He sighed. “I’m a big boy and can handle my father. I’ve been doing it for years. The same with the rest of the family. Do we take bets on how many might ask me for a loan?”
“No one better,” his grandmother said. “Or I’ll be knocking heads together.”
“They wouldn’t consider doing it in front of you, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be said. Though, I expect it more from Mom’s side.”
“That’s right. Are you going to visit your mother while you’re in town?”
“I hadn’t planned on it,” he said. “I haven’t talked to her in months. No clue. Why would I bother reaching out to her if she can’t be bothered to reach out to me?”
“She’s too busy trying to compete with your father.”
“Yep. It’s foul. What the two of them do to each other is juvenile. They will never grow up.”
“Well, you know, that is what your father gets for marrying another attorney. They show up at the same functions half the time and have to make sure they get the upper hand.”
“I can’t be around them for any length of time.”
It’d been like that his entire life.
Even when his parents were married they were always trying to beat the other at something.
Caseload, wins, judges that favored them more than the other.
“I think your parents enjoy the game more than the attention.”
“Don’t kid yourself, they want both.”
“I wish you’d stay with me when you’re here and not a hotel,” his grandmother said.
“Nope. No way. Too much action going on and I won’t get any peace. You can come stay at the hotel with me if you want,” he said.
“And leave my house unattended for strangers and your cousin? Or Courtney. No, thank you.”
He smiled. “Don’t let them tire you out.”
“I’m not. And don’t treat me like I’m so frail I need my afternoon nap. I can run laps around you if I want.”
He grinned. “You might be able to. I don’t do much cardio anymore.”
“You looked as if you were getting soft before you left.”
His jaw dropped. “Hey. No. Not possible.”
But he got up and walked to the mirror, lifted his shirt and turned side to side.
More muscle than fat. No six-pack, but it wasn’t what he was going for either.
Since no one was around to see his foolishness, he flexed his bicep. Yep, it was the biggest it’d been in his life. Not that he wanted to be huge, but he thought he was in damn good shape!
He didn’t run or ride a bike or break a sweat that way. Too much work. He lifted weights several times a week for almost an hour.
He hiked and he walked over driving if he could.
“It will be if you just sit around,” his grandmother said.
“You’re just busting my ass now,” he said. “Trying to get my mind off of this trip in a week.”
“One week from today. You’re counting it down as if it’s the walk off the plank into the ocean.”
