sure can pick 'em. Riley was trying to take another sip from his beer bottle when Loretta head-butted his forearm, sending a slosh of foam onto the area rug.
See? Even the dog knows you're not supposed to be drinking on call.
Hey, Matt?
I know. I know. Shut up. And here I am, not only trying to find you a love connection but working construction for you nearly every damn weekendand this is the thanks I get?
Thanks, Matt. Riley didn't have the energy for a clever retort.
Well, as much as I'm enjoying this conversation, I gotta scoot. Matt straightened from his slouch, then grabbed his boots and his beer. I just wanted to make sure you were cool. You know, not oiling up Daddy's old twelve-gauge or something stupid.
Thank you for keeping our community safe.
Matt got to his feet. Just so you knowMadeline informed me the women were staying at Cherry Hill.
Riley nodded. Figured as much.
You know what that means, right?
Riley slowly raised his head, checked out his brother's expression, and closed his eyes against the realization. /Fuck./ Hey, I know Madeline's a gossip. But she's a nice woman, and she makes a mean lasagna. It didn't work out with us, but I still think you should ask her outyou know what they say about the sexual needs of divorced single moms.
Riley opened his eyes, ignoring Matt's ridiculous suggestion. No chance Madeline would forget to tell Carrie that Kat was here?
Matt snorted. Are you on drugs or something? She tells Carrie /everything/. The two women were friends, after all.
Great.
Look, Bro. Matt cleared his throat. Are you, uh, you know, thinkin' about going over to the B and B for a little friendly chat with Kat tonight?
Behind his brother's smirk, Riley knew there was real concern. Matt and Carrie were the only people who knew Riley had a son, and Matt was clearly worried about how all this would turn out. She named him Aidan.
Isn't that a riot? And she says she's been in Baltimore.
Hole-eee God. Matt's eyes went wide. Big Daddy would've loved that shit.
He headed toward the kitchen but stopped after two steps. Baltimore? As in Baltimore, Maryland?
Do you know any other Baltimore?
Huh. Matt gave a slow nod of comprehension. That would go a long way toward explaining why we never found her in California.
Yeah, it would. Wrong end of the continent and all that. Riley had been given wrong information about Kat's whereabouts and he couldn't safely say if it had been deliberate or not. But it wouldn't surprise him if it was. With a deep sigh, he rose from the sofa to see his brother out.
They'd nearly reached the front door when Matt suddenly spun around, eyes bright with anger.
What the hell's wrong with you, man? Matt shoved him in the chest.
What the f? Riley stared at Matt in disbelief. He couldn't remember the last time his brother laid a hand on him. What was that for?
Kat just came back from the dead, man! Matt waved his arms around.
You're going to finally get to meet your kid! But you're moping around like you just found a boil on your ass or something! What is /with/ you?
You're like some zombie-assed robot!
Riley's head snapped back from the force of his brother's words. Matt was pissed. Over something that was really none of his business. I don't want to get into this right now, all right? I've got a lot on my mind.
Matt laughed bitterly. You never want to get into /anything/. Nobody knows what you've got on your mind because you never want to share nuthin' with nobody.
Drop it, Matt. This is not the time for an intervention.
Fuck you, too! Here's the thingand you know what I'm about to say is trueyou didn't say a damn word when Daddy died. Do you realize that? You didn't cry. You didn't talk about him. Nothing.
Jesus, Matt.
And you won't talk to me about the problems with the building money. You haven't talked about your kid in months. You don't talk about crazy Carrie. So now Kat is back and you say /nothing/. And I know what's nextyou're gonna wallow around in one
See? Even the dog knows you're not supposed to be drinking on call.
Hey, Matt?
I know. I know. Shut up. And here I am, not only trying to find you a love connection but working construction for you nearly every damn weekendand this is the thanks I get?
Thanks, Matt. Riley didn't have the energy for a clever retort.
Well, as much as I'm enjoying this conversation, I gotta scoot. Matt straightened from his slouch, then grabbed his boots and his beer. I just wanted to make sure you were cool. You know, not oiling up Daddy's old twelve-gauge or something stupid.
Thank you for keeping our community safe.
Matt got to his feet. Just so you knowMadeline informed me the women were staying at Cherry Hill.
Riley nodded. Figured as much.
You know what that means, right?
Riley slowly raised his head, checked out his brother's expression, and closed his eyes against the realization. /Fuck./ Hey, I know Madeline's a gossip. But she's a nice woman, and she makes a mean lasagna. It didn't work out with us, but I still think you should ask her outyou know what they say about the sexual needs of divorced single moms.
Riley opened his eyes, ignoring Matt's ridiculous suggestion. No chance Madeline would forget to tell Carrie that Kat was here?
Matt snorted. Are you on drugs or something? She tells Carrie /everything/. The two women were friends, after all.
Great.
Look, Bro. Matt cleared his throat. Are you, uh, you know, thinkin' about going over to the B and B for a little friendly chat with Kat tonight?
Behind his brother's smirk, Riley knew there was real concern. Matt and Carrie were the only people who knew Riley had a son, and Matt was clearly worried about how all this would turn out. She named him Aidan.
Isn't that a riot? And she says she's been in Baltimore.
Hole-eee God. Matt's eyes went wide. Big Daddy would've loved that shit.
He headed toward the kitchen but stopped after two steps. Baltimore? As in Baltimore, Maryland?
Do you know any other Baltimore?
Huh. Matt gave a slow nod of comprehension. That would go a long way toward explaining why we never found her in California.
Yeah, it would. Wrong end of the continent and all that. Riley had been given wrong information about Kat's whereabouts and he couldn't safely say if it had been deliberate or not. But it wouldn't surprise him if it was. With a deep sigh, he rose from the sofa to see his brother out.
They'd nearly reached the front door when Matt suddenly spun around, eyes bright with anger.
What the hell's wrong with you, man? Matt shoved him in the chest.
What the f? Riley stared at Matt in disbelief. He couldn't remember the last time his brother laid a hand on him. What was that for?
Kat just came back from the dead, man! Matt waved his arms around.
You're going to finally get to meet your kid! But you're moping around like you just found a boil on your ass or something! What is /with/ you?
You're like some zombie-assed robot!
Riley's head snapped back from the force of his brother's words. Matt was pissed. Over something that was really none of his business. I don't want to get into this right now, all right? I've got a lot on my mind.
Matt laughed bitterly. You never want to get into /anything/. Nobody knows what you've got on your mind because you never want to share nuthin' with nobody.
Drop it, Matt. This is not the time for an intervention.
Fuck you, too! Here's the thingand you know what I'm about to say is trueyou didn't say a damn word when Daddy died. Do you realize that? You didn't cry. You didn't talk about him. Nothing.
Jesus, Matt.
And you won't talk to me about the problems with the building money. You haven't talked about your kid in months. You don't talk about crazy Carrie. So now Kat is back and you say /nothing/. And I know what's nextyou're gonna wallow around in one
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