“You have millwork in your place too, don’t ya?”
“In our place,” he corrected me, smiling. “And yes, we do.”
God.
It appeared everyone was outside having drinks, but they would all be in shortly, as the temperature was dropping and would dip down to the low forties once the sun went down.
“The backyard is pretty nice. I basically lived on the patio when I was younger. There’s a firepit out there, and a lap pool, and a lot of trees.”
I was quiet, and he turned to look at me.
“What?”
“It sounds like you’re trying to sell me your childhood home.”
“Well, I want you to like it.”
“What’s not to like, Cam? It’s beautiful, and it’s a helluva lot warmer than your place, even at twice as big.”
“Is it?”
I gestured at the seating area in the living room. “Uh, for starters, not everything’s the same color.”
“I hate you,” he grumbled.
“I know.” I bumped his shoulder and smirked at him, pointing toward the wide set of doors leading out toward the patio. “Let’s go.”
As soon as we stepped outside, two enormous hellhounds came charging toward us.
Cameron yelled, others did as well. I crouched down, and they stopped close and then came toward me slowly.
“Hey,” I greeted them, reaching out, my hands finding places to scratch and pet, rewarded instantly with whimpering and whining as they got closer, nuzzling my hair, sniffing my neck; one of them licked my chin, and the other shoved his wet nose into my hand.
“Of course,” Cameron muttered under his breath, his fingers in my hair as his mother—had to be, because she looked just like him—stepped in beside him.
“You must be Jeremiah,” she greeted me, her tone not quite icy but near enough, as she extended her hand.
“Yes, ma’am.” I stood and shook it, letting go quickly. “It’s very nice to meet you, Mrs. Gallagher.”
“Brynn,” she clipped her name. “Mrs. Gallagher is so formal.”
“Brynn,” I repeated as a blonde woman bounced up on the other side of Cameron and opened her arms.
“I’m Courtney,” she announced with a huge smile, her eyes gleaming in the low light. “It’s so nice to meet you.”
I hugged her tight, and she told everyone I was a great hugger, which Cameron’s sister-in-law confirmed moments later, after she too was wrapped up in my arms. Cameron’s brother, Cody, shook my hand, but his brother-in-law, Seth, gave me a hug as well.
“I finally get to meet the famous Jeremiah,” Cameron’s father welcomed me jovially, offering me his hand.
I took it in both of mine. “I’m so glad to meet you, sir, and so thankful you came through your health scare well.”
“Thank you, I appreciate it.” He took hold of my shoulder. “What can I get you to drink?”
“What’re you having, sir?”
“Ray, please,” he insisted. “And it’s only iced tea for me. I haven’t been cleared to have a beer or bourbon or anything else I love.”
I smiled at him. “I’ll have the iced tea with you, then. I’ve never been much of a drinker.”
“Okay.” He drew the word out, like it was my funeral. “Let’s go inside and get you some of this crap—I mean tea.”
Once we were in the kitchen, he poured me a glass of some unsweetened lemongrass-infused citrus iced tea that was pretty good, and told me to take a seat on one of the barstools at the counter. He then proceeded to ask me to tell him all about myself.
I gave him the facts, that I worked two jobs, one at a youth center, the other as an in-house counselor for programmers who I was trying to help not burn out.
“Most of them just need someone to listen.”
He nodded sagely.
“I’m also working on finishing my master’s degree in social work at Cal State Sacramento.”
“That’s very impressive.”
I chuckled, and it surprised him, if the look on his face was any indication. “I’m never gonna be a money guy, sir. I’m the guy who’ll be working to make sure no kid gets missed or falls through the cracks. That’s my deal.”
“And why is that?”
I knew what he was getting at. “Because I know what it’s like to have no one give a damn, so I can relate, and I want to try and change it.”
“Wouldn’t change come from higher up? If you want to change it, why not go into politics? That’s where you make an impact.”
“But that doesn’t do anything for the individual kids, sir. Why can’t I do both?”
“Yes. Agreed.”
He got a beer for Cameron, an IPA he liked, poured it in a glass, and I carried it back out with me, the two of us returning to the backyard in time to see Cameron sitting alone on a bench while everyone else was talking.
“What’re you doing?” I’d never seen anyone look so alone in a crowd of people.
He took the glass from me as I sat beside him, my hand on his thigh. “I was just telling everyone how, with a little detective work, I was sure there were deductions in all their taxes that could help lower their payments, and what a few of the more obvious ones are.”