“Well, that’s a first,” Kodi stated, and Jalen nodded in agreement.
Her little sister was well aware of how the men she’d dated in the past had pulled away instantly when they found out that she had five young ladies who depended on her to take care of them. They all assumed that she was referring to her daughters and wanted no part of it.
Rohan was different. She wasn’t sure if he thought her girls were her daughters, but either way, he made a point of asking about them when they spoke and often suggested places he thought they might like.
For the next hour, she watched as her sisters played. At some point, Kodi had gotten up and gone over to one of the swing sets to push both of the twins while Mikal swung and spun in the tire swing.
When three o’clock rolled around, Jalen told them it was time to go. They packed up their belongings and got into the car. They were going to cook together that night and watch movies. It was just one part of their tradition of spending time together.
????????????
Rohan lined up his next shot, aiming for the corner pocket. Taking the shot, he watched as the eight ball sank into the pocket, ending the game. Straightening up, he went to the pub table he and his brother had chosen beside the pool table and took a drink of his beer while his brother racked another game.
“So, how’s work going?” Rohan questioned as he watched his brother remove the triangle from the balls.
“It’s good. The expansion is winding down, and operations are becoming easier. I think that was why I felt overwhelmed in the beginning.”
Rohan nodded as he walked around the table to break the balls. He was glad that things had seemed to even out for his brother. He and their mother had both been excited, proud, and worried when he’d told them he had been hired to be the new operations manager for a new company that Kieran Cayman was opening.
The man had a reputation for how hard he worked and the standards that he required. Which were Olympus tier in his opinion. He had only met the man once, but his mother had worked with him twice, and from what she’d told him, their worry was not misplaced.
However, over the past couple of years, there had been rumors that he’d settled down a bit, become a bit more relaxed. Rohan had heard that he’d gotten married. He figured the older man had found a woman who helped him mellow out.
“So, tell me about this woman you’re dating,” Trent spoke as he went to take his turn.
“I wouldn’t say that we’re dating, because we’ve only gone out once,” Rohan replied before taking another drink from his beer.
“Mom said that you talk to her often while you’re at work, and you send her flowers twice a week. Not to mention you’ve gone out. I know you, little brother, and that’s dating.”
Rohan laughed. Not at all surprised that his mother had been talking to his brother about Jalen and him. He wasn’t even surprised that his mother knew how often he sent her flowers. The woman had a way of finding out just about anything, but then again, most nosy people did.
“I guess you’re right. Her name is Jalen. I actually met her…”
“At the hospital,” Trent finished, turning to look at him. “You’re dating Alynn’s nurse?”
“Yes. Though you realize Jalen isn’t an uncommon name,” Rohan countered.
Trent shrugged and lined up his next shot. “How old is she?” Trent questioned.
Rohan rolled his eyes. He didn’t know why he still had to go through his brother questioning the age of everyone he dated as if they were still children.
“She’s twenty-four.”
“She’s a little young, but she’s got a good job. So, she has a good head on her shoulders,” his brother spoke absentmindedly.
Rohan found it amusing that he was playing the protective older brother. Even though the two of them were only three years apart in age.
“Does she have any kids?” Trent then asked, going to grab his own beer after missing a shot.
Rohan lined up his shot, nodding as he took it. “Yeah. She has five.”
He watched as his brother choked on his beer. He smirked in amusement as Trent hit himself on the chest a few times.
“Five? As in the number after four?”
Rohan rolled his eyes. “Yep. Five.”
“I guess if the two of you had a child of your own, you’d have some sort of makeshift Brady Bunch.”
