Not staring agape was really hard. “No plans?”
He shook his head.
“Okay. Well, that’s just not going to do. You have Demetrius’s cell phone number?”
“Yes.”
“Email? Social media contact?”
“No.”
“Right. As soon as we land and get off airplane mode, you need to send him a text. It’ll be early afternoon. Let him know you’re in Abbotsford.”
“Uh…?”
“What?”You need to watch yourself. You can just go running roughshod over total strangers—even if they’re in way over their heads.I waited. As patiently as I could under the circumstances. I could be a very persistent man when I needed to be. Other times, I was as easygoing as the occasion arose. Marty had always been the go-getterwhile I’d contentedly sat back and observed his enthusiasm. Now, I was different in business—because that involved livelihoods. But in my personal life, I tended to bide my time.
Today was not the day to leave up to fate. This young man needed help—some power I didn’t understand landed him in my lap. “Why are you hesitating about calling your brother?”
“Half-brother.” Said churlishly.
“Okay. Still…you’ve come all this way to meet him. You warned him that you were coming. So what’s the hesitation?”
“I don’t—” He swallowed. “I hadn’t thought it out. I suppose I thought I’d show up at his house and he’d know what to do. He seems like a level-headed guy. Although now I think I shouldn’t be counting on him so much. Right?”
Slowly, I nodded. “Maybe a plan would be a good thing. Having some idea where you’re going—literally and metaphorically. What are you hoping to get from this meeting? If things work out, are you staying? If they don’t, are you headed back to Toronto?” A thought occurred. “Do you have a return ticket booked?”
He shook his head. “Well, that’s not true. I have an open ticket to go back whenever I want. I just—” He winced. “I don’t have anything to go back to, you know?”
Unfortunately, I did. He’d put all his eggs in this basket and bet his entire future on a brother he’d never met and had very little reason to trust.
“You have options.”I can’t believe you’re about to do this.
“Yeah?”
“Well, I still think you should call Demetrius and give him the heads-up that you’re in town. I mean, he might’ve gone away for the weekend. Jai will be at the summer camp, of course, but there’s no guarantee Demetrius iseven around.”
“Oh.”
Clearly, this had not occurred to him.
“Once you’ve sorted out your brother, then you need to find a place to stay. He might offer to take you in, but he’s got two kids, and some random stranger showing up isn’t exactly easy to deal with—even if you arefamilyand even if he was aware you were coming. Does that make sense?”
He nodded for the umpteenth time.
“So I’m going to extend an invitation for you to stay with me. I have three spare rooms—two of which are set up as bedrooms. You can pick and I can assure you that at least one of the beds will be long enough. How tall are you?”
“Six three.”
“Ah.” I could’ve guessed. Well over my own five eight. He’d been hunched in the airport, so I hadn’t gotten a sense of the true difference. “I have a bed you’ll fit into. You’ll have your own bathroom and as much privacy as you need. I’m about a mile away from Demetrius’s place—so you can meander over on your own time or I can drive you. I can stay with you, wait outside, or just leave you to it. You won’t have to make any decisions today. Or even tomorrow. You’ll have what you need until you’re able to figure out what you want. What you need.”
“You’d take in a stranger? Into your house? Just like that?”
“I don’t figure you’ve come all the way from Toronto to murder me in my bed. My electronics are nice, but pawning them will be tough. I don’t figure you’re going to try to emotionally manipulate me into giving you money. In truth, I believe your story. I see you’re a good man in need of a hand. What am I if not someone who can help?”
“I can—” He cleared his throat. “I can’t be…your puppy.”
After a long moment, I blinked. “I would never ask that of you. Puppy relationships take time to nurture and grow. If anyone ever asksyou to be their pup that soon into a relationship, you need to be wary. Pickup play for a night—at a club or something—is okay.”
