Part 7 (1/2)
”h.e.l.l, yeah. Sit down.”
They sat and Anson ordered two beers.
”Thirsty?”
”Dex is on his way.”
”Wow. It's like a cla.s.s reunion. I just got back last week. I've already seen Mike Hanson, Deb Sanders and the Terrible Trio.” He didn't want to go into specifics about Ann, especially since he had no idea what to do about her.
Anson grinned. ”Ah, yes. The Terrible Trio.” He looked a lot like he had in high school. He'd gotten a little taller, had put on some muscle and wore his dark hair longer, but his green eyes and mischievous smile hadn't changed.
Dex entered and spotted them, giving an identical grin. The Blacks had always seemed more like brothers than cousins. Except now Dex dwarfed them both. He had to be a good six-four, had a military short haircut and gray eyes that missed nothing. ”d.a.m.n. The gang's all here. It's like I never left.”
”No, you left. You for sure weren't this big in high school. Who'd you eat?”
”My drill instructor.”
Jack stood to give him a hearty hand-shake, but like Anson, Dex pulled him in for a bear hug. ”Can't. Breathe.”
Anson laughed. ”Let him go, you monster.”
They all sat together with dumba.s.s grins on their faces.
”It's been too long.” Jack finally felt as if he'd come home again. Being with Ann had been magical, but the woman watched him with as much caution as l.u.s.t. Dex and Anson treated him like a long lost brother. He'd missed that familiar connection of likeminded friends.
”So you're back too. All three of us in town again. Like old times.” Dex winked. ”Especially since I hear you and Ann are a thing again.”
”No kidding?” Anson nodded. ”You work fast. Thought you said you'd only been in town a week.”
”Where did you hear that?” Jack asked Dex.
Dex shrugged. ”Friend of a friend who has a kid in Ann's cla.s.s. I heard all about Josh's uncle who's calling Ms. Weaver pretty. So gross. Ew-at least according to my six-year-old snitch.”
Jack grinned. ”She is pretty.”
”I bet. She always was a sweetheart. I never understood why you broke up.”
Neither did I.
Jack continued to waffle over the idea of getting everything out in the open with Ann. But part of him didn't want to know that he'd been the reason for their breakup. Granted, he'd been a kid back then, but he was a man now with a healthy sense of pride. Hearing he'd been awful in the sack wasn't high on his list of high school confessions.
Best to let the past lie and start fresh. Besides, from what his mother told him, Ann had matured into a stand-up woman. She had an impeccable reputation at school and the kids all loved her. She'd had several single men ask about her but she was picky about who she dated. G.o.d love her, his mother had friends in all the right places. Apparently Tanya Weaver, Ann's mom, worried about her daughter ever finding a spouse. Something Tanya and Laura had in common-a longing for a bazillion grandchildren.
”Yo, Jack.”
He blinked at Anson, who frowned at him.
”You okay?”
”Fine. Been a h.e.l.l of a week.” He took a long sip of scotch. ”I've been watching my nephew while Dan and Julie are away. That kid has aged me in ways I didn't think possible.”
Dex snickered. ”Kids. You gotta love 'em. I'm in the photography business, and let me tell you, taking kid portraits requires a lot of patience.”
”I thought you were a photojournalist.”
”He was,” Anson answered for him. ”But the boy wants to settle down. My aunt is putting the thumbscrews to him about living closer to home.”
”Please.” Dex flushed. ”Mom loves me, but I wouldn't be back here if I didn't want to be. Dude, people retire here. I mean, think about it. A good bit of the town's economy relies on tourism. Bend is the place for the outdoors. I've missed skiing like you can't believe.”
”There is that.” Jack nodded, wondering if his parents still had his old skis and boots in the attic somewhere.
”What about you, Jack?” Anson asked. ”Why did you come back?'
”Same reason. That and they're expanding the campus, so I've got a terrific job I start next week. I really need a place of my own though. I don't want to hang around too long when Dan and Julie get back. My brother is such a slob.”
They discussed different areas in town, since the cousins were also looking to find property.
”We're going to rent together first,” Dex said, ”while I'm doing research to buy.”
”Not me.” Jack shook his head. ”I want a place near my parents and Dan. I like the neighborhood.”
”Northwest Crossing isn't a bad spot. Too hemmed in for me, though. The lots are too small.” Dex shrugged.
”It's closer to family. Though in this town, anything more than ten minutes away is considered too far.”
They laughed, and the conversation s.h.i.+fted back to old times. ”So you and Ann were hot and heavy in high school. Then it was you and Selena Thorpe.” Anson whistled. ”Took a lot of b.a.l.l.s to hook up with her. Even at eighteen that girl was a barracuda.”
Jack winced. ”No kidding. We dated for a few weeks before I bailed. She scared me.”
Anson nodded. ”She was living in Seattle. I did business with her second husband for a while. Poor b.a.s.t.a.r.d.”
The guys laughed.
”But she divorced him and moved away. Just my luck, when I settled in Portland, I ran into her living there.” Anson shuddered. ”Can you believe she made a play for me? Wouldn't take my hints, so I had to flat out tell her no way in h.e.l.l. I mean, I was good friends with her ex.”
”Just so long as she stays in Portland,” Jack said. ”I don't think I could handle her back here.”
”I don't think Bend could handle her back here.” Anson clinked his bottle against Jack's gla.s.s. ”Now let's talk about what really matters.”
They all paused as the announcers discussed the Seahawks' prospects.
Dex looked worried. ”I don't know, guys. Think we have a chance this season?”
”My money's on Green Bay,” Anson said.
Jack shook his head. ”No way. Denver's gonna take it.”