sister?” He had hoped Alec wouldn’t see through the question by throwing the whole family in there. He still didn’t know what possessed him to ask in the first place.
“Everyone’s good. My parents keep throwing hints out about grandchildren to Phil. It’s actually kind of amusing to watch him skirt the issue.” Alec laughed. “My parents don’t see it, but I know my brother; I think Linda is going to be a thing of the past pretty soon. Ben and I are hoping, at least.”
“They’ve been together what, five years?” Ryan asked incredulously. He couldn’t imagine dating someone that long.
A few months had been his record, by then he started to slip away ever so slightly, so as to not leave broken hearts behind. He may have had a reason for his aversion to relationships, but he was always honest and upfront.
He always told whoever he was dating it wasn’t serious, but the minute it started to turn that way, he ended things.
“Something like that. Honestly, I’ve never felt Phil was really invested in her. I think she’s a convenience. Someone to go to on lonely nights. She pursued him pretty hard. He fell for it, but I don’t think he is anymore. Falling for her ways, that is.”
Ryan knew the Lindas of the world. Had spent plenty of time with them himself. Which was how he became a master at ending things before they turned into more. “How about Ben? He seemed good last time I saw him,” he commented.
Ryan knew the family was worried about Ben since he got out of the Navy. It had been Ben’s life, his world, and they were worried he wasn’t handling the death of his best friend well. Ryan could understand that; he couldn’t imagine losing anyone that close to him.
“He says he’s fine. But you know Ben. Always says he’s fine. Katie is keeping him on his toes though,” Alec said, smirking.
“What do you mean?” he asked cautiously.
“Ben is positive she has a boyfriend, but she is being tightlipped about it. Driving him insane. He says he’ll get it out of her. The two of them were always close. Probably as close as Phil and I, to be honest.”
All it had taken were those few words, however innocent, out of Alec’s mouth two weeks ago. So Ryan decided he wasn’t going any further with Kaitlin until her family knew of their relationship. She hadn’t made any comments about wanting to tell her family, so he didn’t bring it up, either.
But until everyone knew, and accepted it, they would be continuing as is. Celibate.
***
“Got a minute?” Thomas asked Ryan early Tuesday morning.
“Of course,” Ryan answered. “I could use a break.”
“How’s it going? Working on the Fremont case?”
His father knew he was burning the candle at both ends trying to find any dirt he could on the murder victim, Jason Briggs. “It’s going. I’ve been able to track down a few of his ex-girlfriends, but so far I haven’t been able to get anyone to meet or talk to me yet. But I’m not giving up.”
Ryan was determined to show the judge and jury what a dirt bag Jason really was. Anyone who preyed on women and children deserved his own special place in hell.
“I’ll let you get back to it. I just came in to remind you about the party this weekend.” His father cleared his throat and looked a bit uncomfortable for a moment. “Your mother would like to know if you are bringing a guest. You know she hates to have someone sprung on her last minute.”
Michele Mathews loved her boys, and she wanted them happy, but she hated when Ryan showed up unannounced with a woman on his arm. Mainly because those women tended to annoy his mother in their attempts to trap her son.
He had been so busy, between work and trying to carve out time to spend with Kaitlin, he completely forgot the Memorial Day weekend was coming up, along with his parents’ annual party. “Actually, yes I am.”
He had been trying to find a way to get Kaitlin to come
“Everyone’s good. My parents keep throwing hints out about grandchildren to Phil. It’s actually kind of amusing to watch him skirt the issue.” Alec laughed. “My parents don’t see it, but I know my brother; I think Linda is going to be a thing of the past pretty soon. Ben and I are hoping, at least.”
“They’ve been together what, five years?” Ryan asked incredulously. He couldn’t imagine dating someone that long.
A few months had been his record, by then he started to slip away ever so slightly, so as to not leave broken hearts behind. He may have had a reason for his aversion to relationships, but he was always honest and upfront.
He always told whoever he was dating it wasn’t serious, but the minute it started to turn that way, he ended things.
“Something like that. Honestly, I’ve never felt Phil was really invested in her. I think she’s a convenience. Someone to go to on lonely nights. She pursued him pretty hard. He fell for it, but I don’t think he is anymore. Falling for her ways, that is.”
Ryan knew the Lindas of the world. Had spent plenty of time with them himself. Which was how he became a master at ending things before they turned into more. “How about Ben? He seemed good last time I saw him,” he commented.
Ryan knew the family was worried about Ben since he got out of the Navy. It had been Ben’s life, his world, and they were worried he wasn’t handling the death of his best friend well. Ryan could understand that; he couldn’t imagine losing anyone that close to him.
“He says he’s fine. But you know Ben. Always says he’s fine. Katie is keeping him on his toes though,” Alec said, smirking.
“What do you mean?” he asked cautiously.
“Ben is positive she has a boyfriend, but she is being tightlipped about it. Driving him insane. He says he’ll get it out of her. The two of them were always close. Probably as close as Phil and I, to be honest.”
All it had taken were those few words, however innocent, out of Alec’s mouth two weeks ago. So Ryan decided he wasn’t going any further with Kaitlin until her family knew of their relationship. She hadn’t made any comments about wanting to tell her family, so he didn’t bring it up, either.
But until everyone knew, and accepted it, they would be continuing as is. Celibate.
***
“Got a minute?” Thomas asked Ryan early Tuesday morning.
“Of course,” Ryan answered. “I could use a break.”
“How’s it going? Working on the Fremont case?”
His father knew he was burning the candle at both ends trying to find any dirt he could on the murder victim, Jason Briggs. “It’s going. I’ve been able to track down a few of his ex-girlfriends, but so far I haven’t been able to get anyone to meet or talk to me yet. But I’m not giving up.”
Ryan was determined to show the judge and jury what a dirt bag Jason really was. Anyone who preyed on women and children deserved his own special place in hell.
“I’ll let you get back to it. I just came in to remind you about the party this weekend.” His father cleared his throat and looked a bit uncomfortable for a moment. “Your mother would like to know if you are bringing a guest. You know she hates to have someone sprung on her last minute.”
Michele Mathews loved her boys, and she wanted them happy, but she hated when Ryan showed up unannounced with a woman on his arm. Mainly because those women tended to annoy his mother in their attempts to trap her son.
He had been so busy, between work and trying to carve out time to spend with Kaitlin, he completely forgot the Memorial Day weekend was coming up, along with his parents’ annual party. “Actually, yes I am.”
He had been trying to find a way to get Kaitlin to come
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