Chapter 8 #2
Their Wednesday night card game was the highlight of Carson’s week, no matter how badly he got beat every time. Spence took great pleasure in rubbing their running score in his face every chance he got. At this rate, Carson would have to live to be ninety-four to climb out of the hole he was in.
“What’s going on with that gorgeous Cresley Dane?”
“Spent some time online today, didja?”
“Everyone is talking about my family. I wanted to hear what they’re saying.
In addition to the nonstop chirping about your parents, they also want to know who Julian was holding hands with and who was Cresley Dane’s date.
” He showed Carson one of the photos that was taken of him and Cresley.
“There you are at the premiere with a freaking superstar. Swinging way out of your league with that one, pal.”
“Gee, thanks. Like I didn’t already know that.”
“What’s the story with her?”
“She’s a client who’s become a friend. We were both going to the Valiant premiere, so I offered her a ride. Nothing to see here.”
“And why is that, exactly?”
“What do you mean?”
“I remember what it was like to be young and single, and from what I could see, that young lady likes you. What’s wrong with you that you don’t see that?”
So many things… “She’s a client.”
“You’re not a lawyer. That’s not a problem.”
“You forget that I’m a certified legal investigator, bound to the same code of ethics as the lawyers.”
“Eh, how would they know if you crossed the line?”
“I’d know, and since when are you encouraging fraternizing with clients? She’s still counting on me and us to give her professional representation and quality investigative services. I’m not crossing that line.”
“’Quality investigative services,’” Spencer said in a mocking tone. “You sound like a prissy bitch.”
“I do not!”
“Yeah, you do. What do you think of her?”
“She’s a great person and a wonderful mom to an incredible boy named Ty.”
“Not to mention she’s a total smokeshow.”
“Who taught you that term?”
“Roman.”
“I’m going to have a talk with him about that.”
“Listen, I’m not one to tell you how to live your life.”
“Since when?”
“I’m being serious.”
“So am I.”
“Anyway… I looked into this Cresley woman, and I like what I see. There’s not a whiff of scandal, and she uses her massive platform to take principled positions on issues that matter. She seems like a quality individual.”
“She is.”
“So again, I ask, why is it that you’re not more interested than you are, and don’t spew shit about work at me. I wrote the rules, and this doesn’t break them as long as you hand off the investigating of her case to someone else on the team.”
“Why are you pushing me so hard on this?”
“You had one of the world’s most famously beautiful women at my house last night, and you took her home. I want to understand why.”
Carson struggled not to squirm under the heat of his glare. “Not everyone jumps into bed the first time they go out, you know.”
“Most people your age do.”
“That’s not true.”
“My research indicates otherwise.”
“I’m going to talk to them about limiting your time online. You’re becoming a screenager.”
“Whatever the hell that is.”
“It means you’re rotting your brain with too many hours online.”
“My brain is just fine, thank you very much. Don’t tell me this is about that stupid vow you made with your siblings.”
“How do you know about that?”
Spence rolled his eyes. “Please. I know everything.”
Because that was actually true, Carson wasn’t as surprised as he should’ve been to find out that Spencer knew about the vow. “It’s not because of that.”
“Liar. If it wasn’t for you thinking you have to remain single to stay sane, then you wouldn’t have taken her home last night, and you know it.”
“Maybe I took her home because I have a nosy old man spying on me. How do you know what happened when we got to her place?” Carson put down a book of queens but was still six books behind.
“Did something happen?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know.”
“Yes, in fact, I would. Please tell me you at least kissed her.”
Carson shrugged, trying very hard not to relive the most exceptional kiss of his life. “I gave her a peck on the cheek.”
“You’re such a fool.”
“So I’ve been told.”
“No, really. I’m serious. A woman like that doesn’t come a-knockin’ every day, my friend. Don’t be sitting in a place like this someday looking back at your life and regretting what you let get away.”
“Do you have regrets about what you let get away?”
“Every fucking day. Your grandmother was the best damned thing to ever happen to me, and I was a fool. I neglected her to the point that she found someone else and left me in her dust. By the time I woke up, she was long gone. I never really got over losing her, if I’m being honest. But I took her for granted and got what was coming to me. ”
“I’m sorry, Gramps.”
“Don’t be sorry for me. Be sorry for yourself if you let a good thing get away by being stupid or stubborn or so ethical you miss out or thinking you have to adhere to some stupid pledge you made to your siblings. Have you ever seen Julian happier than he is since he met Isla?”
“He’s lost his fucking mind.”
“No, my friend, he’s lost his fucking heart, and it’s the greatest thing that can happen in a lifetime.
Trust me on that. When you’re ninety-four and living in an old folks’ home, you’re not going to be proud of yourself for keeping your promises to your siblings when you’re all by yourself having never experienced true love. ”
“I don’t want anything to do with true love.”
“You say that because you’ve never had it. Once you’ve had it, you’ll do anything in this world to keep it, unless you’re an idiot like me and let it walk out the door as if it’s possible to find that same feeling anywhere when it isn’t. It absolutely isn’t.”
Carson had never heard his grandfather talk about how much he regretted the divorce with their grandmother. In fact, he’d rarely spoken of her at all that Carson could recall.
“I wish you kids had had one damned example of a functional marriage in your lives. Maybe you wouldn’t be so bitter and determined to stay single.”
“I’m not bitter.”
“The hell you aren’t. Your parents put you kids through hell, and it’s no wonder you’re out to avoid that fate for yourselves.
But just know that by making that stupid vow, you’re setting yourself up to miss the best thing this life has to offer any of us.
It would break my heart to see you miss out on that.
It truly would.” Spencer laid down a book of aces. “I win. Again.”
“Why do I continue to show up for a weekly ass-kicking?”
His grandfather’s guffaw was the sound of joy to him. Carson loved making him laugh.
“I keep you humble, Mr. Hotshot Investigator.”
“That you do.” Carson tossed his remaining cards on the table and stretched. “Jules is playing with the band tonight. I might go catch the first set.”
“He told me you guys are pissed at him.”
“Not pissed so much as concerned.”
“He’s happier than a pig in shit.”
“I can see that.”
“Before you condemn him for breaking his promises to the rest of you, you ought to give it a whirl for yourself. Once you do, you’ll get why he said fuck it and went all in with her. He’s bringing her and her kids to meet me soon. Looking forward to that.”
“She seems like a nice person. It’s got nothing to do with her.”
“You think I don’t get why you feel the way you do? Of course I get it. But she makes him happy, and don’t we all deserve to be freaking happy? We only get this one rodeo, Carson. Don’t fuck it up and end up with regrets to go with the bitterness.”
Carson stood and leaned across the table to kiss his grandfather’s cheek. “Love you, even when you kick my ass.”
“Love you all the time, my boy.”
“I’ll bring you some In-N-Out lunch this weekend. We’ll sit outside.”
“That sounds good. Thanks for not forgetting about me.”
The comment stopped him short. “Forget about you? Seriously?”
“Lotta people here get no visitors. I’m one of the lucky ones with you kids visiting all the time.”
“Do you have any idea whatsoever what you mean to us?”
“Yeah, I know,” he said gruffly.
“We could never forget about you. Besides, you wouldn’t let us.”
Carson left him laughing.
Spencer had given him a lot to think about.