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“Are you going gray?” The question was out of my mouth before I’d thought it through.
His hand covered the potentially offensive hair. “What? No. I’d better not be. If I am, it’s Declan’s fault.”
I cocked my head and shot him a puzzled look before remembering that Declan was one of his many siblings. “Right. Declan. How is he? He’s the middle one, right?”
Bennett shook his head. “He’s the baby and a pain in my ass.”
I vaguely remembered a lanky kid hanging around that summer. Maybe he’d been in middle school at the time? I honestly couldn’t remember because I hadn’t paid much attention to him. I’d been too preoccupied with Bennett.
“How’s… everyone else?” I finished lamely. If presented with a multiple-choice quiz on his family’s names, I would fail. My family consisted of me, my sister, and whatever man my mother happened to be married to at the time. Bennett’s family was crazy in comparison.
He shrugged. “Fine. Grown up. My sister works at the rental office. You probably checked in with her.”
I shook my head. “I remember Lyra. It was someone else. Madison? Oh, wait. Now that you mention it, I remember her a little. She’d just gotten her license.”
He nodded. “That sounds right.”
I chuckled. “It’s probably equally awesome and irritating that you’re related to half of CBX.”
“I wouldn’t go that far.”
“And you’re working for the rental company too?”
The summer I’d stayed, he bussed tables in his family’s bar and grill even though what he really wanted was to tend bar. The legal serving age was eighteen, but his grandfather wouldn’t let anyone serve until they could legally indulge. That much I remembered because it made good sense.
His face clouded with confusion then cleared. “No, I don’t actually work for them. Checking on the toilet was a personal favor. The last of its kind.”
I cringed. “Yeah, sorry about that. My sister must have called.” Resetting the little flapper thing in the commode was stupid easy, but it didn’t surprise me that she didn’t know to check for it, much less fix it. I wished she’d asked me before calling for a repair. “Are you still working at the Brew Company?”
He nodded. “I run it now. Grandpa Charlie only comes in on my days off, but I suspect that won’t last too much longer. I’ll have to hire someone.”
“There’s always Declan,” I said without missing a beat.
“Over my dead body.” He chuckled, and the warm sound rolled over me. I felt pleased to have caused it, the emotion sending me right back to nine years ago. “So, did you do the thing? With law school?”
Happy he’d remembered my ambition, I nodded. “I did the thing.”
“Congratulations. You always said you were going to be a fancy lawyer in the city and make more money than God.”
Closing my eyes, I let my head fall back. “I didnotsay that.”
“Maybe you didn’talwayssay it,” he teased. “But you said it at least once. Alcohol may have been involved.”
“That sounds more like it.”
“And are you?” he asked.
“What?”
“Making more money than God?”
“Something like that.” At least, I was until a few months ago, when every part of my life imploded.
With the wind taken out of my sails at having been reminded of my failings, I exhaled.Get over it. Remember, you are a badass. Coming to the Carolina Banks is the first step toward rebuilding your life.My mental pep talk did little good, but it was all I had.
Crossing his arms, Bennett leaned against the wall and grinned. “You know, I always thought that was a stupid way to say it. I’m not religious or anything, but I’m pretty sure God doesn’t make money, so we all make more money than God.”
I cocked my head. “Isn’t God the creator of all things? So technically, he does make money.”
