on?”
“Both!”
“You’re something else, Nay. I’d better get off here and call my family before you share my good news.”
“I told you I’d keep quiet.”
“Forgive me if I don’t believe it. In all the years I’ve known you, I’ve not seen that before.”
Renee adopted her sexy voice. “There’s a lot you haven’t seen.”
“You’re a trip, Renee. Good-bye.” Laughing, he dialed his sister.
“Hey, Nathan.”
“What’s wrong?”
“I have a case of pre-teen disease.”
“What?”
“Ask one of your coworkers with kids to explain it. Right now, I’m too tired.”
“Then I’ve called just in time, with some good news to cheer you up.”
“Okay.”
“I got promoted.”
“Really, Nate? That’s wonderful!”
“Yes.” He told her what had happened. “It’ll be a lot of late hours for the next six months, until I get a handle on everything. But I’m thankful for the opportunity.”
“You’ve always had that leader quality. You’ll be great.” She paused a moment. “I’m sure Jessica is excited.”
“She will be once I tell her.”
“I’m the first to know? What an honor.”
“Actually your BFF Renee is the first one I told.”
“What?”
Nathan chuckled. “She called me right before I called you.”
“When did you and Renee get so cozy?”
“We reconnected over Thanksgiving, and now that one of my clients is thinking of expanding to Vegas, I’ve kept in touch.”
“That’s nice. Renee is good people.”
“Yes, and crazy as hell.”
“That, too.”
The siblings talked for another thirty minutes. Then Nathan met some of his friends for a game of basketball. Not since he’d begun dating Jessica had a Saturday night left him without plans. There were several places he could go, and friends he could call. But he wasn’t feeling a night out at the club. So he drove toward a deli for takeout. A block away from a Reuben sandwich, his phone rang.
One look at the caller ID and his face lit up. He tapped his steering wheel. “Stephen? I don’t believe this! When did you break out of jail?”
“Okay, man. I guess I deserve that.”
“Heck, yeah, you deserve it. I haven’t heard from you in weeks. What’s her name?”
“Don’t I wish. I’ve been back home, helping my mom take care of my dad.”
“What’s wrong with your father?”
“He had cancer. No one knew. I just saw him in October and he looked fine. A week later Mom calls and said he had four weeks to live. He lasted five just to be ornery.”
“Aw, man, Steve. I’m sorry to hear that. My condolences, man.”
“Yes, these past few weeks have been crazy. I’ve felt emotions I didn’t even know existed. His passing so quickly taught me one thing—to live every day to the fullest, and not take one thing for granted. So that’s one reason I’m calling you, Nate. This girl I met right before leaving to help care for him has invited me to a private party. Her cousin is in town and she’s asked me to hook her up. I really like this girl so I can’t ask a hardhead who’ll get in there and act a fool. So how about it, man? You down for some fun on a Friday night?”
“I don’t know, Stephen. It’s been a busy week with a lot going on. I was just getting ready to grab a bite and head home to chill.”
“Stop acting like an old man. Just an hour or so, and if you and the cousin aren’t vibing then call it a night. Plus, Ralph will be there.”
“Ralph’s back in Atlanta? I heard he joined the police force in Cleveland.”
“That was years ago. He got married and moved back here; working as a detective now.”
“All right. I’ll go. Never pegged you for one needing help getting a woman but . . .”
“You know that’s not true. She’s just trying to show her cousin a good time.”
“It would be good to see Ralph again. Give me the address. I’ll see you in an hour.”
Nathan arrived at a sprawling mansion in suburban Atlanta. He stepped into a home where
“Both!”
“You’re something else, Nay. I’d better get off here and call my family before you share my good news.”
“I told you I’d keep quiet.”
“Forgive me if I don’t believe it. In all the years I’ve known you, I’ve not seen that before.”
Renee adopted her sexy voice. “There’s a lot you haven’t seen.”
“You’re a trip, Renee. Good-bye.” Laughing, he dialed his sister.
“Hey, Nathan.”
“What’s wrong?”
“I have a case of pre-teen disease.”
“What?”
“Ask one of your coworkers with kids to explain it. Right now, I’m too tired.”
“Then I’ve called just in time, with some good news to cheer you up.”
“Okay.”
“I got promoted.”
“Really, Nate? That’s wonderful!”
“Yes.” He told her what had happened. “It’ll be a lot of late hours for the next six months, until I get a handle on everything. But I’m thankful for the opportunity.”
“You’ve always had that leader quality. You’ll be great.” She paused a moment. “I’m sure Jessica is excited.”
“She will be once I tell her.”
“I’m the first to know? What an honor.”
“Actually your BFF Renee is the first one I told.”
“What?”
Nathan chuckled. “She called me right before I called you.”
“When did you and Renee get so cozy?”
“We reconnected over Thanksgiving, and now that one of my clients is thinking of expanding to Vegas, I’ve kept in touch.”
“That’s nice. Renee is good people.”
“Yes, and crazy as hell.”
“That, too.”
The siblings talked for another thirty minutes. Then Nathan met some of his friends for a game of basketball. Not since he’d begun dating Jessica had a Saturday night left him without plans. There were several places he could go, and friends he could call. But he wasn’t feeling a night out at the club. So he drove toward a deli for takeout. A block away from a Reuben sandwich, his phone rang.
One look at the caller ID and his face lit up. He tapped his steering wheel. “Stephen? I don’t believe this! When did you break out of jail?”
“Okay, man. I guess I deserve that.”
“Heck, yeah, you deserve it. I haven’t heard from you in weeks. What’s her name?”
“Don’t I wish. I’ve been back home, helping my mom take care of my dad.”
“What’s wrong with your father?”
“He had cancer. No one knew. I just saw him in October and he looked fine. A week later Mom calls and said he had four weeks to live. He lasted five just to be ornery.”
“Aw, man, Steve. I’m sorry to hear that. My condolences, man.”
“Yes, these past few weeks have been crazy. I’ve felt emotions I didn’t even know existed. His passing so quickly taught me one thing—to live every day to the fullest, and not take one thing for granted. So that’s one reason I’m calling you, Nate. This girl I met right before leaving to help care for him has invited me to a private party. Her cousin is in town and she’s asked me to hook her up. I really like this girl so I can’t ask a hardhead who’ll get in there and act a fool. So how about it, man? You down for some fun on a Friday night?”
“I don’t know, Stephen. It’s been a busy week with a lot going on. I was just getting ready to grab a bite and head home to chill.”
“Stop acting like an old man. Just an hour or so, and if you and the cousin aren’t vibing then call it a night. Plus, Ralph will be there.”
“Ralph’s back in Atlanta? I heard he joined the police force in Cleveland.”
“That was years ago. He got married and moved back here; working as a detective now.”
“All right. I’ll go. Never pegged you for one needing help getting a woman but . . .”
“You know that’s not true. She’s just trying to show her cousin a good time.”
“It would be good to see Ralph again. Give me the address. I’ll see you in an hour.”
Nathan arrived at a sprawling mansion in suburban Atlanta. He stepped into a home where
Similar Books
