Page 104 of A Lesson for Laurel

“What?” he asked.

“Dinner with Laurel,” Abe said. “Or do you have another girlfriend?”

“Not likely,” he said. And Abe knew that but was only busting his balls.

“Sorry,” Abe said. “Bad joke.”

“It’s fine.” It’s not like he thought that Laurel would do anything behind his back. He hadn’t thought it with Rachelle, who he lived with and worked with half the time. But since Laurel had gone through something similar, there was no way he’d believe it of her.

Least of all with his cousin.

“I saw her grilling on the deck when I pulled in.”

“And you made sure she saw you,” he said, grinning.

“Of course. I might have been jumping up and down when I waved.”

He laughed. “What is she making?”

“Chicken over a salad, but I get pasta salad with mine. After I shower.”

He could hear his cousin walking up the stairs while they talked.

“Did she tell you to take one?”

“She did,” Abe said. “I wasn’t even offended. She asked if I fell into a hole at work. I’m coated with dirt. I can barely tolerate myself.”

“I don’t think she would have said it to insult you,” he said. “She’s not that way. She doesn’t care about those things much. I’m sure it has more to do with you sitting next to her eating or going into the house and tracking the dirt.”

“I wasn’t offended,” Abe said. “Don’t think that. Mom would have said the same thing.”

But he knew his cousin had troubles with women in the past over his career. That he’d come home like that and they’d turn their nose. Like they thought Abe stood around with a clipboard and directed people and didn’t actually get his hands dirty helping his crew out.

It’d never been in their DNA to be like that to boss people around without doing the same work.

Though he was a partner now, it didn’t mean he bossed people around all that much. More like oversaw and directed workloads.

“She wouldn’t want to offend you,” he said. “Why did you have to call and tell me you were going there? I know she brings you food.”

His phone went off with a text and he looked to see it was from Laurel saying she was cooking dinner and Abe was coming over.

He smiled over that.

“Bringing me food and us eating together are two different things. I don’t want you to think anything is going on. Remember, she thought you were me in the beginning.”

He burst out laughing. “She knows the difference and it’s me she wants. Besides, she just texted me saying you’re coming over too.”

“Good,” Abe said. “I’m glad she did that.”

“I trust her and you. Both of you. No worries.”

“Glad to hear that,” Abe said. “Considering everything in the past.”

“That’s different. Or so she tells me.”

“Who?” Abe asked. “Rachelle? You still talk to her?”

“I don’t,” he said.

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