The Trees Beyond the Grass (A Cole Mouzon Thriller) by Robert Reeves
Authors: Robert Reeves
Ads: Link
soon so we can show it a thing or two.”
“You know it! Before I head back to Atlanta we’ll have to compare calendars and see when will work.”
“Excuse me, I think you’re in my seat.” Cole’s back was turned when he felt a tap on his right shoulder. Looking up from his beer, Ann was smiling at the person standing behind him. Cole swung around and looked up, way up, to see Daniel Page grinning. At six-five, the young Denzel Washington look-alike towered over Cole, who was still seated at the stained-oak bar. “Daniel! Wow man, how are you? It’s been like forever.” Cole stood up and gave him a male hug. One of those ‘we’re cool enough dudes to hug, but world, we are not jumping in the sack together at the end of the night, okay?’
“Life is great, Cole. What brings you back to town? Didn’t you move even further away from Charleston to…is it Denver or Portland or something?” Cole felt his phone vibrating in his pocket as he went to respond. Years as a trial attorney, in and out of courts, had taught him to keep it on silent.
Disregarding the vibrations and looking back to Daniel, he replied, “Yeah, Denver, but don’t you worry. I’m always just a plane ride away from harassing you, little man. I think we still have to have that basketball match. It’s one and one right now, right?”
“Ha. In your wet dreams, man. It is two and oh; and you cried.” Daniel and Cole had been close friends since elementary school and giving each other grief was part of the job. Ann laughed at the competitive exchange.
Cole reached up and placed a hand on Daniel’s shoulder. “Man, I have missed your ugly mug.”
“Same here, Cole. So, what brings you to town?”
“Just visiting the family and taking in some Spoleto, nothing big.” As Cole talked, a woman in a tight-fitting dress crowded her way between Cole and Daniel to place an order at the bar. Daniel moved his eyes up and down the woman’s slender back and then back at Cole with a grin. He liked what he saw. Cole bent his neck to look around the blue-and-red striped summer dress obstructing his view to continue his conversation until she ultimately left, but not without her returning a flirting look at Daniel. Following the woman with his eyes, Cole said, “I can see you haven’t lost your mojo there, mister. Always popular with the ladies.”
“When you got it, you got it. And, when you don’t, you don’t. And, boy you got it. That’s what Momma always says.” Daniel flashed a pursed smile and lifted one brow while pinching his chin with his right hand, reminding Cole of the bad poses forced upon teens and adults at the old Glamour Shots photography center at Northwoods Mall.
Cole laughed. “Awh man, I better pull up my pant legs, it’s getting deep in here. Hey, what are you doing tomorrow night?”
Daniel looked over at the woman from earlier as he responded. “No real plans, why you ask?”
“Dinner…at SNOB…six-thirty?”
“Sounds like a plan! Ann, are you joining?”
Ann leaned into and over the bar to see around Cole. “Oh, and miss seeing you two testosterone-filled men keep pissing on each other like blind tick hounds? Wouldn’t miss it for the world.” The two men laughed, shaking their head at Ann.
Getting up from his stool, Cole said, “Okay, Ann, are you about ready to jet? This boy is worn out. I slept like shit last night and we have a long day tomorrow.”
Ann stepped off the stool and shook out her dress. “Sounds great to me. See you Daniel.”
Cole looked back as he was about to walk out the door. Daniel had turned to the lady from earlier and was giving her the charm. Yep, he’s still got it. “Damn.”
CHAPTER 21
WALKING PAST WASHINGTON Square, Ann looked over at Cole. “What is it?”
“Someone is calling me again. Didn’t they get the memo?” Cole shook his head as he looked down and began digging into his back pocket for his phone. He pulled it out after some struggle, damn tight
“You know it! Before I head back to Atlanta we’ll have to compare calendars and see when will work.”
“Excuse me, I think you’re in my seat.” Cole’s back was turned when he felt a tap on his right shoulder. Looking up from his beer, Ann was smiling at the person standing behind him. Cole swung around and looked up, way up, to see Daniel Page grinning. At six-five, the young Denzel Washington look-alike towered over Cole, who was still seated at the stained-oak bar. “Daniel! Wow man, how are you? It’s been like forever.” Cole stood up and gave him a male hug. One of those ‘we’re cool enough dudes to hug, but world, we are not jumping in the sack together at the end of the night, okay?’
“Life is great, Cole. What brings you back to town? Didn’t you move even further away from Charleston to…is it Denver or Portland or something?” Cole felt his phone vibrating in his pocket as he went to respond. Years as a trial attorney, in and out of courts, had taught him to keep it on silent.
Disregarding the vibrations and looking back to Daniel, he replied, “Yeah, Denver, but don’t you worry. I’m always just a plane ride away from harassing you, little man. I think we still have to have that basketball match. It’s one and one right now, right?”
“Ha. In your wet dreams, man. It is two and oh; and you cried.” Daniel and Cole had been close friends since elementary school and giving each other grief was part of the job. Ann laughed at the competitive exchange.
Cole reached up and placed a hand on Daniel’s shoulder. “Man, I have missed your ugly mug.”
“Same here, Cole. So, what brings you to town?”
“Just visiting the family and taking in some Spoleto, nothing big.” As Cole talked, a woman in a tight-fitting dress crowded her way between Cole and Daniel to place an order at the bar. Daniel moved his eyes up and down the woman’s slender back and then back at Cole with a grin. He liked what he saw. Cole bent his neck to look around the blue-and-red striped summer dress obstructing his view to continue his conversation until she ultimately left, but not without her returning a flirting look at Daniel. Following the woman with his eyes, Cole said, “I can see you haven’t lost your mojo there, mister. Always popular with the ladies.”
“When you got it, you got it. And, when you don’t, you don’t. And, boy you got it. That’s what Momma always says.” Daniel flashed a pursed smile and lifted one brow while pinching his chin with his right hand, reminding Cole of the bad poses forced upon teens and adults at the old Glamour Shots photography center at Northwoods Mall.
Cole laughed. “Awh man, I better pull up my pant legs, it’s getting deep in here. Hey, what are you doing tomorrow night?”
Daniel looked over at the woman from earlier as he responded. “No real plans, why you ask?”
“Dinner…at SNOB…six-thirty?”
“Sounds like a plan! Ann, are you joining?”
Ann leaned into and over the bar to see around Cole. “Oh, and miss seeing you two testosterone-filled men keep pissing on each other like blind tick hounds? Wouldn’t miss it for the world.” The two men laughed, shaking their head at Ann.
Getting up from his stool, Cole said, “Okay, Ann, are you about ready to jet? This boy is worn out. I slept like shit last night and we have a long day tomorrow.”
Ann stepped off the stool and shook out her dress. “Sounds great to me. See you Daniel.”
Cole looked back as he was about to walk out the door. Daniel had turned to the lady from earlier and was giving her the charm. Yep, he’s still got it. “Damn.”
CHAPTER 21
WALKING PAST WASHINGTON Square, Ann looked over at Cole. “What is it?”
“Someone is calling me again. Didn’t they get the memo?” Cole shook his head as he looked down and began digging into his back pocket for his phone. He pulled it out after some struggle, damn tight
Similar Books
