Page 292 of A Matter of Time

“But, Mom, we both know he should do a helluva lot of ass-kissin’ or—” He stopped and looked at me. “No offense there, J, since maybe that’s something you’re into or…you know. I dunno, but the point is, whatever it takes, Sammy should just do already, ’cause I can’t deal with him when you’re not around. He’s a total dick.” He was adamant.

“Michael!”

“Amen.” Levi Kage chimed in, walking up to stand behind me. “How ya doin’, Jory?” He held out his hand for me when I turned around. “I hope you’re planning to stick around this time.”

I took the offered hand and was pulled into the same guy-clench I had gotten from Michael. It was a hard handclasp, a shoulder to shoulder jerk, followed by a sharp back slap. It was slightly painful, so I knew it was sincere. I got more handshakes as many of Sam’s cousins flowed through the room.

Minutes later, I leaned over the back of the couch and reached out a hand to Jesse, Levi’s brother. Funny to think that I had met all the guys years ago, but it seemed like only yesterday. He stepped close so I could reach him, and we shook hands.

“It’s great to see ya.”

“You too.”

He nodded, staring at me hard. “Do me a favor and just hang out, okay?”

“Yeah, I’m going to.”

“No, I mean, like, stick around for a while. Not just for tonight.”

I nodded. It was very nice.

“Seriously,” he said, suddenly so quiet and still. “Sammy looks like himself again, ya know?”

I shrugged. “He looks the same to me.”

Michael squeezed my arm as he walked by. “That’s what he means.”

I smiled, gazing after both of them as they left the room.

“Jory,” Thomas Kage, Sam’s father, called out to me from over near the TV. “Come here!”

I moved quickly, because you just did as he ordered.

He glanced up at me, but only for a second. Some game was on. “Jory.”

“Sir.”

“You stick around this time, Jory, all right?”

I was instantly defensive and wanted to tell him that it wasn’t my fault. “Sir, I⁠—”

“Ah!” He cut me off sharply, loudly, leaving no room for protest. “Just do as I say.”

“But you know it wasn’t my⁠—”

“Ah!” He did it again, and I realized what an annoying sound it was. “Just promise me. That’s all I want to hear. I’m not interested in excuses.”

Of course he wasn’t. He only cared about the outcome. I sighed deeply. “Yessir.”

“Good.” He gestured to Michael’s new girlfriend, whom I hadn’t noticed was sitting beside him until then. “Did you meet Beverly?”

“No, sir.”

“Beverly, this is Sam’s partner, Jory.”

She rose off the couch and gave me her hand.

“More friend,” I corrected him, smiling at her.