AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“That’s the spirit.” My father smiled. He’d won. Again. “I’m glad you’ve come to see things my way.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Cal
“You seen Joe?”
Bobby slapped my shoulder when I stepped into Ma’s living room.
“Uncle Cal. Dad said you’re coming to my recital.” Nina rushed me, such hope in her gaze.
“Wouldn’t miss it.”
She threw her arms around me. Teenagers didn’t think their old uncles were too cool. It took me a second to catch up, but I hugged her back.
“It’s Saturday. Don’t forget.” She held out her hand. “Give me your phone. I’ll set a reminder.”
“And it’ll go off during the whole damn thing because I don’t know how to turn it off.”
She giggled, and I pulled on her ponytail.
“Uncle Callll.”
My brother nudged me. “She thought you were rad until that comment.”
“Rad? Are we back in the nineties?”
He shrugged unapologetically. “Like totally.”
“You’re such dorks.” Nina skipped toward the kitchen.
Had Beau ever been like that? It was hard to picture her so carefree.
My thoughts darkened.What if some punk roughed up Nina?
He’d rue the day. Just like the bastard that did it to Beau would . . . as soon as I found out who he was.
“You look ready to kill someone.” Bobby furrowed his brow.
“Long week.”
“You’re telling me. I had four people out at the station yesterday. Some stomach bug is going around, and my whole crew seems hell-bent on having it.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “City won’t put in place any kind of rotating measures for when something like this happens. I went into a two-alarm last night myself.”
“And you loved being back in the action instead of behind that desk.”
He smirked. “Damn straight.”
I pinched the flab around his stomach. “You better lay off the sweets if you’re going back in.”
He punched me in the gut. “I used to have abs like that.”
“I don’t remember that.”
He put me in a headlock. “A wise guy, aren’t ya?”
“Boys. Boys. Come set the table.”
Bobby got in one more squeeze before we did as Ma said. He pulled my shirt before we crossed the threshold into the kitchen. “You never answered my question,” he said in a hushed tone.
