Rowdy missed nothing, even though he came off as a clueless, smiley golden retriever.“Reb said you’ll be around for a while.”
While Ian’s brain tried to come up with a suitable response, Rowdy released Ian’s hand and turned his attention to me.
“So, Pop said you’re gonna take the camp coach position.”
I rolled my eyes and sighed heavily, though it was mostly for show.“He forgot to tell you I didn’t agree yet.”
“Yeah, we both know that’s just a formality.You’re gonna do it.And seriously, the kids’ll love you.Just wanted to stop and say hi before Tressy sees you and forces you to come sit with us.Now I can tell her you told me to fuck off and leave you alone.”
I smirked at Rowdy as I gave him the finger, Ian looking between us with his mouth hanging open.
