“Alright, sit down and let’s eat. Who’s saying grace?”
“It’s Seth’s turn.”
Seth nodded. “We are fortunate to have a bounty of good food and family at this table. As we change and grow we are thankful that the bond of this family expands and is fortified with lots of love, patience and understanding. We are especially grateful that our big brother has met a great lady that makes him smile, something we haven’t seen in a very long time.”
“Amen,” the brothers shouted.
* * *
J.J. was elated that he and Sam decided to give their relationship a chance, and even though she confirmed that she thought of Bubba as a friend, he had the feeling Bubba may have felt more for her. The way he talked about her, and hunting down those cigars she liked were indicators that he was sweet on her, whether he acted on it or not. Bubba had been back to work for a while, but J.J. was out of town with business meetings. He decided it would be better to have the talk with his friend face to face, so it was the first on his to-do list when he went into the office on Thursday.
Bubba’s office was down the hall but today it felt like it was five miles away. J.J. knocked on the door to find Bubba knee deep in work, as usual. Files lay strewn about his desk and he was frantically tapping away at his keyboard.
“Hey, Bubba. How was your vacation?”
“My dad and I had a great time.”
“Well you look good. I see got a tan too.” J.J. looked him over.
“My dad has mellowed a lot. It was good to sit down and talk.”
“That’s good. Did he bring up settling down again?” J.J. took a seat in a chair.
“As a matter of fact he did. I told him about Felicia.” Bubba pulled at his collar.
“You did?” J.J. raised an eyebrow.
“We had such a great time at the wedding then I went away for a month, and all I did was think about her.” Bubba smiled.
J.J. breathed a sigh of relief. This wasn’t going to be hard at all. “I’m glad to hear it. Felicia is a great woman. I think she’s perfect for you.”
“I don’t mean to rush you, but I have to get ready for my appointment with Sam Carson from Regency. It’s time for the annual audit.” Bubba smoothed straightened his tie.
J.J. was taken aback for a moment. “Anna Beth should have removed that from your calendar. The audit has already been done. As a matter of fact, that green folder over there is the analysis as well as the changes Sam wants to implement.”
“Oh. You met with Sam?”
“Yes, I did. Funny, you never mentioned that Sam was a woman all these years.” J.J. crossed his arms over his chest.
“I’m sure I did.”
“No, you didn’t.” J.J. shot back.
“What difference does it make?”
J.J. rubbed the back of his neck, then cracked his knuckles. For some reason the words just wouldn’t come out of his mouth.
Bubba glared at him. “What did you do?”
“Sam and I worked on the audit together and we got to know each other. Now we’re…sort of seeing each other.”
“Sort of? That’s like being sort of pregnant. Either you’re seeing her or you’re not.” Bubba snapped the pencil he’d picked up.
“OK. We’re dating.”
“You’re dating my Sam?”
J.J. balked. “Your Sam? I thought you had a Felicia? Besides, it’s been three years. When were you going to make a move? Year four?”
“You don’t just run up on a woman like that. It requires a calculated approach, and frankly I lost my nerve.”
“Look, I feel like I had to tell you what happened.”
Both men went quiet for a few minutes. J.J. didn’t know what else to say, and Bo looked like he wanted to strangle him.
“You lucky bastard,” Bo finally said, grinning.
* * *
Deciding to take things slow was harder than J.J. thought. He’d promised himself he wouldn’t go rushing in like some love-sick fool because he was attracted to the woman. He’d made that mistake with Eden. Sam was beautiful, funny, and sharp as a tack.
“It’s Seth’s turn.”
Seth nodded. “We are fortunate to have a bounty of good food and family at this table. As we change and grow we are thankful that the bond of this family expands and is fortified with lots of love, patience and understanding. We are especially grateful that our big brother has met a great lady that makes him smile, something we haven’t seen in a very long time.”
“Amen,” the brothers shouted.
* * *
J.J. was elated that he and Sam decided to give their relationship a chance, and even though she confirmed that she thought of Bubba as a friend, he had the feeling Bubba may have felt more for her. The way he talked about her, and hunting down those cigars she liked were indicators that he was sweet on her, whether he acted on it or not. Bubba had been back to work for a while, but J.J. was out of town with business meetings. He decided it would be better to have the talk with his friend face to face, so it was the first on his to-do list when he went into the office on Thursday.
Bubba’s office was down the hall but today it felt like it was five miles away. J.J. knocked on the door to find Bubba knee deep in work, as usual. Files lay strewn about his desk and he was frantically tapping away at his keyboard.
“Hey, Bubba. How was your vacation?”
“My dad and I had a great time.”
“Well you look good. I see got a tan too.” J.J. looked him over.
“My dad has mellowed a lot. It was good to sit down and talk.”
“That’s good. Did he bring up settling down again?” J.J. took a seat in a chair.
“As a matter of fact he did. I told him about Felicia.” Bubba pulled at his collar.
“You did?” J.J. raised an eyebrow.
“We had such a great time at the wedding then I went away for a month, and all I did was think about her.” Bubba smiled.
J.J. breathed a sigh of relief. This wasn’t going to be hard at all. “I’m glad to hear it. Felicia is a great woman. I think she’s perfect for you.”
“I don’t mean to rush you, but I have to get ready for my appointment with Sam Carson from Regency. It’s time for the annual audit.” Bubba smoothed straightened his tie.
J.J. was taken aback for a moment. “Anna Beth should have removed that from your calendar. The audit has already been done. As a matter of fact, that green folder over there is the analysis as well as the changes Sam wants to implement.”
“Oh. You met with Sam?”
“Yes, I did. Funny, you never mentioned that Sam was a woman all these years.” J.J. crossed his arms over his chest.
“I’m sure I did.”
“No, you didn’t.” J.J. shot back.
“What difference does it make?”
J.J. rubbed the back of his neck, then cracked his knuckles. For some reason the words just wouldn’t come out of his mouth.
Bubba glared at him. “What did you do?”
“Sam and I worked on the audit together and we got to know each other. Now we’re…sort of seeing each other.”
“Sort of? That’s like being sort of pregnant. Either you’re seeing her or you’re not.” Bubba snapped the pencil he’d picked up.
“OK. We’re dating.”
“You’re dating my Sam?”
J.J. balked. “Your Sam? I thought you had a Felicia? Besides, it’s been three years. When were you going to make a move? Year four?”
“You don’t just run up on a woman like that. It requires a calculated approach, and frankly I lost my nerve.”
“Look, I feel like I had to tell you what happened.”
Both men went quiet for a few minutes. J.J. didn’t know what else to say, and Bo looked like he wanted to strangle him.
“You lucky bastard,” Bo finally said, grinning.
* * *
Deciding to take things slow was harder than J.J. thought. He’d promised himself he wouldn’t go rushing in like some love-sick fool because he was attracted to the woman. He’d made that mistake with Eden. Sam was beautiful, funny, and sharp as a tack.
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