busy.”
“With the women, no doubt.” Cole had missed their banter.
“Guilty as charged.”
Cole laughed. “So, how’s it going?” Cole asked, walking back to the couch and settling in for a good talk.
“Pretty good. I’ve been offered a job and I’ve accepted it. I’m going to finalize plans before moving.”
“Really? Tell me about it.”
“It’s a law firm in southern Indiana. Pretty reputable firm, looks like a good opportunity. I’ve quit my job here, and I’m taking a month off to relax.”
Cole nodded. He knew his brother had been in a tough job, working as a lawyer and a public defender in Chicago. He’d suffered burnout and needed some time to heal his tired body and mind.
“Sounds like a good plan, Caed.”
“My appointment is the end of August. I thought if you didn’t mind, I’d come and stay with you for a couple of weeks before it.”
“What? That would be great! Let’s plan on it.”
“Really?”
“Absolutely. I miss you, little brother.”
Caedmon laughed. “You just can’t let go of the fact you’re a couple of minutes older than me, can you?”
“Nope.”
“Well, you’d better watch yourself. I’m as big as you, you know.”
Cole groaned. “Yeah, I know.”
“So, how do you like living in Farmsville?”
“Oh, that’s cute. Real cute. Actually, it’s not half bad. I mean, the people are friendly, the job is fine, my coworkers are, um, interesting.”
“What does that mean?”
“Let’s just say life is a little slower-paced here than in Chicago.”
“I’ll bet,” Caed said with a laugh. “I’m thinking that’s how it will be where I’m going. But to tell you the truth, I could stand a slower pace right now.”
“Yeah, I know it’s been a tough couple of years for you,” Cole agreed.
“I decided if I wanted to live to see my children grown, I’d better find another job.”
“Whoa! Children? Did you say children? I didn’t think we’d been apart that long.”
Caed laughed. “I mean future children. Nothing in the works.”
Cole let out an audible sigh. “You had me worried there for a minute.”
“How about you? Anyone special in your life right now?”
Cole paused, though he wasn’t sure why. “No. No one special.”
“Hmm, that didn’t sound very convincing. Are you sure?”
“I’m sure,” Cole said quickly. The last thing he needed was for Caed to start in with his matchmaking schemes. Sometimes he wondered who parented whom between the two of them.
The two brothers talked awhile longer, each sharing a little of what had been going on in their lives since Cole had left Chicago.
“Well, I’ll plan on getting there next Thursday, if that works for you,” Caed said.
“What time? I need to make sure I’m off work and not on an appointment.”
“I’ll probably arrive around four or so. I know you’re not home by then, so I’ll just look around the area, maybe even stop in at your office.”
“Sounds good. I’ll plan to be home by five if I don’t see you before then.”
“Okay, big brother,” he said, emphasizing big .
They both laughed. “Can’t wait to see you, Caed.”
“You, too.”
Cole hung up the phone. It would be great to get together with Caed. They hadn’t really had much of a chance to talk. It would be good to catch up on things.
Cole held the phone a moment. Before he lost his nerve, he punched Jax’s number, then took a deep breath.
“Hello?”
“Hey, Jax. Glad you’re home.”
“I’m not getting rid of Ellie,” Jax said in a definite I-don’t-want-to-talk-about-it-anymore tone.
Cole laughed. “Sorry, guess I made you a little edgy, huh? I’m not calling about that.”
Jax hesitated. “You’re not?” His voice perked up considerably. “What’s up?”
“Since you don’t have class tonight, I wondered if you had time to go for coffee?”
“Well, sure.” Jax sounded as though he could use a little company himself. “When and where?”
“Tasty Grounds, in
“With the women, no doubt.” Cole had missed their banter.
“Guilty as charged.”
Cole laughed. “So, how’s it going?” Cole asked, walking back to the couch and settling in for a good talk.
“Pretty good. I’ve been offered a job and I’ve accepted it. I’m going to finalize plans before moving.”
“Really? Tell me about it.”
“It’s a law firm in southern Indiana. Pretty reputable firm, looks like a good opportunity. I’ve quit my job here, and I’m taking a month off to relax.”
Cole nodded. He knew his brother had been in a tough job, working as a lawyer and a public defender in Chicago. He’d suffered burnout and needed some time to heal his tired body and mind.
“Sounds like a good plan, Caed.”
“My appointment is the end of August. I thought if you didn’t mind, I’d come and stay with you for a couple of weeks before it.”
“What? That would be great! Let’s plan on it.”
“Really?”
“Absolutely. I miss you, little brother.”
Caedmon laughed. “You just can’t let go of the fact you’re a couple of minutes older than me, can you?”
“Nope.”
“Well, you’d better watch yourself. I’m as big as you, you know.”
Cole groaned. “Yeah, I know.”
“So, how do you like living in Farmsville?”
“Oh, that’s cute. Real cute. Actually, it’s not half bad. I mean, the people are friendly, the job is fine, my coworkers are, um, interesting.”
“What does that mean?”
“Let’s just say life is a little slower-paced here than in Chicago.”
“I’ll bet,” Caed said with a laugh. “I’m thinking that’s how it will be where I’m going. But to tell you the truth, I could stand a slower pace right now.”
“Yeah, I know it’s been a tough couple of years for you,” Cole agreed.
“I decided if I wanted to live to see my children grown, I’d better find another job.”
“Whoa! Children? Did you say children? I didn’t think we’d been apart that long.”
Caed laughed. “I mean future children. Nothing in the works.”
Cole let out an audible sigh. “You had me worried there for a minute.”
“How about you? Anyone special in your life right now?”
Cole paused, though he wasn’t sure why. “No. No one special.”
“Hmm, that didn’t sound very convincing. Are you sure?”
“I’m sure,” Cole said quickly. The last thing he needed was for Caed to start in with his matchmaking schemes. Sometimes he wondered who parented whom between the two of them.
The two brothers talked awhile longer, each sharing a little of what had been going on in their lives since Cole had left Chicago.
“Well, I’ll plan on getting there next Thursday, if that works for you,” Caed said.
“What time? I need to make sure I’m off work and not on an appointment.”
“I’ll probably arrive around four or so. I know you’re not home by then, so I’ll just look around the area, maybe even stop in at your office.”
“Sounds good. I’ll plan to be home by five if I don’t see you before then.”
“Okay, big brother,” he said, emphasizing big .
They both laughed. “Can’t wait to see you, Caed.”
“You, too.”
Cole hung up the phone. It would be great to get together with Caed. They hadn’t really had much of a chance to talk. It would be good to catch up on things.
Cole held the phone a moment. Before he lost his nerve, he punched Jax’s number, then took a deep breath.
“Hello?”
“Hey, Jax. Glad you’re home.”
“I’m not getting rid of Ellie,” Jax said in a definite I-don’t-want-to-talk-about-it-anymore tone.
Cole laughed. “Sorry, guess I made you a little edgy, huh? I’m not calling about that.”
Jax hesitated. “You’re not?” His voice perked up considerably. “What’s up?”
“Since you don’t have class tonight, I wondered if you had time to go for coffee?”
“Well, sure.” Jax sounded as though he could use a little company himself. “When and where?”
“Tasty Grounds, in
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