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“You’re a strange one.”
He jerked a shoulder and kicked aside the mess on the floor I wasn’t inclined to clean up on his way over to the mini bar. He splashed some scotch into a short glass and leaned back against the bar, sipping slowly as he regarded me. “You’re sure it’s not just the ‘any pussy is awesome after an endless drought’ syndrome?”
I shook my head. “That is only a syndrome in your shriveled little brain.”
“I can assure you it is not.”
“And it had not been that long for me. A while, yes, but I dated now and then. I’m just particular.”
“Must be a woman with cat’s eyes and possess mystical leanings. Gotcha.”
“In any case, this isn’t about sex.”
Dex gave me a thumbs up. “Sure, bro.”
“It isn’t,” I insisted. “If need be, I could go without for a very long time. Not easily,” I acknowledged as my brother laughed hard enough to splash scotch on his custom navy blue suit. “But I have before.”
“Yeah, but you found your brand of catnip. Now you’re in trouble. Much harder to resist when you’ve had a faceful of the good stuff.”
“If you only knew.” Before he could expound upon that subject, I forged ahead. “You told Dad what I said to you in confidence.”
“You said a whole lot of nothing, as usual.”
“Yet you told him I wanted to quit.” I drank half my coffee in one throat-searing swallow. “Thanks. I appreciate it.”
“Look, it’s your own fault for—huh?”
“You broke the ice with him for me. I appreciate it.”
Dex stared at me for a long moment, his expression puzzled. Then he set down his glass and walked over to flatten his hands on top of my desk. “I take it all back. You need to get this woman back. I have her number. I’ll call her. I’m not above offering her a cash payment to put up with your annoying ass.”
Only one part of that statement stood out to me. “Why do you have her number?”
He stepped back as if he was weighing his personal safety. “Company records?”
“You asked her for it.”
“Maybe?”
I sighed. “She’s allowed to give you her number. It’s a free country.”
“That it is, but when I asked for it, I didn’t realize you had your first boner in half a decade in her direction. I haven’t used it.”
“Your free pass for insults is almost used up. Get your last few in before I kick you out of my office.”
“Ah, yes, but it won’t be yours for much longer. I’m glad you told Dad you were done with his crap.”
“It depends how long it takes for me to wrap up my cases—and to convince Bishop he wants to throw his lot in with you.” I pointed at him. “Use that cash payment you were going to give Ryan to wine and dine him. Unless you want to helm this ship all on your own.”
He returned to the mini bar to retrieve his drink. “I’m okay with stepping up to shoulder more of the load, but I’m not prepared to carry it all on my shoulders. I enjoy divorce law for the sport it is. I also enjoy my very active personal life.”
“Rub it in.” I drank more coffee and debated getting another, liberally laced with scotch.
Or perhaps a scotch laced with coffee.
“She’s into you, man. I saw it myself. You were all sparky.”
I laughed. And kept right on laughing while my brother gazed at me questioningly and probably wondered if it was too soon to call for medical help.
