Page 99 of Family Bonds- Jarrett & Andi

“We are,” he said. He got up and shut the door to his office. “I didn’t know she had to check in with you on those things.”

“She doesn’t,” Jack said. “I think it came up innocently enough. I was complaining about it being sixty here today. That is hotter than normal.”

“It’s about two degrees here,” he said.

“She told me,” Jack said. “I don’t miss that either. Guess I’ll have to get used to it though.”

“Used to the heat,” he said.

“The cold again,” Jack said. “I wanted to let you know before I told Andi. I’d put in for a transfer to Boston. I hadn’t thought it would happen this soon, but they had a position open and needed it filled immediately.”

Jarrett wasn’t so sure how he felt about this.

He liked that Andi didn’t have someone from her past around her all the time. Maybe he liked that she came to him and he was the only one in her life.

It was selfish on his part, but he was going to push the guilt away.

“Does Andi know you put in for the transfer?” he asked.

“No. I didn’t tell her,” Jack said. “I thought I’d have time, but I don’t. I’ll be flying in this weekend to look for an apartment. I’ve got a few places lined up and just need to sign a lease. Then I’ll pack up and have everything driven there.”

“And you want me to tell her?” he asked.

“If you do, then she’ll be pissed at us both,” Jack said. “She isn’t going to like the fact that I’m telling you first.”

“Why are you?” he asked.

“I’m not sure. I guess I didn’t want you to think there was trouble coming her way. It’s exactly as I told you before. She isn’t leaving that area. I can tell. I saw it a few months ago when I was there. Every time I talk to her, I hear it more in her voice.”

Things he was happy to hear.

Though he believed Andi when she said those words to him, it was nice to have it verified by someone else in Andi’s life.

And since the only person in her life was Jack, that was his only source.

“I’m glad to know I’m making her happy. I’ll try to ease things as best as I can with her, but I’m not going to have it cause issues with us either.”

“It won’t,” Jack said. “I’ll still be an hour away or more most likely when you factor in ferry rides. It’s not like you’ll see me much. I know better than to just drop in unexpectedly too.”

“I’ll make sure she’s aware of that. I never asked before, not you or her—Andi’s mother thinks she’s dead, right?”

“Yes,” Jack said. “Corie left when Andi was young and they had no contact. I don’t even know if Corie sent Christmas gifts or came to Andi’s high school graduation. She made her own life.”

He couldn’t imagine any mother doing that. “Who notified her that Colleen had passed?” he asked.

“A US Marshal from the Denver office. I’d already relocated with Andi, so it wouldn’t have looked related. Not that Corie had any idea of who I was. Corie was told Luke had passed months prior and then what you know of the story with Andi.”

“Did her mother have any reaction?”

Jack laughed. “Yeah. She asked if there were any life insurance policies and who was going to get them.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?”

“Nope,” Jack said. “Andi knows nothing about that. She only knows her mother was notified. When we told her she could have no contact with Corie again, she shrugged and said that it was the one thing in her life not changing. I think it’s easier for her to say she doesn’t talk to her mother so she’s not tripped up.”

“It’s hard to keep lies straight,” he said.

“That’s what Andi hates the most,” Jack said.

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