And that was his ultimate goal.
“Well, I’m glad you reached out.”
Brantley wasn’t sure he’d go that far, but he knew it was a necessary step.
“I did it for JJ,” he told Dante. “She’s pissed at me for hating you. I’m makin’ amends.”
Dante smiled. “Whatever it takes.”
“How’s your sister?” he inquired, because that was what folks in a small town did. They checked in, got the scoop on how the family was doing, offered to help if someone was in need.
“She’s good. Cori’s going to UT.”
“Wow.” It wasn’t that he was surprised that Dante’s little sister was at the University of Texas, but that she was in college period. Sometimes he forgot the age difference between the two. Unlike Brantley’s folks, who’d popped kids out one after the other, Dante’s parents had waited eleven years before they had a second. And while they didn’t admit it, speculation was Corinne had been a welcomed accident.
“Yep, going for a marketing degree. Happy as far as I can tell.”
“And your folks?”
Dante’s smirk was mischievous. “You heard my old man’s the governor, right?”
“Yeah. I heard.”
“Weirdest shit, I tell you. I mean, I always knew Dad was a politician, but governor? He surprised us all when he said he was gonna run. More so when he was elected. Now he’s into his second term.”
“And your mom? She happy bein’ Texas’s first lady?”
“She’s makin’ it work. I don’t think it’s exactly where she saw herself, but they’re happy together. She spends a lot of time with Cori.”
“You’ll tell ’em I said hello.”
“Of course. They’ve asked about you a few times over the years.”
At one point in his life, Dante had been his closest friend. Back before JJ had taken up the spot. And truth be told, that black eye was the reason he’d cut ties with the man. It was good to catch up.
“Maybe we could grab a beer sometime,” Dante offered. “If you’re stickin’ around.”
He felt the tug of the lure, knew Dante was fishing. “I’m stickin’ around. Bought a place and everything.”
“I heard. Lotta land.”
“Fifteen acres.”
And just like that, they’d somehow made their way back to more even ground. After all these years.
Of course, that didn’t change the fact that Brantley still harbored animosity for the guy. He was just now willing to give Dante the benefit of the doubt.
Didn’t mean he was going to welcome the guy into his life with open arms. Trust was earned, and as far as Brantley was concerned, Dante had a long way to go before he earned Brantley’s.
***
Reese Tavoularis propped his booted feet on his desk, leaned back in his chair, and waited for Jaxson Briggs to finish his rant. The man had stepped into the small Walker Demolition office nearly a half hour ago, fit to be tied. It was the only reason Reese hadn’t pushed him off until later, reminded him that it was closing time.
Not that Reese had pressing plans. In fact, the only thing waiting for him was a salad at the diner, maybe some television before he crashed for the night.
“I’m tellin’ you, that asshole did it on purpose,” Jaxson grumbled. “Waited until she was datin’ somebody, then swooped back in. Fucker.”
As usual, Jaxson was up in arms about some woman he’d been dating for all of a minute. Like Reese, Jaxson was single with no prospects for a happily ever after. Maybe that was why Jaxson stopped in so often to bitch and moan about the last woman who’d wronged him. They were kindred spirits in a way. Two single guys immersed in a world full of men who’d settled down and tried happily ever after on for size.
“That’s the way it works,” he replied, filling in the pauses where he was meant to. “I’m sure there’ll be another right around the corner. You met her on the job, right?”
Jaxson’s smirk was slow and wicked. “Yup.”
The guy was rather proud of his job as a handyman, a jack of all trades, so to speak. Never had Reese thought it would’ve been a good way to pick up women, but it seemed to work for Jaxson.
Glancing at his watch, Reese let his feet drop to the floor.
“Is it that time already?” Jaxson asked, his gaze darting to the clock on the wall.
“It is. Another day down.”
Jaxson nodded, slapped his hat on his head. “You got plans tonight?”
“Me and my remote,” he said easily, grabbing his cell phone and truck keys. “Same as every night.”
“Wanna grab a beer?”
“Nah. Gonna grab some food, turn in early.”
“Cool. Maybe this weekend.” Same thing Jaxson said every time he made the offer.
Reese replied with his own canned response. “Sounds like a plan.”
After locking up the office, Reese shot a wave to Jaxson, then hopped in the Walker Demolition dually and headed toward town. It would’ve been easy enough to swing through a fast-food joint on the outskirts of town, take it back to the house, and eat in front of the television, but Reese was making an effort to not be pathetic. He’d gotten himself into a rut as of late, and the only way to get out of it was to change the way he did things.
