“I can’t. I’m so, so—”
Bran looked him dead in the eye. “It’s okay, Jeremy. Really. I can’t pretend it didn’t happen, and you guys can’t tap-dance around it for the rest of your lives. So shut up and tell us what’s happening. Because last I heard you were in Canada finding out the news and freaking out a bit.”
Jeremy perched on the edge of the desk as the tension in the room dissipated a bit. “Well, she’s here, actually. I brought her here for a week so we could talk about what we want to do.”
“Are you guys a thing?”
“I don’t know. Yes? But no. I mean, we haven’t slept together.”
“Clearly you did...”
“I mean since I found out.” He aimed a “smart aleck” look at Cole. “But I like her, a lot. And she likes me. And we’ve kissed...”
Bran nudged Cole. “This is nearly as bad as when we were freshmen and he was telling us about the girl he’d left behind... What was her name? Jill? Jane? Though I think he said he’d felt her up once.”
“Again, shut up. I don’t know why we’re still friends.” But a smile curved up his cheek. This was exactly why they were friends, and had been for over twenty years.
“So what, you brought her here? Is she going to move here to be with you? So you can bring the baby up together?”
“We haven’t really talked about it.”
“But that’s what you want, right?” Bran always got to the heart of the matter.
“Yeah.” He let out a breath. “I just can’t see us living in two different countries and trying to parent. I’m kind of hoping that she’ll like it here enough to consider moving.”
“Wow.” Cole sat back in the chair. “So then what? Marriage? Are you thinking of staying in your place, or buying elsewhere? Your place isn’t really one where I can picture kids running around.”
Jeremy frowned. “I can always redecorate. And there’s room. Plus it’s close to everything.”
“I don’t know, man. It’s a lot to ask of a woman. To pack up and leave everything behind.” This from Bran.
Cole scoffed. “Yeah, leave behind what? Jeremy’s loaded. She’s landed herself in clover.”
Jeremy pushed away from the desk. “It’s not like that. She doesn’t care about money. And don’t roll your eyes,” he said in response to Cole’s facial expression. “It’s true. If anyone has any ulterior motives here, it’s me.” He sighed. “Mom and Bruce are having a party in a few days. I’m going to take her. If we do this, she’s got to have her eyes wide open.” He nodded at Bran. “That was your advice, and I think you’re right.”
“You’re springing the Wicked Witch of the West on her?”
Again, Jeremy couldn’t help but laugh at Cole. “Yeah, I am. But Sarah’s going, too.” He was thrilled his sister had agreed. He hadn’t told her about Tori either, but she’d be an ally.
“Damn, brother.”
“I know.”
There was quiet for a moment, and then Cole said, with a bit of wonder in his voice, “You’re gonna be a dad.”
“Seems like it.”
He got up and clapped Jeremy on the back. “Congratulations, man. You’re gonna nail this.”
Nope, he wasn’t going to cry over this unexpected gesture. Cole was not the touchy-feely type. So he chuckled instead. “You think? Because I had a crappy example.”
“Didn’t we all? So just do the exact opposite of what your mom and stepdad did and you’ll be great.”
Bran stood up. “And if the city thing doesn’t work out, maybe we’ll be neighbors, Jeremy.”
Cole looked at them both.
“His new house is less than an hour away from Tori,” Jeremy confirmed. “Have you seen it?” He went to his computer and brought the pics up on the monitor. “Look at that. Lighthouse and everything.”